Item: 8x8 Contact Center
Rating: 1
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

To route/distribute calls among our sales and customer service staff. Specifically via a phone tree covered by an auto-attendant. We also use specific lines for testing marketing projects (a/b testing) as well as forwarding for after hours answering service and emergency call direction. We also try to use their reporting functions to get an overview of productivity within our phone staff.

Pros and Cons

Auto Attendant Setup is simple enough to do without support if you are savvy enough.
Call forwarding setup for after hours or holiday schedules is easy and can be done ahead of time for the year.

Reporting functions are limited and very very confusing. Lots of contradictory information as it relates between analytics and account manager information. Very cantankerous and very inaccurate. Lots of unnecessary information being gathered and forced to view, but the user has NO ability to limit the level of information that does not matter form being on screen.
Support team is over-seas and very very very slow to deal with. The language barrier is not there, but the UNDERSTANDING of nuance and communication within the conversation is 100% lacking. Lots of repetition and figuring ways out to communicate the same thing in a more, rudimentary, fashion. That does NOT translate to technical support.

Return on Investment

Negative - Dropped calls.
Negative - Lack of clarity as it relates to employee productivity.

Alternatives Considered

Vonage Enterprise

We are also evaluating another company called MetTel. So far, they and Vonage are able to customize a soft-phone and have it function outside of Salesforce but integrate directly via web-hooks and 3rd party support. Not to mention customization in their reporting functions, clear and concise information, and state-side support. 8x8 has none of this available.

Support Rating

Customer service is based in the Philippines. Most agents I have spoken to speak fluent English. But being able to speak it does not mean you understand the uses of words in general, specific or technical conversation. In my experience so far, conversational English is lacking. The understanding of nuance and meaning with words conveyed is not there. If you call 8x8 for support, you will be repeating yourself many, many times. Trying to hang up the phone if/when you finally reach completion of a project takes far to long with everything they are 'required' to say. It is very very poorly done. It is a very painful experience having to call 8x8 for technical support.

Key Insights

Do you think 8x8 Contact Center delivers good value for the price?

Are you happy with 8x8 Contact Center's feature set?

Did 8x8 Contact Center live up to sales and marketing promises?

Did implementation of 8x8 Contact Center go as expected?

Would you buy 8x8 Contact Center again?

Other Software Used

Apptoto, Zoho Analytics (formerly Zoho Reports), Demandforce

Likelihood to Recommend

I have no scenarios where 8x8 Contact Center would be well suited. It has limited functions, overly complex reporting, poor soft-phone functionality, and its weak integration capability make it a poor choice for any business that needs flexibility, customization, and specifics to run as a business. It is a poor soft-phone experience, supported by a staff that does not understand communicative English and sales staff who enjoy passing the buck unless you are making them direct money. Save yourself a nightmare and steer clear.

Contact Center Nightmare

Overall Satisfaction with 8x8 Contact Center