36 Critical Call Center Software Statistics: 2024 Data Analysis & Market Share

Despite the adoption of advanced communication technologies, call centers continue to be crucial to many businesses today. This is especially true for companies that want to meet their customers at every possible contact point. Moreover, with over 70% of consumers contacting customer support by phone (CFI Group, 2020), the use of call center software is likely to remain strong in the coming years.

In this article, we list down the most important call center software statistics, including data on the growth of the call center market and leading companies in the industry. We’ve also included data on call center trends, such as contact centers and the adoption of artificial intelligence. Hopefully, these statistics can likewise help business owners improve their strategies for customer support.

General Call Center Industry Statistics

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced significant changes in call centers and contact centers all over the world. Despite these staggering changes, call center benchmark statistics 2021 indicate that the industry was able to respond and rebound quickly. For some call centers, this means using more efficient call center platforms. As a result, call centers continue to grow in market size and revenue and are expected to do so in the coming years.

For other contact centers, meanwhile, the pandemic introduced new work practices such as remote work. Now let’s take a look at some call center statistics 2021.

• The global call center market will grow from $339 billion in 2021 to $496 billion by 2027 (Resarch and Markets, 2020).
• The Latin America & Caribbean region also experienced 155% YOY growth in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic (Site Selection Group, 2021).
• Industry experts expect call centers in the United Kingdom to make $4.6 billion in revenue by 2022 (Statista).
• Meanwhile, the market size of call centers in China is expected to reach $140 billion by 2022 (iResearch).
• A total of 159,742 jobs were created worldwide in 2020 (Site Selection Group, 2021).
• In 2020, 69,870 jobs were created in the call center industry in the US, the highest among countries and regions in the world (Site Selection Group, 2021).
• The business process outsourcing industry also employs the most call center employees, with 110,255 jobs created in 2020 (Site Selection Group, 2021).
• Call center statistics examples also indicate that there will be 1.2 billion call center agents in China by 2022 (Sohu).
• Tata Consultancy Services Limited, one of the leading companies of the industry, also earned a revenue of approximately $19 billion as of early 2021 (Tata Consultancy Services, 2021).

US Call Center Statistics

By call center statistics definitions, North America and the US, in particular, have dominated the industry of call centers and contact centers in the past few years. For instance, compared to other regions around the world, the US opened more call center jobs in 2020. The country also saw the opening or expansion of over 100 call centers in the same year.

Call center statistics US below indicate the industry’s growth in the country.

• In 2020, 138 call centers were opened or expanded in the US (Site Selection Group, 2021).
• In addition, as of 2020, there were 2.8 million contact center employees in the US (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021a).
• Customer service representatives working in federal, local, and state government agencies in the US earned an average of $40,620 annually as of 2020 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021b).
• Furthermore, with 13,930 telemarketers, Texas had the highest employment in telemarketing as of May 2020 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020).
• The company Tata Consultancy Services also makes the highest portion of its revenue in the Americas, which accounted for $51 of the company’s worldwide revenue as of 2021 (Tata Consultancy Services, 2021).

Call Center Software and Technology Statistics

Call center trends indicate continued growth for the industry in the coming years. As a result, call center software statistics also show that more businesses are adopting the use of call center tools. Aside from their use in traditional call centers, the software also supports companies in enforcing remote work policies.

Call center systems combine the functions of communication software with live chat and social media to ensure that agents can resolve customer issues on any communication channel. More importantly, these systems have grown in complexity to include advanced features, such as interactive voice response (IVR), auto-dialers, and call analytics.

• According to call center benchmark statistics 2019, the global contact center software market is projected to be worth $35.3 billion by 2023 (MarketsandMarkets`).
•  In the US, the contact center software market is likewise expected to reach a size of $9.1 billion by 2025 (Liu).
• Also, the call center artificial intelligence market is expected to earn a revenue of $2.8 billion by 2024, as projected by call center benchmarks 2020 (MarketsandMarkets).
• Forecasts also say that the call center artificial intelligence market in North America will make $933 million by 2024, the largest among all regions (MarketsandMarkets). Like with most business aspects, artificial intelligence technologies are expected to make waves in CRM and customer service in the coming years.
• 52% of call centers in the US employ remote agents (Nearkhou, 2021).
• In addition. the majority of call centers (52%) assess customer satisfaction by tracking online reviews and mentions on social media platforms as revealed by call center benchmark statistics 2020 (Hubspot, 2020).
• 66% of call centers and contact centers want to invest in advanced analytics to improve the customer experience (CallMiner, 2020).
• However, 95% of call center agents feel like the applications they use need to be more effective (Business Wire, 2021).

Most Popular Call Center Software

1. Zendesk. One of the leading help desk and call center platforms trusted by over 40,000 organizations worldwide, including global call center companies. Read all about our thoughts on this platform in our Zendesk review.
2. Freshcaller. Freshcaller is another young, yet very promising call center and multi-level IVR solution that allows users to restructure and modernize their cloud-hosted support systems. Let us walk you through its features in our Freshcaller review.
3. RingCentral Contact Center. Also a robust communications system that helps businesses boost customer relationships. Learn more in our RingCentral Contact Center review.
4. Genesys PureCloud. Genesys PureCloud is a comprehensive contact center platform built to reinforce customer support efforts and optimize your workforce. Our Genesys PureCloud review can introduce you to more of its key features.
5. PhoneBurner. A power dialer and sales acceleration solution that greatly increases productivity over the phone without additional software. In addition, here’s our PhoneBurner review to get you up to speed with its specs.

Call Center Ease of Use and Challenges Statistics

Call center software statistics also reveal the benefits and challenges of using phone systems and other call center tools. According to the data, for instance, a significant number of customers still prefer to make phone calls to get customer service. This is particularly true for customers who want the fastest resolution possible and who have made a recent purchase.

Also, the statistics below show that customers and agents themselves encounter challenges with current phone systems and applications used by businesses. One way to prevent problems connecting with customers via phone calls is to use top call center platforms, which offer advanced features like customer-facing portals and smart call routing.

• 36% of customers aged over 56 consider phone calls their preferred communication channel, especially after a purchase (RingCentral, 2020).
• 67% of customers find it difficult to navigate phone systems, unable to reach a live agent (The Northridge Group, 2020).
• Also, phone calls and online chat were considered the easiest to use customer service channels (64%) (The Northridge Group, 2020).
• 34% of customers made more phone calls for service inquiries during the COVID-19 pandemic (The Northridge Group, 2020).
• In addition, 43% of customer issues made via phone calls were resolved within minutes (The Northridge Group, 2020).
• Calls considered ‘difficult’ by customer service agents grew by 100% at the height of the pandemic (Dixon et al., 2020).
• Likewise, 88% of business leaders say that phone calls are the second-easiest communication channel to use (The Northridge Group, 2020).

Contact Center Industry Statistics

While call centers typically facilitate incoming and outgoing calls, contact centers usually cover more communication channels to provide more holistic customer service. As such, aside from phone calls, contact centers may also integrate technologies such as chatbots and the best live chat software. Also, through such capabilities, contact centers have more touchpoints with customers, from pre-contact to post-contact engagement.

Below are some of the most important contact center statistics today.

• Recent estimates show that the US is home to over 40,000 contact centers (CFI Group, 2020).
• In 2020, the satisfaction index score for the global contact center industry in the private sector was at 71, measured on a scale of 0 to 100. This is 3 points higher than the previous year’s satisfaction index score (CFI Group, 2020).
• Also, the global contact centers in the bank/credit union industry achieved the highest satisfaction index score of 72 (CFI Group, 2020).
• In addition, 64% of customers share their contact center experience with others (CFI Group, 2020).
• The number of chats each agent handles has decreased by 56% from 2019 to 2020 (Comm100, 2021).
• Meanwhile, chats between customers and agents lasted 18% longer than they did in 2020 (Comm100, 2021).
• Moreover, compared to teams of other sizes, teams with 11 to 25 agents handled the highest number of chats at 874 chats per agent (Comm100, 2021).

Call Center Software Cost Savings

Call center software can significantly reduce costs, making it a valuable investment for businesses. Here’s how:

• Automated Processes: Call center software automates repetitive tasks, such as call routing, data entry, and follow-up reminders. This reduces the need for extensive manual work and minimizes labor costs.
• Reduced Call Handling Times: Call center software often includes intelligent call routing, customer history integration, and predictive analytics. These tools help agents address customer issues faster, reducing call duration and enabling agents to handle more calls in less time.
• Lower Training Costs: Many call center solutions come with intuitive interfaces and built-in training resources, reducing the time and costs of training new agents. Agents can learn more quickly and perform effectively sooner, improving productivity.
• Optimized Resource Allocation: Analytics and reporting tools in call center software help managers identify peak times and allocate resources accordingly. This prevents overstaffing or understaffing, saving on operational costs.
• Decreased Infrastructure Costs: Cloud-based call center software eliminates the need for extensive physical infrastructure, cutting costs on hardware, maintenance, and office space—especially beneficial for remote teams.

Is There a Future for Call Centers?

Though businesses now have access to a wide range of communication channels, phone calls will likely keep their place in omnichannel strategies for marketing and customer service. After all, the statistics above indicate that a considerable share of consumers still prefers to pick up the phone for customer service inquiries.

However, such customer preferences put pressure on companies to continuously streamline call workflows for faster routing to live agents. After all, nearly 60% of customers hang up after being placed on hold for 10 minutes (Andersen, 2021). Likewise, industry experts anticipate the widespread use of call center automation tools. These tools help agents focus on resolving complex customer issues rather than doing routine tasks (Churchill, 2021).

If you want to learn more about advanced technology used in contact centers today, check out our guide to AI-powered customer service.

Key Insights

• Growth of the Call Center Market: The global call center market is projected to grow significantly, from $339 billion in 2021 to $496 billion by 2027.
• Regional Growth: The Latin America & Caribbean region experienced 155% YOY growth in 2020, and call centers in the UK and China are expected to reach revenues of $4.6 billion and $140 billion, respectively, by 2022.
• Employment Statistics: In 2020, 159,742 call center jobs were created worldwide, with the US contributing 69,870 jobs, the highest among all countries.
• Adoption of AI: The call center artificial intelligence market is expected to earn $2.8 billion by 2024, with North America projected to generate $933 million.
• Remote Work Trends: Over half (52%) of call centers in the US employ remote agents, reflecting a significant shift towards flexible work arrangements.
• Customer Preferences: Despite technological advances, 70% of consumers still contact customer support by phone, emphasizing the enduring importance of call centers.
• Customer Satisfaction: 67% of customers find it challenging to navigate phone systems to reach a live agent, highlighting a critical area for improvement.
• Contact Centers: The US houses over 40,000 contact centers, and the global satisfaction index for the industry in the private sector was 71 in 2020, indicating positive customer experiences.

FAQ

1. What is the projected growth of the global call center market? The global call center market is expected to grow from $339 billion in 2021 to $496 billion by 2027.
2. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted call centers? The pandemic forced significant changes, including the adoption of more efficient call center platforms and new work practices such as remote work. Despite these changes, the industry rebounded quickly and continued to grow in market size and revenue.
3. What are the key regions experiencing growth in the call center industry? Key regions experiencing growth include Latin America & the Caribbean with a 155% YOY growth in 2020, the UK with an expected revenue of $4.6 billion by 2022, and China with an expected market size of $140 billion by 2022.
4. How many call center jobs were created worldwide in 2020? A total of 159,742 call center jobs were created worldwide in 2020, with the US creating the highest number of jobs at 69,870.
5. What are some popular call center software platforms? Popular call center software platforms include Zendesk, Freshcaller, RingCentral Contact Center, Genesys PureCloud, and PhoneBurner.
6. What is the role of artificial intelligence in call centers? Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly significant role in call centers, with the AI market expected to earn $2.8 billion by 2024. AI technologies are being used to enhance CRM and customer service, streamline workflows, and automate routine tasks.
7. What percentage of US call centers employ remote agents? In the US, 52% of call centers employ remote agents.
8. What challenges do customers face with current phone systems in call centers? 67% of customers find it difficult to navigate phone systems to reach a live agent, and nearly 60% hang up after being placed on hold for 10 minutes.
9. What is the customer satisfaction index for contact centers in the private sector? The satisfaction index score for global contact centers in the private sector was 71 in 2020, three points higher than the previous year’s score.
10. What communication channel do most customers prefer for customer support? Most customers (76%) prefer calling on the phone for customer support, followed by email (20%) and interactive/online chat (14%).

References:

1. Andersen, D. (2021, June 7). 24 customer experience statistics you need to know in 2021. Invoca
2. Business Wire. (2021, July 27). New Five9 study finds contact centers face workforce and technology gaps as customer service becomes more complex. Business Wire
3. CallMiner. (2020). The future of the contact center: A forecast. CallMiners
4. CFI Group. (2020). Contact center satisfaction index (CCSI) 2020. CFI Group
5. Churchill, L. (2021, December 31). 2022 trends: Discover the future of call centers. Customer Think
6. Comm100. (2021). Live chat benchmark report 2021. Comm100
7. Dixon, M., McKenna, T., & de la O, G. (2020, April 8). Supporting customer service through the coronavirus crisis. Harvard Business Review
8. HubSpot. (2020). The state of customer service in 2020. HubSpot
9. iResearch. (n.d.). China’s cloud communications service industry research report. iResearch
10. Liu, S. (n.d.). U.S. contact center software market size 2025. Statista
11. MarketsandMarkets. (n.d.). Call center AI market. MarketsandMarkets
12. Nearkhou, P. (2021, September 1). The future call center: What will change in the 2020s? Talkative
13. Research and Markets. (2021). Call centers – Global market trajectory & analytics. Research and Markets
14. Site Selection Group. (2021). 2021 call center location trend report. Site Selection Group
15. Sohu. (n.d.). Forecast and analysis of China’s call center industry development in the next five years. Sohu
16. Statista. (n.d.). Forecast: Activities of call centers revenue in the United Kingdom 2010-2022. Statista
17. Tata Consultancy Services. (2021). Building on belief: Integrated annual report 2020-21. Tata Consultancy Services
18. The Northridge Group. (2020). State of customer service experience 2020. The Northridge Group
19. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2020). Telemarketers. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
20. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021a). Customer service representatives. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
21. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021b). May 2020 OEWS industry-specific occupational employment and wage estimates. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

By Jenny Chang

Jenny Chang is a senior writer specializing in SaaS and B2B software solutions. Her decision to focus on these two industries was spurred by their explosive growth in the last decade, much of it she attributes to the emergence of disruptive technologies and the quick adoption by businesses that were quick to recognize their values to their organizations. She has covered all the major developments in SaaS and B2B software solutions, from the introduction of massive ERPs to small business platforms to help startups on their way to success.