Harver is built for volume hiring, and BPOs and contact centres are among its core customers. It combines predictive assessments with automated screening and scheduling, which suits teams filling hundreds of agent seats at once.
It is not the only option, though. Some call centre teams want to watch candidates handle a realistic customer conversation before they hire. Others need a stronger language test for multilingual queues, or a simpler, self-serve tool for smaller intakes.
This guide compares six Harver alternatives, all pre-employment assessment platforms that call centres use to hire customer service representatives, through a call centre lens: what each platform actually tests, which roles it suits, and where it falls short. It closes with a short framework for choosing and piloting the right one.
Key Takeaways
-
The strongest call centre assessments mirror the job: a customer contact handled by voice or chat, scored against clear criteria.
-
HireVue and Harver suit large enterprises running high-volume programmes; TestGorilla and Criteria suit teams that want fast, self-serve testing.
-
Language-heavy queues benefit from a dedicated spoken English test such as SpeechX from Mercer | Mettl.
-
Behavioural tools like The Predictive Index work best alongside a skills test, not instead of one.
-
Whatever you choose, pilot it on one role before letting scores decide who moves forward.
What to look for in a call centre assessment platform
A CV says where someone has worked. It rarely shows whether they can calm a frustrated caller, follow a refund policy and log the outcome correctly. That is why work samples matter: the US Office of Personnel Management notes that tasks mirroring the job tend to relate highly to later job performance.
When comparing platforms, check five things:
-
Job realism: can candidates handle a simulated customer contact in the channel they will work in, whether voice, chat or both?
-
Transparent scoring: can you see what was scored, such as accuracy, empathy and policy adherence, rather than a single opaque number?
-
Language assessment: does the platform test spoken or written English at the level your queues need?
-
Volume and integrations: will it handle your intake and connect to your applicant tracking system?
-
Candidate experience and compliance: is it mobile-friendly, accessible and clear about any automated scoring?
The top 6 Harver alternatives for call centres
1. eSkill
eSkill has launched an interactive work sample assessment built specifically for call centres. Recruiters select a scenario, candidates handle the simulated customer by voice or chat, and responses are graded on accuracy, empathy, policy adherence and more.
Best for: teams that want to see agents handle a realistic customer contact before hiring.
Key call centre features:
-
Voice or chat simulations that mirror on-the-job work
-
Chat and Multitasking simulations plus customer service situational judgement tests
-
Video response questions within the same assessment
Consider: the call centre simulation is newly launched, so ask for a demo of scenarios that match your queues.
2. HireVue
HireVue is an enterprise hiring platform that combines on-demand and live video interviews with a broad assessment library, including AI-scored interviews, game-based tests and Virtual Job Tryout simulations. In one published customer care case study, candidates were tested on customer service, multitasking and situational judgement.
Best for: large enterprises running high-volume hiring programmes.
Key call centre features:
-
Virtual Job Tryout simulations of real role tasks
-
On-demand video interviews for screening at scale
-
Integrations with major applicant tracking systems
Consider: pricing is quote-only, and teams relying on AI scoring should check how human review works.
3. TestGorilla
TestGorilla is a self-serve skills testing platform with a library of more than 350 tests. Its Customer Service (Multimedia) test mixes video-based and text-based questions and is designed for hiring customer service representatives and call centre agents.
Best for: small and mid-sized teams that want quick setup.
Key call centre features:
-
Customer Service (Multimedia) test built for frontline roles
-
Custom video questions alongside standard tests
-
Language and personality tests to combine in one assessment
Consider: multimedia questions are not a live customer conversation, so voice roles may need an extra simulation or interview.
4. Criteria
Criteria offers aptitude, personality, emotional intelligence and skills tests. On its call centre page, it says most call centre customers combine skills and personality tests, and many pair its Criteria Basic Skills Test (CBST) with a personality assessment to find trainable candidates.
Best for: teams screening entry-level agents for trainability and fit.
Key call centre features:
-
Basic skills testing for entry-level roles
-
Personality tests for customer-facing work styles
-
Computer skills and typing tests
Consider: there is no live customer simulation, so it measures readiness rather than observed call handling.
5. Mercer | Mettl
Mercer | Mettl offers personality, behavioural, cognitive, technical and communication skills assessments. Its AI-powered SpeechX tool tests spoken English on pronunciation, fluency, grammar and listening comprehension, with scores aligned to the CEFR language framework.
Best for: multilingual or offshore contact centres where spoken English is critical.
Key call centre features:
-
SpeechX voice assessment for spoken English
-
Reading, listening and writing assessments
-
Built-in proctoring for remote testing
Consider: language testing covers only part of a customer interaction, so pair it with a customer service task.
6. The Predictive Index
The Predictive Index is a behavioural assessment platform that measures four core behavioural drives. Its results show how people tend to work and communicate, and the same profiles help managers lead and coach their teams after hiring.
Best for: teams that want insight into behavioural fit and coaching new agents.
Key call centre features:
-
Behavioural profile based on four core drives
-
Guidance for managers on communicating with each hire
-
Use beyond hiring for team development
Consider: it measures behaviour, not call handling skill, so pair it with a skills test or simulation.
How to choose and pilot the right platform
Start with the work, not the vendor, which is the core idea behind skills-based hiring. List what a new agent must handle in their first weeks, such as reading a customer message accurately, applying a refund policy and updating a record, then match each skill to a format.
|
Skill to measure |
Best-fit format |
Where to look in this list |
|
Handling a live customer contact |
Voice or chat simulation |
Nos. 1 and 2 |
|
Customer service judgement |
Situational judgement or multimedia test |
Nos. 1, 2 and 3 |
|
Spoken English |
AI-scored speech assessment |
No. 5 |
|
Trainability and basic skills |
Aptitude and basic skills tests |
Nos. 3 and 4 |
|
Behavioural fit |
Personality or behavioural profile |
Nos. 4 and 6 |
Agree scoring before you look at results. Write down what a strong response looks like for accuracy, empathy, policy adherence and communication. A warm reply that promises a refund the policy forbids should not score well on accuracy.
Be open about automated scoring. The ICO's 31 March 2026 explainer for jobseekers states that employers need to tell applicants if automated decisions are being made about their application. Keep a reviewer who can examine responses and change a score.
Offer reasonable adjustments. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers in Great Britain must make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants, such as extra time on timed tests.
Pilot one role first. Run the assessment alongside your current process for one cohort. Track completion rates, recruiter review time and candidate feedback, then compare later performance for hired agents before letting scores drive decisions.
Conclusion
Harver remains a strong choice for enterprise volume hiring, but it is not the only route to better call centre hires. If you want to watch candidates handle a realistic customer contact, prioritise a voice or chat simulation. If spoken English is the bottleneck, add a dedicated language test. For behavioural fit, pair a profile tool with a skills test. Whichever platform you shortlist, agree your scoring criteria first and pilot on one role before scaling.
FAQ
What is the best Harver alternative for call centres?
It depends on what you need to measure. Simulation-based platforms suit teams that want to see real call handling, video and assessment suites suit large enterprises, and self-serve test libraries suit smaller teams that need fast setup.
Why use a simulation instead of a standard skills test?
A simulation asks candidates to do the job rather than describe it. Reviewers can see whether an agent checks the facts, applies the policy and handles emotion well, which a multiple-choice test cannot show.
Can these platforms test both voice and chat agents?
Some can. Check whether a platform simulates the exact channel your queue uses, since a strong chat writer is not always a strong phone agent.
Should assessment scores decide who gets hired?
Scores work best as one input alongside interviews. Tell candidates when automated scoring is used, keep a person who can review and change scores, and validate results against later job performance.
