A Comprehensive Guide to Salesforce CTI Integration

Teams struggling to deliver quality customer experiences over calls?  Are they finding it difficult to resolve customer queries faster or over a single call? Are more on-call conversions something they strive for?

Well, you are not the only one going through such struggles. Many businesses witness the same issues when they interact with their audiences over calls.

This leads to poor team performance, customer dissatisfaction, and loss of opportunities, ultimately hindering business growth.

In addition, it also hampers a business reputation, which is not at all good from a business perspective in the long run.

This is where Salesforce telephony integration comes to the rescue. But this doesn’t mean you can trust any solution for CTI Salesforce in India or across the globe.

Right integrations are rewarding, and this is why users are opting for CTI globally.

According to Business Research Insights, the CTI market is expected to reach USD 9068 million by 2031.

Wrong decisions in this concern can cost you a waste of money, time, and effort.

As we are concerned about your business growth, we have got everything you need to succeed with Salesforce CTI integration.

In this blog, we will discuss CTI and Salesforce telephony integration, highlight Salesforce Telephony’s advanced features and benefits, and discuss the most convenient method for Salesforce telephony integration.

What is Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)?

Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) is a technology that enables seamless communication and collaboration between computers and telephone systems. It involves connecting a computer network with the existing telephone infrastructure, allowing users to manage call operations directly from their computer interfaces.

CTI facilitates various functionalities, such as making and receiving calls, transferring calls, accessing caller information, and logging call data, all from within software applications running on the computer. By integrating telephony features with computer systems, CTI enhances efficiency, productivity, and customer service in various industries and organizations.

What is Salesforce CTI Integration?

Imagine you’re using Salesforce, a popular tool for managing customer information and interactions. Now, think of Salesforce CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) as a special feature that’s built right into Salesforce.

Here’s how it works: With CTI for Salesforce, your sales or support reps can use the phone directly from within Salesforce itself. They don’t have to switch between different programs or pick up a physical phone. Instead, they can make calls, receive calls, and have conversations—all while staying inside Salesforce.

But that’s not all. The magic happens because CTI for Salesforce connects phone calls to the data stored in Salesforce. This means your reps can see important details about the person they’re talking to—like their name, their company, their history of interactions, and any notes or tasks related to them—right on their screen as they’re having the conversation.

So, in easy terms, Salesforce CTI makes it super convenient for your reps to handle phone calls while also having all the relevant information they need at their fingertips, thanks to its integration with Salesforce. It’s like having a phone system that’s tailor-made to work seamlessly with your Salesforce database, helping your team be more efficient and effective in their customer interactions.

Capabilities of Advanced CTI Integration in Salesforce Lightning

Call Monitoring

This feature allows you to monitor calls as they happen. Managers can listen in to understand how agents are handling customer inquiries or issues. It provides real-time insight into the quality of interactions between agents and customers.

Call Whispering

With 360 SMS CTI Integration in Salesforce Lightning, you can reap the advantages of call whispering.  This feature allows managers to provide real-time coaching or guidance to agents without the customer hearing. Essentially, the manager can “whisper” suggestions or advice to the agent during the call to help them handle the conversation more effectively.

Call Barging

With call barging, managers can join an ongoing call between an agent and a customer. This allows them to intervene directly if they observe a problem or if escalation is necessary. Unlike whispering, both the agent and the customer can hear the manager during barging.

Power Dialer

A power Dialer, as a feature within Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) systems, significantly enhances outbound calling efficiency for sales or customer service teams. It automates the process of dialing phone numbers, sequentially calling through a list of contacts, thereby reducing the time and effort required by agents to initiate calls manually. This automation minimizes downtime between calls and allows agents to focus more on engaging prospects or resolving customer issues. Additionally, there’s a one-click dialing feature, enabling users to initiate calls instantly without the need to input each digit of the phone number manually. This streamlined process not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors associated with manual dialing.

Call Forwarding to Up to 9 Numbers

The feature of call forwarding to up to 9 numbers allows users to ensure that incoming calls are promptly attended to and that no opportunities are missed. Essentially, when a call comes in, instead of routing it solely to one designated number, users have the flexibility to set up forwarding to up to nine different numbers simultaneously. This ensures that the call is distributed among multiple recipients, increasing the likelihood of it being answered promptly.

For example, if the primary recipient is unavailable or busy, the call can automatically be forwarded to a secondary or tertiary number, and so on, until it is answered. This capability is particularly valuable for businesses or individuals who prioritize responsiveness and do not want to risk missing important calls. By spreading incoming calls across multiple lines, users can ensure that they capture every opportunity for communication or business, regardless of their availability or location.

Call Transfer

Call transfer is a feature that allows a user to transfer an ongoing call to another destination. This destination could be another extension within the same organization, an external phone number, or even a voicemail box. Call transfer is useful when the initial recipient of the call cannot fully address the caller’s needs and requires assistance from another individual or department. For example, if a customer service agent receives a call related to technical support, they might transfer the call to the appropriate technical support representative.

Call Conferencing

Call conferencing enables multiple parties to participate in a single call simultaneously. This feature is beneficial for situations where collaboration or discussion among several individuals is required. Users can add additional participants to the call either by dialing them directly or by merging multiple ongoing calls into one conference call. Call conferencing is commonly used for team meetings, client consultations, or group discussions where real-time communication and collaboration are essential.

Call Routing 

Routing of calls is the process of directing incoming calls to the most appropriate destination based on predefined criteria. There are various routing options available:

Single User: Calls can be routed directly to a specific individual based on factors such as availability or skillset.

Group of Users: Calls can be routed to a designated group of users, such as a sales team or a customer service department, where any available member of the group can answer the call.

Voicemails: Calls can be routed to voicemail if the intended recipient is unavailable or if the call is outside of business hours.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response): Calls can be routed through an IVR system, where callers navigate through a menu of options to reach their desired destination.

Last Communicator: Calls can be routed back to the last person who communicated with the caller, ensuring the continuity of the conversation.

Record Owner: In a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, calls can be routed to the owner of a particular record, such as a lead or a customer account.

CTI Integration with Salesforce using 360 SMS

Salesforce CTI integration with methods like API could be limiting for users as users get limited capabilities to perform operations. In addition, it can be time-consuming as a lot of coding work is required to build capabilities. 

However, the scenario is different for Salesforce CTI integration using 360 SMS. As the app is available on AppExchange, the entire Salesforce telephony integration process will hardly take 5 to 10 minutes. 

Users can go live in no time as no coding work is involved.

Benefits of Salesforce CTI

Better On-call Closures with Improved Training and Coaching

With 360 CTI, teams can close more calls successfully by using better training and coaching tools. Managers can help agents improve their skills during calls by watching and giving feedback in real-time. This ensures more calls end with the desired outcome.

Faster Sales Deals

Make your sales happen quicker with Salesforce 360 CTI’s automated calling features and having all the important caller information right on the screen. No more switching between different systems to find what you need. By having everything in one place, sales can go through faster, and your team can work better together.

Less Missed Opportunities

With 360 CTI, you won’t miss out on potential opportunities. The system lets agents send calls to up to 9 different numbers, making it more likely to reach potential clients and decreasing missed chances. Also, by connecting with Salesforce, you can make sure every lead gets proper attention.

Reduced Call Handling Time

360 CTI helps save time by making call management simpler. It makes sure every call is handled quickly and efficiently by making routing calls easier, transferring them faster, and having smooth conference calls. This means agents can deal with customer questions faster, reducing the time each call takes.

Improved Team Efficiency

Make your team work better together with 360 CTI’s easy communication tools. With features like real-time call monitoring and compatibility with mobile devices, your team can stay connected and get more done.

Better Problem Solving on the First Call

360 CTI makes customer service better by helping solve problems faster. It records calls automatically so agents can listen back and learn. Agents can also add or pass on calls as needed. This way, they have the tools to solve issues on the first try, making customers happier.

Improved Work Output of Agents

Get more done with 360 CTI’s features designed to help agents communicate better and do their jobs well. By focusing on making customers happy, agents can create a better work environment and feel more satisfied with their jobs.

Conclusion

Salesforce CTI integration revolutionizes customer interactions by seamlessly connecting telephony systems with CRM capabilities. Advanced CTI features like real-time monitoring and call routing empower teams to deliver exceptional service and drive sales efficiency. Businesses can choose from various integration methods to tailor CTI solutions to their needs. The benefits are extensive: improved call handling, personalized customer experiences, and enhanced team collaboration. By leveraging Salesforce CTI integration, organizations can gain a holistic view of customer interactions, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty. In today’s digital landscape, CTI integration isn’t just about connecting calls; it’s about leveraging technology to optimize every customer touchpoint and propel business success. It’s time to transform your call interactions with the best CTI capabilities by your side. Reach out to our experts at care@360smsapp.com or click here to contact us.