- Setting up a call center takes seven steps: goal, team size, numbers, system, scripts, training, then measurement.
- A cloud call center system removes hardware costs; start small and grow.
- Klamna call center costs SAR 90 per user per month (prices in SAR, excluding VAT).
You no longer need a dedicated building or server room to run a call center in Saudi Arabia. With a cloud call center system your team can work from the office or from home while supervisors follow every call live.
1. Define the goal
Inbound customer service, outbound sales, technical support or a mix with WhatsApp. Example: an online store usually needs a mixed team that answers order questions, confirms cash-on-delivery orders and replies on WhatsApp.
2. Size the team
Use peak-hour call volume, average handling time (including after-call work) and your target service level. Example: 60 calls in the peak hour × 4 minutes = 240 minutes of work, so at least 4 busy agents plus a margin, i.e. 5 to 6 agents. Watch the rush-hour and peak concurrent call reports in the first month and adjust.
3. Choose numbers
A 9200 unified number, an 800 toll-free number (see 800 vs 9200), a landline, and an official WhatsApp API number. Etisalna connects numbers through licensed carriers; number fees depend on the carrier and number type.
4. Pick the system
- Queues with ring-all, round-robin, least-recent and priorities.
- A live wallboard and listen/whisper/barge for supervisors.
- Queue position announcements, call-back, and overflow to another queue or WhatsApp.
- Wrap-up codes, post-call surveys, quality evaluation forms and AI call analysis.
- Attendance, shifts and breaks (a break pauses queues automatically).
All of this is in the Klamna call center, built on the cloud PBX, with a predictive dialer for heavy outbound work.
Also ask what a demo does not show: is the provider licensed by the Communications, Space & Technology Commission, where are recordings stored, and does support answer quickly in Arabic? Etisalna is licensed, and Klamna data is hosted inside Saudi Arabia in line with cybersecurity requirements.
5. Write scripts and design the call flow
A script is a guide, not something to read word for word. Cover the greeting ("Welcome to [company], this is Sara, how can I help?"), identity or order verification, clear answers for the top 10 call reasons, when to escalate or open a ticket, and the closing. Keep the IVR short; see our IVR guide.
6. Train the team
System use, product and policies, communication skills, and live coaching with the whisper feature.
7. Track KPIs
- Service level: share of calls answered within a target time.
- Abandon rate: callers who hung up before an answer.
- Average wait and average handling time (used to size the team).
- First-contact resolution: solved without a second call.
- CSAT from post-call and post-chat surveys, and missed-call call-backs.
Set realistic targets at first and review them weekly with the team.
Shifts and breaks
Many call center problems come from badly distributed staff, not too few staff. Use the rush-hour report to put the most agents on the busiest hours. Klamna records shift logins and, when an agent starts a break, pauses their queues automatically until they return. Prepare special schedules and business hours for Ramadan, Eid and big sales seasons in advance.
Go omnichannel from day one
Customers call, but they also message on WhatsApp, Instagram and website chat. Put calls in the call center, chats in the omnichannel inbox and the full history in the CRM, so agents see the last chat and order before they answer.
Common mistakes
- No clear service-level target, so you cannot tell whether the team is big enough.
- A long IVR that makes callers hang up.
- Nobody owning missed calls and call-back status.
- No wrap-up codes, so you never learn the top call reasons.
- Judging agents by impression instead of evaluation forms and call analysis.
Monthly budget example
| Item | Calculation | SAR / month |
|---|---|---|
| Call center | 6 users × 90 | 540 |
| WhatsApp & inbox | 149 (1 user + 1 number) + 5 extra users × 59 | 444 |
| CRM | 6 users × 49 | 294 |
| Total | 1,278 |
Plus usage: per-second call minutes, number fees (carrier dependent) and Meta WhatsApp fees. Yearly plans get two months free. A ready "Customer service center" bundle is SAR 699/month with 5 users. Prices in SAR, excluding VAT. See pricing and call center cost in Saudi Arabia.
FAQ
Can agents work from home?
Yes, from the browser, mobile app or desktop app, with supervisors watching the live wallboard.
Cloud PBX vs call center system?
The PBX handles company calls and transfers; the call center adds queues, monitoring, evaluation and detailed reports.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, on sign-up.
Ready to start? Contact us and we will help you size the team and design the call flow, or call 920031338.
