Cisco vs. Avaya: Which Contact Center Is Better?

Comparing Cisco and Avaya contact centers means you’re pitting two long-standing telecom heavyweights against each other. Both have evolved greatly from their on-premises roots to offer sophisticated cloud-based and omnichannel solutions. But who comes out on top in this title fight?

This comparison will break down the differences between Cisco and Avaya and how they compare to discover which best suits your unique business needs. We’ll also explore an alternative contact center solution worth considering.

Cisco vs. Avaya Contact Center Overview

Before the specifics, here’s a high-level look at how Cisco and Avaya stack up in 2025:

Feature	Cisco (Webex Contact Center)	Avaya (Infinity Platform)
Best for	Mid-market to enterprise, existing Cisco ecosystem	Enterprise, complex deployments
Deployment options	Cloud-centric (Webex CC), hybrid options	Cloud, on-premise, hybrid
Monthly pricing	Tiered, custom quote	Custom quote, contract-based
Overall review score (G2)	4.5/5 (150 reviews)	4.1/5 (178 reviews)
Ease of use (G2)	9.0/10	8.4/10
Ease of setup (G2)	8.3/10 Varies based on the Webex ecosystem	7.6/10 Can be complex, may need professional services.
Key strengths	Webex integration, AI features, scalability	Omnichannel blending, customization, and reliability
Drawbacks	SMS limitations, reporting complexity for some	Launch latency, app limitations, integration effort
AI capabilities	Agent wellness (Thrive Reset), IVAs, analytics	Intelligent routing, analytics, blended interactions
Integrations	Strong within the Webex suite, a growing marketplace	CRMs, third-party apps (can be difficult to set up)

Note: G2 scores are approximate and can change. Always check current reviews for the specific products.

Cisco Contact Center (Webex)

Here’s an overview of Cisco Webex:

Pros of Webex Contact Center

Let’s first look at Cisco’s pros:

Administration and customization

Cisco’s Webex Contact Center benefits from deep integration into the broader Webex portfolio (collaboration, meetings, calling). This allows for a more holistic approach to contact center efficiency, with a unified admin experience for businesses invested in the Cisco ecosystem. The move toward a web-based SaaS model has expanded its flexibility and partner base, with a growing number of integrations.

Advanced features

Webex Contact Center offers intelligent routing, customizable contact flows, queue management, wrap-up codes, and callback options. Standout features include:

• Queue callback
• Intelligent virtual agents (IVAs)
• Drag-and-drop call flow builder
• Remote agent support (PSTN/mobile)
• Advanced skills-based routing

It’s built for scalability and flexibility, with 360-degree customer journey analytics and predictive analytics for call routing.

AI capabilities

Cisco uses AI to boost agent productivity and well-being. One notable example is Thrive Reset, an agent break feature that detects burnout and encourages agents to take breaks. This focus on agent well-being is a unique differentiator.

Industry analysts such as Kevin Kieller (EnableUC) and Dom Black (Cavell) have noted that while features like Thrive Reset are innovative, they also provide management with new data points regarding agent performance and resource planning, which can be both an opportunity and a consideration.

Cons of Webex Contact Center

Now the cons and some limitations you may experience:

SMS limitations

While Cisco acquired IMImobile to bolster its omnichannel capabilities, business texting within Webex Contact Center (as of early 2024/2025) is primarily one-to-one and text-based, lacking native MMS or group chat support. Alternatives via Webex store apps might lead to siloed reporting.

Reporting limitations

Although Webex offers numerous reports, some users find it challenging to obtain highly detailed reports for specific call scenarios or to seamlessly integrate data from disparate recording and communication solutions.

“Analyzer is difficult to use, not intuitive, and there are many report discrepancies. No WebRTC client for the agent. the overall administration UI is not friendly and no supervisor desktop is a necessity.”

A G2 review on Webex’s reporting capabilities

Complex licensing and upgrades

For those outside the dedicated Cisco partner/expert community, licensing can appear complex, and provisioning specific features can sometimes take longer than expected. Some users also report that software upgrades could benefit from more extensive testing before release.

“Upgrades can be problematic, Cisco should do more testing before releasing updates and new versions of software.”

A TrustRadius review on Webex’s software upgrades

Avaya Contact Center (Infinity Platform)

Here’s an overview of Avaya Contact Center:

Pros of Avaya Contact Center

Let’s first look at the benefits of the platform:

Digital and blended interaction capabilities

Avaya Infinity Platform supports a wide range of digital interactions and effectively blends agent workloads across different channels (voice, email, chat, social). This facilitates seamless transitions and encourages cross-skilling agents for greater efficiency.

Customer prioritization and skills-based routing

Avaya employs intelligent algorithms to route customers to the most appropriate agents, enhancing personalized service and managing queues effectively. This minimizes customer frustration and repeat inquiries. Post-interaction, Avaya’s analytics can translate outcomes into trend analysis and performance dashboards.

Comprehensive contact management

Avaya has come a long way, offering robust contact center features such as:

• Call monitoring
• Real-time and historical reporting & analytics
• Skills-based routing
• Predictive and auto-dialers
• Omnichannel support (social, SMS, email, chat)

This renewed focus ensures customers can be served on their preferred channels.

Note: Avaya recently transitioned to Avaya Infinity — the evolution of the former Avaya Experience Platform (AXP). It’s designed to unify their contact center and unified communications portfolio, with a strong focus on AI, intelligent orchestration, and providing flexibility across cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments.

Cons of Avaya Contact Center

Below are some drawbacks and limitations you may encounter:

Reporting and launch latency

Some users report experiencing delays in reporting data population and occasional system launch latency, which can impact operational efficiency.

Integration and usability challenges

While Avaya integrates with CRM systems, streamlining these integrations and ensuring ease of use can sometimes be challenging, potentially requiring Avaya support and adding to implementation time or cost. The learning curve for its extensive features can also be steep for some businesses.

“Due to its extensive features and functionalities, Avaya may require some time and resources for proper implementation and training. Some businesses may find the learning curve a bit steep initially.”

App and dashboard limitations

The mobile app experience can sometimes be slow, and TrustRadius reviewers and users have expressed a desire for more customizable dashboards to better suit specific business needs and improve responsiveness.

Cisco Webex vs. Avaya Contact Center Pricing

Understanding the pricing for enterprise-level solutions like Cisco Webex Contact Center and Avaya Infinity can be complex, as both vendors provide custom quotes based on specific business needs rather than fixed public price lists.

The custom pricing is tailored to your specific environment, user numbers, feature choices, and support needs. Key factors influencing your quote include Avaya’s versatile deployment models (cloud, on-premise, or hybrid, which can mean upfront capital expenses or ongoing operational ones) compared to Cisco Webex’s primarily cloud-based (operational expense) structure.

Existing vendor relationships might unlock bundled deals. Crucially, always account for additional costs beyond the license, such as professional services for setup, training, and integration, and remember that negotiation is typical for these enterprise solutions.

Read more on:

👉 Cisco Webex Contact Center Pricing: Is It Worth It?

👉 Avaya Contact Center Pricing: Is It Worth It?

Whose pricing is better? Avaya’s or Cisco’s?

Cisco Webex pricing aligns with its cloud subscription model (operational expense), offering more straightforward cost projections for cloud-to-cloud comparisons, especially if you’re within the Webex ecosystem.

Avaya’s pricing has greater variability due to its deployment flexibility (cloud, on-premise, hybrid); this means costs can range from recurring subscriptions for cloud solutions to upfront capital investments for on-premise setups, requiring careful consideration based on your infrastructure strategy.

The complexity involved in obtaining and comparing both solutions’ custom quotes is a big reason why many businesses evaluate alternatives known for more transparent and predictable pricing models.

Comparing Cisco and Avaya Contact Center vs. Nextiva

When comparing Cisco vs. Avaya, there’s a third name you need to know about. Here’s where Nextiva excels when standing next to these old heads.

Functionality	Nextiva	Cisco	Avaya
Ease of use	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅☑️	✅✅✅☑️☑️
Cost-effectiveness	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅☑️☑️	✅✅✅☑️☑️
Robust features	✅✅✅✅☑️	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅☑️☑️
Quality of support	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅☑️	✅✅✅☑️☑️

Ease of use

Nextiva is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible even to those who aren’t technologically savvy.

If you have a team of agents who need to get up and running fast, Nextiva makes it possible to turn up to work and learn on the go. The learning curve is minimal, taking UI inspiration from familiar apps agents already have at hand.

This simplicity extends to the setup process and ongoing management of the system​​​​. As a cloud-only solution and SaaS model, you can provision licenses at the click of a button and make changes on the fly in Nextiva’s admin portal.

Cost-effectiveness

Nextiva offers competitive pricing, often coming in as a more affordable option compared to other solutions, without sacrificing features or performance​​.

With the Essential package starting at just $75 per user per month, you can enable inbound and outbound capabilities, access advanced analytics and reporting, and utilize its API, if desired.

Robust features and flexibility

From auto attendant menus, call routing, and supervisor monitoring to advanced reporting and call recording options, Nextiva provides a wide array of functionalities.

As a cloud-native platform, Nextiva customers benefit from new features as soon as they come to market.

There’s no legacy-on-premises hangover, and the culture is very much that of innovation and customer empowerment. You don’t need to be a premium-rate customer, and there’s no waiting list.

If there’s new functionality, like call center automation, you too can start benefiting from 30% cost elimination while automating up to 90% of your routine customer interactions.

High-quality support

Nextiva boasts a 99.999% uptime and is backed by a 24/7 support team and world-class monitoring. The company recognizes the importance of having both self-service customer support and someone on the end of the phone for you.

Nextiva’s technical support is frequently praised for its helpfulness and effectiveness in resolving issues and assisting with system setup and optimization​​.

“We made a phone call to Nextiva and they were able to switch us over immediately, so we had no downtime. The temporary numbers Nextiva gave us rolled in, and it was seamless.”

~Jeff Bratschie, Franchise Director of Operations, Stanley Steemer

Why Nextiva Outperforms Cisco and Avaya in User Satisfaction

User reviews on platforms like G2 are invaluable when evaluating technology. Nextiva frequently earns higher overall satisfaction ratings compared to Cisco and Avaya, even when looking at their broader communication suites (like the UCaaS solutions). This user sentiment reflects company-wide approaches to product experience that extend to their contact center offerings.

Here’s why Nextiva stands out according to user feedback:

• Intuitive ease of use: Nextiva is user-friendly and straightforward to set up. It minimizes training time and boosts daily agent and admin productivity, contrasting with the complexity cited for traditional enterprise systems like Cisco and Avaya.
• Friendly customer support: Nextiva’s responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful support team offers quick issue resolution and reliable guidance for contact center operations and contributes to user satisfaction.
• Transparent value & pricing: Unlike the complex and custom-quoted pricing of enterprise vendors like Cisco and Avaya, Nextiva offers clearer, more predictable pricing models. Users appreciate this transparency and the strong value delivered.
• Consistent reliability & performance: With its robust infrastructure and 99.999% uptime SLA, users praise Nextiva’s platform stability and dependable performance, which is critical for any contact center.
• Customer-centric innovation: Being cloud-native allows Nextiva to rapidly implement user-focused feature enhancements. This agile approach, driven by customer feedback, means the platform evolves to meet user needs effectively.

Nextiva’s consistently high ratings across its offerings point to a customer-first approach, better usability, dedicated support, and transparent value, making it a go-to contact center solution for many businesses.

Don’t just take our word for it, either. We won Best in Show at Channel Partners Expo 2024!