Call tracking software can measure success

Whether your call center focuses on sales or customer service, detailed tracking is essential to maximum efficiency. Call tracking software provides detailed reporting on overall activity, individual agents' performance, and current conditions, giving you the in-depth information you need to run a successful call center.

Call tracking software can provide detailed information on many metrics:

• High-level statistics, such as calls answered or placed, per rep or group, over a specific period of time
• Average hold times, talk times, number of calls per hour or day – over time, or current snapshots
• For sales-focused call centers, number of sales and revenue per rep or per department (when integrated with CRM or sales tracking software)
• For incoming calls, detailed breakdowns of the complaints or questions and their resolutions

One of the most informative steps in evaluating call tracking software is taking a look at the reports that the system generates. Get samples you can keep – printed copies, spreadsheet files, whatever is appropriate – so you can compare the output from several systems.

For live demos, it helps to prepare by coming up with two or three different metrics that are important to you. Make them as specific as possible: monthly revenue numbers for a particular product, or a breakdown of calls made and answered by an individual rep during a busy time.

If you really want to crunch the numbers, you'll probably want to choose call tracking software that lets you export data so you can manipulate in a third-party analysis or reporting tool. Verify what formats your analysis software can import before you start talking to call tracking software vendors.

Other call tracking software requirements
Of course, tracking and measurement are only one aspect of a full-featured call center software solution. Make sure any system you investigate also meets your needs in these areas:

• Easy to use with minimal training for basic functions
• Compatible with your existing infrastructure: PBXes, network, and phones
• Offers CTI features like screen pops with caller information
• Can provide automatic call distribution (ACD) to manage the workload
• Customizable to reflect your business processes and terminology

Thanks to the detailed metrics and reporting, the best call tracking software can not only make your call center more efficient, it can track exactly how each aspect of your center is performing. Ready to start talking to call tracking providers? Submit a free call center software request for quotes and we'll put you in touch with several leading vendors today.