Call center scheduling software optimizes employee schedules, reduces wait times for customers, ensures employees can view their schedules from anywhere and increases productivity. In this article, I review the best call center scheduling software on the market today so you can find the right one for you.
The success of your call center relies on speedy and effective communication between your employees and customers. However, this is only possible if you have enough staff in place.
Fortunately, call center scheduling software is a powerful tool that helps businesses ensure full coverage at all times. It also helps keep track of employee availability and allows staff to manage their schedules right from their smartphones.
In this article, I’m taking a closer look at the benefits of call center scheduling software and how it can help businesses streamline their operations.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
-
Best all-in-one call center scheduling software
-
Good for monitoring employee attendance
-
Best for creating customized schedules
How I Chose the Best Call Center Scheduling Software
The purpose of call center staffing software is to make life easier, not more complicated. Here’s what I looked for when evaluating the software on the market:
Must-have core features
- Drag-and-drop scheduling: The scheduling software should come with premade templates and the ability to duplicate schedules for upcoming weeks. You should also be able to create complete and customized schedules with shift notes, attachments, and checklists that staff might need.
- Time clock with geofencing: An employee time clock that employees can access directly from their phones is crucial. This allows them to clock in and out from wherever they’re located, and geofencing ensures they’re doing so from where they’re meant to so you don’t need to worry about time theft or buddy punching.
- Automated timesheets: The software should automatically log employee hours into timesheets, making payroll much more efficient.
- Payroll tracking: Integrating staff scheduling software with payroll reduces human error when logging employee hours and ultimately saves you time and money.
I looked for usability features, like:
- Ease of use: The software should be easy to set up, require minimal training, and have a user-friendly interface.
- Mobile app: Employees need to view their schedules from anywhere and make any requests or changes on the go. Mobile access also allows managers and call center agents to access schedules, make updates, and communicate with each other anytime, anywhere, directly from their phones.
- Employee self-service: Employees should be able to request time off, accept and swap shifts, and pick up open shifts from the app.
I checked for other product features, including:
- Communication features: The scheduling software should come with an in-app chat feature and an employee directory, allowing for seamless communication between employees and managers regarding scheduling-related matters.
- Onboarding and training: The best call center scheduling software comes with onboarding and training capabilities. It should allow employees to complete both directly from the app, from wherever they’re located.
- Customer support: The software should offer adequate customer support channels to assist you in effectively implementing and managing the scheduling software.
The 6 Best Call Center Scheduling Software Solutions of 2023
-
Connecteam — Best all-in-one call center scheduling software
Connecteam is an all-in-one call center scheduling software designed for businesses to easily create and manage schedules.
Why I chose Connecteam: Both managers and employees benefit from Connecteam’s user-friendly interface and advanced scheduling features.
Let’s take a closer look at how Connecteam can help your call center simplify the scheduling process:
Smart scheduling saves time and effort
Connecteam’s employee scheduler allows you to create fully customizable schedules with single or multiple shifts. The app helps streamline the scheduling process by coming with premade schedule templates–or you can create your own. Then, you have the option of duplicating existing schedules and even setting them to repeat for upcoming weeks.
Let employees submit their availability and work preferences, helping you to build fair schedules that take your team’s wishes into account. You can assign shifts based on your team members’ availability and qualifications, ensuring that the right employee is assigned to the right task. Employees can also accept shifts and swap shifts with other employees, with or without manager approval.
Did You Know?Connecteam integrates with Google Calendar so your employees can transfer their shifts right from the app into their personal calendars.
Flag scheduling conflicts
Connecteam alerts you immediately if there are scheduling conflicts and inconsistencies. For example, if you’re creating your weekly schedule and mistakenly schedule the same employee twice, the system flags it and alerts you so you can correct the issue.
Shift details
Ensure you’re team knows exactly what they need to work on during their shift by including shift-specific information, like notes, videos, tasks, digital forms, or documents.
Automatic notifications
Connecteam allows you to send notifications to your staff when new schedules are published and when there are any schedule changes. The app also sends reminders to complete shift tasks, to clock in and out on time, and when new shifts open up.
Time clock with geofencing
Connecteam’s intuitive employee time clock makes it easy for employees to clock in and out directly from their phones. The app records their location and a time-stamp that is accurate to the second, putting an end to inaccurate timesheets.
Set a geofence around your office with Connecteam’s geofence time clock to ensure your employees can only clock in where they’re supposed to, reducing time theft and inaccurate clock-in and clock-out times.
Then, working hours are automatically recorded onto digital timesheets for payroll that you can easily review and export to your payroll software.
In-app chat
Connecteam’s online team chat feature is easy to use right from your phone and incredibly efficient. Employees can message each other directly from their schedules so they can chat with each other or their managers about scheduling-related matters.
Managers and employees can also communicate privately, publicly in the company newsfeed, or in job-related groups to discuss scheduling changes or conflicts.
And so much more…
In addition, Connecteam offers excellent customer service, a user-friendly interface, robust workforce management tools, and complete customizability.
Connecteam’s paid plan starts at just $29 per month for up to 30 users, and small businesses with fewer than 10 users can access the app completely free.
Trusted by Over 36,000 Companies Worldwide
Key Features
Customized schedule for jobs, sub-jobs, clients, etc.
Chat built into scheduling feature
Add tasks directly into shifts
Attach notes, files, and forms to shifts
Clock in directly from schedules
Recurring, ongoing and duplicate shifts
Pros
A variety of shift options are available
Schedule quickly by dragging and dropping
Schedule the same weeks as before
View which employees are available
Cons
Integrations in development
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Humanity — Good for monitoring employee attendance
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Why I chose Humanity: Humanity is an efficient call schedule scheduling software that allows you to monitor employee attendance, create customized schedules, export reports with real-time data, and create future forecasts. Additionally, employees can set preferred working hours and swap shifts directly from their phones.
Humanity is available on all devices and instantly alerts managers of overlapping shifts, overtime, and other scheduling conflicts.
Learn more about HumanityKey Features
- Custom scheduling templates
- Forecasting and automation capabilities
- Real-time communication
- Intuitive budgeting tool
Pros
- Staff can leave comments on shifts
- Robust insight forecasting tools
Cons
- Users report PTO is reported incorrectly frequently
- Outdated interface that is unpleasant to use
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
-
TixTime — Best for creating customized schedules
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
With TixTime, all of your call center employees have access to their schedules from their phones, so you never have to worry that workers are unaware of their hours.
Why I chose TixTime: It also includes a time clock and reminds employees if they forget to clock in or out. Another perk of this scheduling software is you can personalize it based on your individual employees by adding special skills or training to their profiles. That way, if a specific shift requires an employee with certain skills, you’ll have all the information at your fingertips.
TixTime automatically calculates employee hours, speeding up the entire payroll process.
Learn more about TixTimeKey Features
- Employee availability
- Email notifications
- Visual schedule for budgeting
- One-Click Payroll Exports
Pros
- Good customer service
- You can view scheduling alongside timesheets
Cons
- Large teams find it difficult to use
- Reporting capabilities are limited
Pricing
Starts at $179/month Trial: Yes — 15-day Free Plan: No
-
Shiftboard — Best for large teams and organizations
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
When you have a large call center staff that’s spread across multiple locations, Shiftboard is a great option.
Why I chose Shiftboard: With real-time reports, alerts for overtime or cost issues, auto-scheduling, shift swapping, vacation requests, and push notifications, Shiftboard is incredibly versatile in terms of its capabilities.
You can identify coverage gaps, notify workers of available shifts or changes to the schedule, and add or extend shifts, too. Workers can provide timesheets online and can also take advantage of the software’s time clock to clock in and out. And while Shiftboard doesn’t provide a price list online, you can get in touch with a sales representative from their website to obtain pricing info.
Learn more about ShiftboardKey Features
- Forecast labor demand
- Automated shift assignment rules
- Overtime status alerts
- Employee availability
- Automated reminders and shift notifications
Pros
- Easy to navigate
- Cost-friendly
Cons
- Limited integrations with payroll systems
- Last-minute changes are hard to make
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
-
Sling — Good for pre-made scheduling templates
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
With Sling, businesses of any size save time creating employee schedules and managing time off.
Why I chose Sling: The simple interface makes it easy for managers to schedule the right employee for the right role, set recurring shift times, manage timesheets, and communicate with staff via private or group chat.
Call center employees can clock in with Sling’s time clock and send time-off requests and work preferences from the app, reducing scheduling confusion.
Shiftboard does not offer a free trial and does require a set-up fee, costs worth taking into consideration when deciding on call center scheduling software.
Plus, employees can clock in and out straight from their mobile phones so timesheets are automatically maintained.
Learn more about SlingKey Features
- Manage time off, availability and shift trade requests
- Private or group communication
- Templates for scheduling
Pros
- Ability to drag and drop
- Scheduling across time zones
Cons
- Confusing set-up process
- Challenging to invite new users
Pricing
Starts at $1.70/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
-
Deputy — Best for: finding last-minute shift replacements
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Deputy is a well-known scheduling and time management software that comes with a digital time clock, time and attendance tracking tools, and labor compliance features.
Why I chose Deputy: Employees can swap shifts with a click of a button so they don’t need to go through management, creating a more efficient workflow. Deputy also integrates with a variety of payroll tools and POS systems and is compatible with both iOS and Android. It’s also worth noting that Deputy offers special pricing for nonprofits, charities, and community organizations.
Learn more about DeputyKey Features
- Create schedules based on different roles, departments, or locations
- Add an employee stress profile
- Quickly find shift replacements
Pros
- Easily send scheduling updates
- Simple interface
Cons
- It only shows one week in advance for planning
- Doesn’t sync with google calendar
Pricing
Starts at $3.5/user/month, for Scheduling or Time & Attendance Trial: Yes — 31-day Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Call Center Scheduling Software Solutions
| Topic |
Start for free
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
  |
|
|
|
|
|
| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $179/month
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $1.70/user/month
|
Starts at $3.5/user/month, for Scheduling or Time & Attendance
|
| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
|
yes
|
yes
15-day
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
31-day
|
| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
no
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
no
|
What is call center staffing software?
Call center scheduling software is a tool designed to assist call center managers in efficiently creating and managing agent schedules. It automates the process of assigning shifts and ensuring appropriate staffing levels to meet customer demand. The software considers various factors such as call volume patterns, agent availability, skill sets, and service level goals to create optimized schedules.
How does a call center staffing software work?
Knowing how to create a call center schedule and knowing how a call center software works, are closely aligned, and equally important to be familiar with.
Although each software system will operate somewhat differently, there are steps that most won’t skip. So, after you’ve downloaded your chosen call center staffing software, you’ll first enter a series of limits such as overtime laws and other requirements such as absence rules (PTO, vacation days, sick leave, etc.) for your new scheduler system to stand by.
Once your new scheduling software has gathered this baseline, you can then choose from a ready-made schedule template or make a new one (eventually you should be allowed to automatically copy that onto the following weeks), to input your employees and shift fragments according to your liking. Employees will be notified of arrangements. If you would like to open a shift without assigning a specific staff member, you will also have the option to let employees claim open slots as they see fit on their own.
If someone is in need of a last minute change, you will have a visual of which other employees are readily available based on their personal schedule, and who needs more shifts or who is close to going overtime.
As weeks go by, you can copy and paste past scheduling that were a a success, and feel at ease knowing you’ll be alerted when anything goes off course.
Why should I use call center staffing software?
One of the biggest challenges call centers face with scheduling, is ensuring enough employees have been scheduled for shifts. All too often, unprepared scheduling results in too many employees scheduled during down hours and then too few scheduled during high call volumes.
Going down this route will have you bleed cash and ultimately fail to cater to your customers.
You need a call center scheduling app that issues detailed real-time reports to create optimal and efficient schedules week after week.
Benefits also include:
- Task-based scheduling
- Trained top agents, qualified for the job.
- Open visibility of employee availability
- Equally rotated shifts
- Flexible scheduling, that responds quickly.
- Employee performance management
The best wfm software for call centers provides you with the necessary tool sets to communicate effectively with employees, train them, and ensures a schedule that suits everyone’s needs– everything workforce management demands.
How much does call center staffing software cost?
Call center workforce management software is often priced at a per-employee price. This hefty ask is usually what deters business owners like you who are looking for an affordable fix.
As your company grows or hopes to in the future, you should look for a call center staffing software that offers a bundle that is based at a fixed rate. Connecteam comes in first for providing a software service that not only provides a quality all-in-one solution people usually pay per feature for, but also for providing a truly scalable solution in its pricing. With a fixed cost of $29 per month for the first 30 users, Connecteam is a platform that you can be sure to utilize forever without damaging your wallet.
FAQs
Is Call Center Scheduling Software Affordable?
No call center scheduling software is the same, therefore, pricing does vary. Pricing can be determined by various factors like how many locations you have, how many users you need, advanced features to add on, and so on.
Try to look for an all-in-one center scheduling app so that you’re covered for all your scheduling needs!
Do Most Call Center Scheduling Apps Charge Per User?
No. Not all of the call center scheduling software solutions charge per user. Although some may charge per location. Be sure to check the pricing options and contract (if there is one) to ensure there are no hidden fees.
The Bottom Line On Call Center Scheduling Software
Out of the seven call center scheduling apps we have listed above, the right fit for your company and your employees can be found. With one of these software solutions, you can create a fair and balanced schedule that works for everyone, provides appropriate workforce management, and ensures the best contact center customer experience.
On top of it all, with an accurate work schedule, your employees will be a lot happier and their increased productivity will lead to much happier clients. All in all, it’s a win-win!