8×8 Contact Center Review: Features & Alternatives for 2023
Corey McCraw is a staff writer covering VoIP and Unified Communications. Corey has over a decade of experience in marketing, tech writing, and corporate communications and has even penned content for the former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative.
Marianne is a staff writer at Fit Small Business who covers business phone services, VoIP, and video conferencing tools.
This article is part of a larger series on VoIP.
8×8 is a multichannel contact center solution with voice, chat, and video services. In this 8×8 Contact Center review, the provider got a perfect score for customer service because of its 24/7 support in all digital channels. 8×8 Contact Center provides the necessary tools to manage voice interactions and facilitate agent monitoring effectively. However, it got lower scores in pricing due to its expensive monthly plans and lack of volume discounts.
8×8 Contact Center Review: At a Glance
Overall Score:
4.02 / 5
What We Like
- IVR-controlled surveys
- Mix-and-match subscriptions
- Wide range of security and compliance certifications
- Omnichannel routing across voice, chat, email, SMS, and social media channels
What's Missing
- No volume discounts
- Fewer integrations than RingCentral
- Expensive monthly fees
- Microsoft Teams integration is a paid add-on
When to Use 8x8 Contact Center
- Compliance requirements: 8×8 is one of our top call center systems due to its strict data compliance standards
- Omnichannel solution: 8×8 supports different communication channels, such as SMS, social media, voice call, chat, and email
- Agent performance monitoring: 8×8 comes with workforce management tools like speech analytics, call recording, and post-call survey
When to Use an Alternative
- Low-cost contact center: Check out Freshdesk, which offers a free plan and affordable monthly fees
- Robust AI and automation capabilities: Talkdesk’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered contact center includes a virtual agent, agent assistance, and AI training tool
- Third-party integrations: 8×8 has 60 integrations, far less than the 293 offered by RingCentral
Are you looking for a voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) service that also offers excellent international calling options? Find out more about 8×8’s business communication plans in our 8×8 review.
8×8 Contact Center Deciding Factors
8×8 is primarily known as a business phone system, but it also has a contact center solution that combines voice, chat, email, and social interaction channels along with workforce management. It supports enhanced agent performance through extensive analytics, team messaging, and customer relations management (CRM) integration.
Best For | Businesses needing an omnichannel contact center solution with robust agent monitoring tools |
Standout Features |
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Pricing Plans | $85 to $140 per user, paid monthly |
Annual or Volume Discounts Available |
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Integrations |
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Customer Service | 24/7 availability via live chat, phone, and web portal |
8×8 Contact Center Alternatives
For those who need more third-party integrations or robust omnichannel support in entry-level plans, below are some alternatives to consider:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best For | Small to medium enterprises looking for a budget-friendly contact center platform | Call centers with high call volumes that need agent productivity tools | Businesses needing to consolidate customer and team communications on one platform |
Monthly Starting Price (per User) | Free; paid plans start at $18 | Contact sales for a quote | Contact sales for a quote |
Learn More |
8×8 Contact Center pricing received a very low score due to the lack of a free plan and volume discounts. It also has expensive monthly plans, ranging from $85 to $140 per user. Despite the high cost, each tier is fully packed with premium contact center features. Users may mix and match plans to customize solutions based on unique employee needs.
8x8 Contact Center Plans | X6 | X7 | X8 |
|---|---|---|---|
Best For | Call centers that focus on voice-based interactions | Companies needing a multichannel contact center | Large enterprises running outbound campaigns |
Monthly Pricing ($/User/Month)* | $85 | $110 | $140 |
Unlimited Overseas Calling | 48 countries | 48 countries | 48 countries |
Included Inbound & Outbound Minutes (Local & International) | 4,000 minutes | 4,000 minutes | 4,000 minutes |
Meeting & Call Recording Retention | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
Multilevel Auto-attendant | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Chat, Email, SMS, Social Media Channels | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Co-browsing | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Auto-dialer: Preview, Progressive & Predictive | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Quality Management & Speech Analytics | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*Mix and match plans and pay annually to get up to 25% discount
8×8 Contact Center Features
8×8 Contact Center is a comprehensive and highly scalable customer engagement and internal collaboration solution that makes it easier for small businesses to connect with employees and customers. It combines collaboration tools (e.g., a unified inbox for all channels) with customer engagement functions like customer surveys and advanced analytics.
8×8 Contact Center received a score of 5 out of 5 because it has all the standard contact center features, such as automatic call distribution, call monitoring, and call activity analytics. It also drives multichannel experience via voice, chat, email, SMS, social media, and messaging apps. Additionally, each package contains the highest levels of security and compliance, including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) certification.
All 8×8 Contact Center plans include the following features:
- Skills-based routing
- Call monitoring
- Hotdesking
- Unlimited internet fax
- Unlimited media storage
- Single sign-on
- Multilevel auto-attendant
- Call handling
- Presence detection
- Team messaging
We gave 8×8 Contact Center a score of 4.38 out of 5 for niche features, as it comes complete with a full suite of analytics and the latest contact center functionality. Upgrading to the high-tier plans gives you workforce management, a virtual assistant, co-browsing, and outbound dialers (e.g., preview, progressive, and predictive). However, 8×8 fell short in integration as it currently links to only 60 business apps.
Click on each feature below to learn about 8×8 Contact Center’s top niche offerings.
Supplemental to internal analytics and performance reports, 8×8 users gather feedback directly from customers following an interaction. Such feedback is critical to improving the customer experience and recognizing agents who consistently provide excellent customer service. Information is presented through the dashboard for effortless data visualization and action.
Capture valuable customer feedback to share with agents for improved performance. (Source: 8×8)
8×8 has a conversational virtual assistant that provides personalized self-service to customers. The benefits of this feature are two-fold: it keeps agents focused on more engaging work while at the same time, customers seek solutions independently, minimizing customer wait time and the need for agent intervention.
Maximize agent productivity by operationalizing advanced automated services to resolve issues and deliver faster resolution times quickly. (Source: 8×8)
Equip your call center managers with the correct information to identify interaction trends and team behavior and act on findings to optimize the customer experience. With 8×8’s speech analytics and automated transcripts, businesses will gain insights into conversations for timely feedback to team members.
Contact center analytics capture insights and customize reports to understand call performance and customer trends better. (Source: 8×8)
For customer service, 8×8 Contact Center received another perfect score of 5 out of 5 because it offers 24/7 support on all digital channels, including phone, chat, and email. It also has a comprehensive knowledge base that provides quick guides to product and support topics. Search by product or ask a question through 8×8’s support bot Otto. Another option is to submit a support request through its service portal.
We scored 8×8 Contact Center 2.38 out of 5 for its ease of use as it requires a bit of technical knowledge to operate smoothly. In the initial setup phase, 8×8 Contact Center is easy to implement, but as you explore and navigate its platform, you will find some features difficult to locate or configure. Still, the 8×8 Support portal provides plenty of user guides to help you make the most out of its contact center features.
8×8 Contact Center performs well in all the core features offered in its three plans. Users particularly like the customization of reports, call analytics, interactive dashboards, and responsive customer service. However, it needs a slight improvement to its ease of use and pricing. Aside from its slight learning curve, 8×8 is more expensive than other major competitors like Freshdesk and CloudTalk.
- TrustRadius: 8 out of 10 based on 247 reviews
- G2: 4 out of 5 based on 152 reviews
- Software Advice: 4 out of 5 based on 24 reviews
How We Evaluated 8×8 Contact Center
To evaluate 8×8 Contact Center, we tested the system ourselves and checked reviews from verified 8×8 users. From there, we considered several factors, such as pricing, general and niche features, customer service, and ease of use.
Learn how we evaluated 8×8 Contact Center by clicking on the tabs below:
20%
Pricing
25%
General Features
20%
Niche Features
10%
Customer Service
10%
Ease of Use
15%
Expert Score
20% of Overall Score
Cost is an important factor for call centers with a limited budget. With that in mind, we looked for the availability of a free plan, volume-based discounts, and flexible plan offerings. Although 8×8 Contact Center lacks a free version, it received an extra point for annual discounts.
25% of Overall Score
We looked at features that are common across contact center providers. These include automatic call distribution, call monitoring, call analytics, and omnichannel support. 8×8 got a perfect score in this category for providing all these essential features.
20% of Overall Score
We examined premium features that would provide users with better value for money. These include AI-powered tools, workforce management, outbound dialers, and integrations.
10% of Overall Score
We looked at the types of support channels the provider offers, including phone, email, chat, and ticketing system. We also gave more points if all channels are available 24/7.
10% of Overall Score
To assess the platform’s user-friendliness, we checked 8×8 Contact Center reviews on credible websites. We particularly considered if users encountered learning curves during the setup phase as well as how easy it is for them to access all its features and carry out specific tasks.
15% of Overall Score
We weighed 8×8 Contact Center’s popularity among businesses and whether users see value for money in its features. We awarded more points to the provider for its standout features and ease of use.
*Percentages of overall score
Bottom Line
8×8 Contact Center allows businesses to deliver personalized service to their customers across various channels. It is scalable and flexible enough to grow with your business, providing automation, sophisticated call routing, and performance analytics. Visit its website to talk with its sales team and get your fast, no-obligation quote.
