NCH IVM Telephone Answering Attendant vs Voicent

NCH IVM Telephone Answering Attendant is telephone management software for small to medium businesses, combining voicemail, call attendant, interactive voice response, and autodial functions. Incoming call menus can route or redirect callers during or after office hours. The product lists support for up to 64 simultaneous telephone lines, along with caller ID logging, keypad menus, call transfer subject to phone-company or PBX features, and remote telephone access. Incoming messages can be saved as WAV files. Voicemail boxes can forward messages by email or provide internet or remote access, and the software also supports automated outbound calls and messages. IVM connects through a professional telephony board, TAPI-compliant voice modem, VoIP SIP service, or PBX such as Axon. NCH says it can detect its Axon IP PBX on the same server and offers plugins for ODBC/SQL, internet access, fax-back, and hardware control. It is listed for Linux and Windows, though its system requirements specify Windows XP through 10 and 64-bit Windows support. A free trial download is available, but there is no free plan. Listed purchase options include $6,995 as a one-time purchase for Basic Answering Machine and $89,900, paid once for Enterprise; the Professional monthly plan is $2,999 a month.

Voicent develops software for automated voice, email, and text communication, with point-and-click controls for sharing information and exchanging ideas. Its hosted service runs in a browser and can be accessed from computers, phones, and tablets. Cloud plans include call-center features such as agent dashboards, predictive dialing, and campaigns. Cloud calling covers the USA and Canada; on-premise software supports worldwide use with local phone and text services and requires Windows. Voicent says its cloud service has no contact limit and allows unlimited contact imports without extra fees. Calls are billed from pickup to hang-up, with a 30-second minimum followed by six-second increments. Features include call recording, voicemail drop, and dialing modes such as predictive, progressive, preview, click-to-call, and alternate phone dialing. CRM integrations include Salesforce, SugarCRM, Zoho CRM, MySQL, and Voicent CRM. The service lists a free plan, paid options from $19/mo, and a 30-day trial. Standard support is available weekdays from 8am to 5pm PST, excluding holidays or closures.