In this review, I’m going to share my analysis and evaluation from my hands-on experience with Aircall. But first, if you’re just beginning your search for the best call center tools, check out my picks for the best call center software. You probably already know that Aircall is among the most popular call center tools out there, but you need to better understand what’s good (and not so good) about it.
This in-depth Aircall review will walk you through the tool's pros and cons, features and functionality, and more to help guide you to better understand its capabilities and its suitability for your needs.
Aircall Product Overview
Aircall is a business phone system designed to streamline customer and team communication. It primarily caters to businesses seeking efficient call handling and improved customer interactions. The tool offers benefits like enhanced team collaboration and effective management of customer calls. It addresses key pain points such as managing high call volumes, ensuring call quality, and integrating with other business tools. Among its best features are user-friendly interfaces, robust analytics, and integration with popular CRM systems like Salesforce accounts.
Pros
- Integration Flexibility: Aircall offers extensive integration options with other platforms like Hubspot. This means users can easily connect Aircall with their existing CRM and support tools, enhancing workflow efficiency.
- Call Analytics: The software provides detailed call analytics. This feature helps businesses understand call patterns, agent performance, and customer satisfaction levels, leading to improved service quality.
- User Interface: Aircall boasts a clean and intuitive user interface. This design simplifies navigation and use, making it easier for new users to adapt and for team members to operate efficiently.
Cons
- Feature Limitations: Compared to some competitors, Aircall may lack certain advanced features. This can be a drawback for businesses looking for highly specialized functionalities.
- Scalability Issues: For very large organizations, Aircall might struggle with scalability. This means it might not be as effective for companies with a vast number of users or extremely high call volumes.
- Cost Consideration: While not the most expensive, Aircall can be costlier than some alternatives. This might be a concern for small businesses or those with limited budgets.
Expert Opinion
From my perspective, Aircall stands out in its ability to integrate with a wide range of other business tools, enhancing overall workflow. Its user-friendly interface and robust call analytics are significant assets, particularly for businesses focused on customer interaction and support. However, it may fall short in terms of advanced features and scalability compared to some of its competitors. Considering its functionality, support, and interface, Aircall is a strong choice for small to medium-sized businesses that prioritize ease of use and effective customer communication. It is less suited for huge organizations or those requiring highly specialized phone system features.
Aircall: The Bottom Line
Aircall's unique proposition lies in its balance of simplicity, efficiency, and integration capabilities. Unlike many other tools, it offers a particularly user-friendly interface coupled with powerful analytics, making it an excellent choice for businesses keen on understanding and improving their customer interactions. Its standout feature is the seamless integration with numerous CRM and support tools, facilitating a more cohesive and efficient workflow. This makes Aircall particularly good for businesses looking to enhance their customer communication without overwhelming their team with a complex system.
Aircall Deep Dive
Product Specifications
- Toll-Free Numbers - Yes
- International Numbers - Yes
- Call Conference Solution - Yes
- Business Hours - Yes
- Voicemail - Yes
- Call Routing - Yes
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR) - Yes
- Extensions - Yes
- Blocklist Numbers - Yes
- Virtual Call Center - Yes
- SMS Business Text Messaging - Yes
- Shared Contacts - Yes
- Warm Transfer - Yes
- Shared Call Inbox - Yes
- Call Commenting & Assignment - Yes
- Real-Time Modifications - Yes
- Call Queuing - Yes
- Ring Groups - Yes
- Parallel Calls - Yes
- Unlimited Concurrent Calls - Yes
- Queue Callback - Yes
- Time-Based Routing - Yes
- Call Recording - Yes
- Pause-Resume Recording - Yes
- Conversation Center - Yes
Aircall Feature Overview
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Aircall's IVR system efficiently manages high call volumes by directing callers to the appropriate agent based on their responses. This feature stands out for its ability to reduce caller wait times and streamline call handling.
- Business Phone Numbers: Offers various types of virtual numbers, including toll-free and international, allowing businesses to establish a local presence in different countries. This fosters trust and credibility with international customers.
- Warm Call Transfer: Allows agents to share information before transferring a call, preventing customers from having to repeat themselves. This feature enhances customer experience by ensuring smooth call transitions.
- Smart Call Recording: The ability to pause and resume recording during a call is especially beneficial for handling sensitive information. These recordings can be instrumental for training and compliance purposes.
- Call Tags: Enables tagging and labeling calls for easy identification and reference, integrating these tags with customer databases in CRM systems for future reference.
- Advanced Analytics: Provides in-depth call analytics, enabling businesses to monitor performance at both agent and team levels. This feature is crucial for setting and tracking KPIs through an intuitive dashboard.
- Custom User Roles: Offers customizable access permissions for different user roles, which is key for securing sensitive customer data and information in call centers.
- Pause-Resume Call Recording: This feature allows for discretion when dealing with sensitive customer information, ensuring privacy and compliance.
- Time-Based Routing: Efficiently directs calls based on pre-set schedules, ensuring calls are handled by available agents, and improving response times and customer satisfaction.
- Parallel Calls: This enables handling multiple calls simultaneously, enhancing agent productivity and reducing customer wait times.
Standout Functionality
Aircall's unique features include:
- IVR System: Its advanced IVR technology stands out for efficiently managing high call volumes and enhancing caller experience.
- Smart Call Recording: The pause and resume functionality in call recording is a differentiated feature that addresses privacy and compliance concerns.
- Call Tags: The ability to attach custom labels and tags to calls, integrating seamlessly with CRM systems, sets Aircall apart in call management and customer data organization.
Integrations
Aircall offers robust integrations with popular CRM and help desk tools, Zendesk, as an example, enhancing the efficiency of sales and support teams. These integrations include syncing contacts and automating workflows. Additionally, Aircall provides an API and Webhooks for custom feature integration, catering to specific business needs. This extensibility through add-ons allows businesses to tailor the platform to their unique requirements.
Aircall Pricing
Aircall's pricing is structured as follows:
- Essentials Plan: Priced at $30/user/month (billed annually), ideal for startups and small businesses.
- Professional Plan: Costs $50/user/month (billed annually), suitable for medium-scale firms.
- Custom Plan: Offers custom pricing for enterprises.
- Aircall doesn't offer a free plan but provides a 7-day free trial.
- Additional costs may include different add-ons, such as for extra analytics or AI.
Ease of Use
In my experience, Aircall is straightforward to set up and integrates seamlessly with other CRM tools. However, some users find the call log system initially confusing. Overall, the platform is user-friendly, with a great user interface that enhances the user experience.
Customer Support
Aircall's customer service team is generally fast and helpful, but there have been instances of confusion and slow response times. These inconsistencies can be a source of frustration for users seeking prompt and clear support.
Aircall Use Case
Who would be a good fit for Aircall?
Aircall is well-suited for industries like education, financial services, healthcare, and marketing. It works effectively for small to medium-sized businesses, especially those with remote teams or international customer bases. The tool's loyal users often appreciate its simplicity and flexibility, particularly in environments where efficient communication and customer service are priorities.
Who would be a bad fit for Aircall?
Aircall may not be the best fit for substantial organizations or businesses that require highly specialized phone system features. Customers who have been disappointed often cite issues like scalability and the lack of certain advanced functionalities. Additionally, those with tight budgets might find the pricing a bit steep, especially for larger teams.
Aircall FAQs
Is Aircall a VoIP service?
Yes, Aircall is a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service, that allows users to make and receive phone and conference calls over the Internet.
Can Aircall handle both inbound and outbound calls?
Absolutely. Aircall is designed to manage both inbound calls and outbound calls, making it a versatile tool for businesses.
Is there an Aircall app on both iOS and Android?
Yes, Aircall offers a mobile app that is available for both iOS and Android devices, enabling users to make and receive phone calls on the go.
Does Aircall provide an account manager for businesses?
Yes, Aircall typically provides an account manager to businesses, especially for larger accounts, to help with configuration, usage, and troubleshooting.
What onboarding support does Aircall offer?
Aircall offers comprehensive onboarding support to help new users understand and effectively use the platform. This includes training sessions, resources, and customer support.
How does Aircall benefit a sales team?
Aircall benefits sales teams by providing tools for efficient call handling, call monitoring, and integration with CRM systems, thereby enhancing customer interactions and sales processes.
Does Aircall offer call-monitoring features?
Yes, Aircall includes call monitoring features, allowing supervisors and managers to listen in on live calls for quality control and training purposes.
How easy is it to configure Aircall for a business's telephony needs?
Configuring Aircall for business telephony needs is generally straightforward. The platform offers a user-friendly interface and support resources to assist with setup and customization.
Alternatives to Aircall
If Aircall doesn’t seem like a great fit, or you want to check out a few more options, you should check out our pick of the best alternatives. I’ve given a quick overview below of a few tools that people often compare with Aircall.
- RingCentral: Often chosen for its robust video conferencing capabilities, RingCentral stands out for businesses that require a comprehensive unified communications solution, combining VoIP, video, and messaging.
- 8x8: Preferred for its global reach and strong emphasis on security, 8x8 is a go-to choice for businesses needing a secure and reliable VoIP service with extensive international calling features.
- Nextiva: Selected for its superior customer service and CRM integration, Nextiva excels in environments where seamless integration between telephony and customer relationship management is critical.
Aircall Company Overview & History
Aircall is a cloud-based VoIP service provider that specializes in streamlined business telephony solutions. Widely used by diverse companies, including those in sectors like education, healthcare, and marketing, Aircall caters primarily to small to medium-sized businesses seeking efficient communication tools. This innovative company operates as a private entity and has attracted attention for its rapid growth and user-friendly interface. While details about its ownership are not publicly disclosed, Aircall's headquarters are located in Paris, France. The company's mission statement emphasizes simplifying business communications and enhancing customer relations through its technology. Since its inception, Aircall has marked several milestones, including significant funding rounds and a rapidly expanding global user base, positioning it as a notable player in the VoIP service industry.
Summary
In conclusion, Aircall presents itself as a robust and user-friendly VoIP service, well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses in various sectors. Its strengths in handling both inbound and outbound calls, coupled with effective CRM integrations and mobile app availability on iOS and Android, make it a commendable choice for enhancing business communications. While it may not be the best fit for substantial organizations or those requiring highly specialized features, its simplicity, efficiency, and customer service tools are valuable for sales and support teams. I recommend Aircall to businesses looking to streamline their telephony systems with a modern, cloud-based solution. If you're considering Aircall or have experience with it, please feel free to comment and share your experiences. Your insights could provide valuable follow-up information for others in their decision-making process.