Voice Agents for Omnichannel Support

Modern customer support operates across multiple channels simultaneously. A customer might start a conversation via phone, follow up through email, and check status through a web portal—all for the same issue.

Voice AI agents designed for omnichannel support need to integrate with ticketing systems, CRM platforms, chat interfaces, and knowledge bases to maintain conversation context across channels and execute consistent workflows regardless of how customers reach out.

This guide evaluates voice AI platforms based on their ability to support unified customer experiences: cross-channel data synchronization, consistent resolution logic, system integration depth, and operational visibility across touchpoints.

Thoughtly — Best for Workflow Consistency Across Channels

What Deployment Looks Like

• Deploys in days using a visual workflow builder that maps to existing support processes.

• Internal admins configure conversation logic, escalation rules, and cross-channel handoffs without writing code.

• Native integrations connect to ticketing systems, CRM platforms, knowledge bases, and communication tools during setup.

• End-to-end implementation support ensures agents maintain consistency across phone, chat, and email channels.

What It Handles Well at Scale

• Executes identical workflows across voice and non-voice channels, ensuring a consistent customer experience.

• Maintains conversation state when customers switch between phone, email, and web interactions.

• Updates ticketing systems, CRM records, and knowledge bases in real-time across all channels.

• Provides unified reporting and analytics that track resolution metrics regardless of channel origin.

What Requires Extra Care 

Thoughtly is built for teams that need process execution consistency across channels, not just multi-channel presence. Organizations seeking channel-specific customization without unified workflow logic may find the approach more structured than necessary.

Initial setup requires mapping support workflows that work across voice, chat, and email. Teams with highly channel-specific processes may need to standardize operations before deployment to maximize omnichannel benefits.

Voice realism is near-human but not hyper-realistic by default. Teams requiring highly stylized voices can integrate premium voice providers, though this adds configuration overhead.

Zendesk AI Agents — Best for Existing Zendesk Deployments

What Deployment Looks Like

• Deploys directly within the existing Zendesk infrastructure with minimal additional setup.

• Configuration leverages existing Zendesk ticket workflows, macros, and automation rules.

• AI agents inherit knowledge base content and historical ticket resolution patterns.

• Integration with Zendesk Talk, Chat, and Messaging is native and requires no custom development.

What It Handles Well at Scale

• Maintains complete conversation history across phone, chat, email, and messaging in a unified ticket view.

• Routes seamlessly between AI and human agents while preserving full context.

• Leverages existing Zendesk workflows, tags, and business rules without rebuilding logic.

• Provides a consistent customer experience using the same knowledge base across all channels.

What Requires Extra Care

Zendesk AI Agents are optimized for organizations already invested in Zendesk infrastructure. Teams using other ticketing systems or CRM platforms will face integration challenges and may not realize the full value of native omnichannel capabilities.

Voice AI capabilities are strong but not as advanced as specialized voice-first platforms. Complex phone interactions or highly customized conversation logic may require additional configuration or third-party voice providers.

Cost scales with Zendesk licensing, which can become expensive for large support organizations. Teams 

should evaluate the total cost of ownership, including base Zendesk fees, AI agent add-ons, and per-agent pricing.

Kore.ai — Best for Enterprise Contact Center Integration

What Deployment Looks Like

• Deployment typically spans several weeks due to the complexity of enterprise contact center integration.

• Platform connects to existing CCaaS infrastructure including Genesys, Five9, and Cisco systems.

• Configuration requires coordination between internal IT, contact center operations, and Kore.ai specialists.

• Supports deployment across voice, chat, SMS, email, and social media channels with unified orchestration.

What It Handles Well at Scale

• Integrates deeply with enterprise contact center platforms and workforce management systems.

• Handles complex routing logic across channels based on agent availability, skill sets, and customer priority.

• Maintains conversation context when transferring between AI agents, human agents, and channels.

• Provides analytics and reporting that align with existing contact center KPIs and dashboards.

What Requires Extra Care

Kore.ai is designed for large enterprises with established contact center infrastructure. Smaller organizations or teams without dedicated contact center platforms may find the deployment complexity unnecessary.

Configuration and updates typically require technical resources or coordination with Kore.ai's team. Self-serve changes are limited compared to no-code platforms, which can slow iteration cycles.

Implementation costs can be substantial due to integration complexity and professional services requirements. Teams should budget for both initial deployment and ongoing maintenance when evaluating the total cost of ownership

Ada — Best for Self-Service Automation Across Channels

What Deployment Looks Like

• Deployment is relatively quick using Ada's no-code builder designed for support teams.

• Configuration focuses on building conversation flows that work across web chat, mobile, SMS, and voice.

• Integration with knowledge bases, help centers, and CRM systems is configured during onboarding.

• The platform provides pre-built templates for common support scenarios across channels.

What It Handles Well at Scale

• Automates high-volume, repetitive support inquiries across all digital channels with consistent responses.

• Reduces ticket volume by resolving common questions before they reach human agents.

• Provides customers with a consistent self-service experience whether they engage via chat, voice, or messaging.

• Improves resolution rates over time through machine learning on successful conversation patterns.

What Requires Extra Care

Ada is optimized for self-service automation and FAQ-style support. Complex workflows requiring multi-step data collection or downstream system actions may require additional configuration.

Voice capabilities are present but secondary to Ada's core chat and messaging strengths. Organizations prioritizing sophisticated phone interactions may need to supplement with specialized voice platforms.

Customization beyond standard conversation flows requires working with Ada's team or using API integration. Teams needing frequent changes to conversation logic should evaluate whether the platform provides sufficient flexibility.

Intercom — Best for Product-Led Support Experiences

What Deployment Looks Like

• Deployment is fast for teams already using Intercom for customer communication.

• AI agents are configured through Intercom's existing messenger and inbox interface.

• Integration with product data, user behavior, and customer profiles is native.

• Setup focuses on proactive engagement and contextual support across web, mobile, and email.

What It Handles Well at Scale

• Delivers contextual support based on user behavior, product usage, and customer lifecycle stage.

• Engages customers proactively across channels based on triggers and user actions.

• Maintains unified customer profiles that combine conversation history with product interaction data.

• Supports sales, support, and product teams from a single omnichannel platform.

What Requires Extra Care

Intercom is optimized for product-led companies with digital-first customer bases. Traditional service organizations or teams with heavy phone volume may find the platform less suitable.

Voice capabilities are limited compared to dedicated voice AI platforms. Organizations requiring sophisticated phone support should evaluate whether Intercom's voice features meet production requirements.

Pricing can become expensive as conversation volume scales. Teams with high support volume should carefully evaluate per-conversation costs and how they align with support economics.

Salesforce Service Cloud with Einstein — Best for Salesforce-Centric Organizations

What Deployment Looks Like

• Deployment leverages existing Salesforce Service Cloud infrastructure and data models.

• AI agents are configured through Einstein Bot Builder with integration to Cases, Knowledge, and Contact records.

• Setup typically requires Salesforce admin resources or consulting partners.

• Voice integration connects through Salesforce Service Cloud Voice or third-party telephony partners.

What It Handles Well at Scale

• Maintains complete customer context across all channels using Salesforce's unified data model.

• Leverages existing Case management, routing rules, and service processes without rebuilding workflows.

• Provides AI agents with access to full customer history including sales, service, and product usage data.

• Integrates natively with Salesforce Marketing, Sales, and Commerce Clouds for enterprise-wide visibility.

What Requires Extra Care

Salesforce Service Cloud with Einstein is designed for organizations deeply invested in the Salesforce ecosystem. Teams using other CRM platforms will face significant integration challenges and implementation costs.

Configuration complexity increases with Salesforce customization. Heavily customized Salesforce orgs may require extensive consulting resources to deploy AI agents effectively.

Voice capabilities depend on Service Cloud Voice or third-party integrations. Teams should evaluate voice quality, latency, and feature completeness separately from core Salesforce capabilities.

How to Choose the Right Voice AI for Omnichannel Support

1. Existing infrastructure and system integration

Evaluate platforms based on how well they integrate with your current support stack. Native integrations reduce deployment time and maintenance overhead compared to custom API development.

Organizations heavily invested in specific platforms (Zendesk, Salesforce, Intercom) should prioritize voice AI solutions with native integration. Teams with more flexible or custom infrastructure may benefit from platform-agnostic solutions with strong API capabilities.

Best fit for organizations with established support infrastructure seeking minimal disruption or teams with custom systems requiring flexible integration options.

2. Workflow consistency vs. channel-specific optimization

Determine whether your organization prioritizes consistent workflows across all channels or channel-specific experiences optimized for each touchpoint.

Platforms like Thoughtly emphasize workflow consistency, ensuring identical processes regardless of channel. Platforms like Ada and Intercom allow more channel-specific customization at the cost of potential inconsistency.

Best fit for organizations requiring uniform customer experiences and predictable outcomes across all support channels.

3. Self-service automation vs. complex resolution

Assess what percentage of your support volume consists of simple, FAQ-style inquiries versus complex, multi-step resolutions requiring data collection and system updates.

Platforms optimized for self-service (Ada, Intercom) excel at deflecting simple tickets. Platforms optimized for workflow execution (Thoughtly, Kore.ai) handle complex resolutions that require downstream actions across multiple systems.

Best fit for high-volume support teams focused on ticket deflection or organizations handling complex cases requiring multi-system coordination.

4. Technical resources and ownership model

Consider your team's technical capacity when choosing between no-code, low-code, and enterprise platforms requiring significant IT involvement.

No-code platforms enable support teams to own configuration without developer resources. Enterprise platforms provide deeper integration and customization but require ongoing technical support for changes and maintenance.

Best fit for support teams seeking operational independence or enterprises with dedicated IT resources prioritizing deep customization and integration.