You most likely know Talkdesk as a cloud-based contact heart answer that helps companies handle buyer interactions throughout a number of digital channels, together with cellphone, electronic mail, chat, and social. It affords options corresponding to automated name distribution, omnichannel routing, analytics, and reporting.

However, in case you’ve arrived right here, you’re not fully offered on the software program. Evaluating options is a mandatory step within the software program shopping for course of. 

Most individuals received’t even purchase a vacuum with out opinions and specs on-line to verify they’re making the suitable alternative and getting the most effective deal.

This text covers Talkdesk’s strengths, weaknesses, and finest alternate options so you may make the suitable resolution to your contact heart.

What Are A few of Talkdesk’s Strengths?

Talkdesk has 4 traits that make it a powerful contender within the cloud-based contact heart enviornment.

1) Function-rich platform

Like all contact heart software program, Talkdesk is filled with important name heart options, nevertheless it additionally affords superior performance.

Talkdesk’s big range of options consists of:

• Agent dashboard
• Name forwarding
• Name queuing
• Click on-to-call
• Predictive dialing
• Interactive voice response (IVR)
• REST APIs
• Name monitoring
• CRM software program integrations
• Name recording
• Voicemail inbox
• Toll-free numbers
• Native cellphone numbers

These options are simply the tip of the iceberg. However, the trendy contact heart market calls for that contact heart options, cloud or in any other case, embrace every thing the typical contact heart must serve its clients from day one.

2) Omnichannel assist

Other than widespread options, Talkdesk additionally helps digital communication throughout the next channels:

• Voice
• E mail
• Internet chat
• SMS
• Video
• Social media

3) Customizable plans

When you’re not able to arrange all these channels, you don’t should go all-in on omnichannel assist. In different phrases, you don’t want to purchase the bells-and-whistles bundle if that’s not what you want.

4) Sturdy integrations

We now have entry to extra information and knowledge than ever earlier than, and we are able to use it to empower brokers throughout buyer transactions. 

Talkdesk integrates with CRM techniques and different enterprise apps to assist brokers resolve interactions sooner and hold them extra knowledgeable.

Widespread contact heart integrations embrace:

• Microsoft Groups
• Salesforce
• Zendesk
• Slack
• Zoom
• Zoho

Why Prospects Search for Options to Talkdesk

Certain, Talkdesk has tons of options, all the usual channels and integrations, and customised pricing to suit your wants, however there are numerous elements inflicting contact heart patrons to take a look at Talkdesk’s rivals.

Pricing

Albeit adaptable, Talkdesk can turn into an costly answer in case you’re on the lookout for add-ons — particularly for smaller companies. 

For instance, in case you want customized reporting, workforce administration, and an outbound dialer, you’re $125 plus extras per contact heart agent. When you want a number of “elective extras” however they’re central to the way you run your online business, it will possibly turn into laborious to funds.

The fundamental bundle will be overkill for some companies. For individuals who don’t but have the urge for food or want for an AI coach, it might really feel such as you’re paying for options you don’t really want.

Talkdesk caters to a variety of enterprise wants, however a few of its decrease plans really feel incomplete since these are individually priced add-ons: 

• Digital brokers
• Synthetic intelligence (AI) coach
• High quality administration
• Workforce administration

Ease of use

Once you get a brand new cellphone, it typically works identical to your previous one. Once you get a brand new TV, the distant’s design is just like the previous one. Once you get a brand new automotive, you know the way to drive it nearly instantly.

Nonetheless, Talkdesk will be advanced to study and use, particularly for non-technical customers. Some opinions counsel its interface is overwhelming and cluttered, resulting in decreased productiveness and a steep studying curve, even for seasoned execs.

Stability

Once you spend money on contact heart software program, it must be bulletproof. When you undergo downtime, you want and deserve nice buyer assist.

Reviews by some Talkdesk clients counsel that this has not been their expertise.

Poorly supported lesser integrations

Some customers report a detrimental expertise with functions outdoors Talkdesk’s core integrations. Once you depend on info alternate between your contact heart system and your most usually used apps, you want high-quality, two-way assist.

“There have been instances when Pipedrive and Talkdesk have to combine higher, which is each annoying and time-consuming.”

~ Garret P., Supervisor of Member Providers, 51–1,000 workers.

High 8 Options to Talkdesk

1) Nextiva

Ideally suited for

Small to medium companies on the lookout for a unified communications (UC) platform with all-in-one voice, video, and chat capabilities. 

When you’re on the lookout for each UC and call heart instruments, Nextiva offers a single interface for brokers to conduct each front- and back-office duties. Seamless, on-net integration of calls and contacts offers fewer app switches, resulting in most productiveness. 

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

With Nextiva’s related base performance, you may step into contact heart AI with out feeling overwhelmed. There’s no stress to make every thing digital and depart robots to run issues. Nonetheless, there’s loads of intuitive name heart automation and machine studying to reap the benefits of.

Total, Nextiva’s pricing is less complicated than Talkdesk’s. What you see is what you get. There’s nothing hidden, and it’s straightforward to funds.

Key strengths

Integrating unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and call heart as a service (CCaaS) is easy. 

Whether or not you’re utilizing Nextiva to your telephony and call heart otherwise you’re integrating one other contact heart, corresponding to Five9, Nextiva’s enterprise cellphone system delivers a streamlined expertise for contact heart brokers, built-in video conferencing, a cell app for on-the-go accessibility, and aggressive pricing plans.

2) Five9

Ideally suited for

When you’re on the lookout for a extra superior AI-powered contact heart answer, Five9 hits the nail on the top. 

Five9 focuses on making AI do the legwork so your brokers stay environment friendly and productive. That is particularly useful for big companies with scalability issues or the will to let brokers deal with extra value-adding duties whereas automating run price actions. 

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

Five9 is on par with Talkdesk for omnichannel routing and superior speech analytics. However the place it actually excels is in utilizing AI to generate reviews and supply sentiment evaluation in your buyer transactions.

When you’re a data-driven group with numerous clients and brokers, Five9 will be a good way to realize management of your contact heart.

Key strengths

The AI integrations, reviews, and analytics are up there with the most effective within the contact heart market. You may automate your workflows and outsource the menial duties to a bot, all whereas sustaining whole management of your online business unit.

3) JustCall

Ideally suited for

Funds-conscious startups and small companies trying to enhance buyer satisfaction with an inexpensive different to Talkdesk. 

When you’re organising a brand new contact heart operation, JustCall offers a easy interface with the essential options wanted to get began.

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

You may get core contact heart performance at a fraction of the worth. 

Sure, there are fewer bells and whistles, however in case you don’t want these elective extras, there’s no level in overspending. When you want enterprise-grade options, corresponding to single sign-on or superior APIs, JustCall affords a tailor-made Enterprise bundle.

Key strengths

JustCall stands out as an ideal choice for small or new contact facilities. 

With reasonably priced pricing plans, a easy interface, and a well-reviewed assist desk, it’s bought every thing you want for a fundamental contact heart in case your plans aren’t very technical.

4) Aircall

Ideally suited for

Startups, small groups, and sales-focused organizations on the lookout for a fast and easy-to-use contact heart answer.

One other Talkdesk different targeted on simplicity with a smooth design, Aircall integrates with main apps corresponding to Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk and not using a advanced technical setup.

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

When you’re on the lookout for speedy deployment, getting began with Aircall is faster than Talkdesk as a result of it’s constructed on a cellphone system spine. Assuming your brokers have used fundamental cellphone name controls earlier than, they’ll choose it up straight away.

On the prime finish of the pricing tiers, Aircall is more cost effective, too. When you don’t want each attainable characteristic obtainable, Aircall strips its highest bundle, making it extra enticing. 

Key strengths

Fast setup and highly effective integrations with the preferred CRMs and ticketing techniques make Aircall an inexpensive Talkdesk different worthy of consideration.

5) Genesys

Ideally suited for

Giant enterprises and complicated contact facilities that require superior options and customizations.

Genesys focuses on on-premises and hybrid deployments for industries corresponding to finance and others with inflexible compliance rules.

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

Genesys matches Talkdesk’s core contact heart options and offers an choice for these on the lookout for cloud-type performance with out cloud deployment. 

Because of its legacy in telecoms, Genesys has a variety of customizable PBX and name heart performance.

Key strengths

There is no such thing as a doubt concerning the scalability of Genesys, boasting case research corresponding to Vodafone and Sodexo with over 1,000 brokers.

With sturdy omnichannel assist, superior self-service options (chatbots, voicebots, and data bases), and integrations with enterprise-level functions, Genesys is a stable different to Talkdesk for its goal market.

6) Avaya

Ideally suited for

Low-risk companies trying to set up a trusted telecoms model. 

Avaya has a legacy of offering on-premises cellphone techniques with excessive name high quality and might present quite a lot of cloud options by way of resale agreements.

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

When you’re already invested within the Avaya ecosystem (cellphone system, handsets, and so on.), chances are you’ll get a reduction when sticking along with your present provider.

Its on-premises contact heart platform is filled with core performance, and there are a number of add-ons obtainable within the portfolio.

Key strengths

Avaya has a world attain because of its intensive telecom historical past. If your online business has a number of workplaces throughout many international locations or needs to roll out a follow-the-sun assist crew, Avaya has the expertise and inside assets to assist.

7) Dialpad

Ideally suited for

Companies trying to go the additional mile with AI. In truth, Dialpad’s contact heart answer is called “Ai Contact Heart.” There isn’t a non-AI model.

When you’re fascinated with offering real-time teaching insights and gaining access to next-generation analytics, Dialpad is an effective choice.

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

You continue to get the fundamentals, corresponding to inbound name routing, IVR, and omnichannel, however you additionally get the prospect to prioritize agent improvement and buyer engagement because of its developments in AI and transcription.

With a selected concentrate on gross sales groups, Dialpad’s AI ideas can immediate brokers to say new merchandise and establish the best time to shut a deal. Its outbound calling answer additionally options AI, together with good name monitoring and name queues.

Key strengths

With its real-time agent efficiency dashboards backed by AI, Dialpad is closely targeted on making the most effective use of the info you accumulate. 

Each buyer transaction is a studying alternative. Dialpad places these on the focus of your contact heart.

8) 8×8

Ideally suited for

Companies on the lookout for an built-in, all-in-one method to UCaaS and CCaaS. 

With a cloud-based-only product, 8×8 offers a composable cloud communication platform that tightly integrates with its back-office answer.

Why it’s a great Talkdesk different

Competing nearly immediately by way of buyer measurement, 8×8 affords an identical core set of options and goes toe-to-toe by way of the variety of integrations and multichannel assist.

The good thing about 8×8 over Talkdesk is the underlying VoIP system you may combine. Talkdesk now has a cloud PBX, nevertheless it’s new to the market and lacks the legacy of different PBX distributors.

Key strengths

8×8 is an all-in-one, select-your-functionality cloud deployment that’s standard with potential clients. 

It additionally integrates with a number of generally used CRMs and enterprise communication apps and options aggressive pricing for mid-market clients.

Options to Talkdesk: overview

The Verdict on the Greatest Talkdesk Different

There’s little doubt the contact heart market is tremendous aggressive. The variety of Talkdesk alternate options outlined on this weblog publish exhibits that your resolution to think about rivals is an effective one.

Every vendor talked about has its strengths, historical past, and target market.

When you’re a small- to medium-sized enterprise, Nextiva takes the gold medal for an easy-to-use, quick-to-setup cloud contact heart.

Nextiva options:

• Aggressive pricing with plans that cater to a variety of enterprise sizes and desires
• Easy and user-friendly setup course of, bettering time to worth
• Integrates voice, video, crew messaging, and buyer administration
• Glorious buyer assist and wonderful service
• A robust monitor file of reliability, making certain constant service availability — 99.999% uptime