Gone are the days when each piece of software existed in a vacuum. Thanks to APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), software now communicates between each other easily. However, businesses often buy software without considering what they truly need—especially when it comes to call center solutions.
When you start using a call center solution, it needs to work in your ecosystem. It also has to communicate with your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software, your project management tools, and any other software your business uses.
Let’s take a look at some of the integrations you must be mindful of when shopping for call center software.
Types of Call Center Integrations: They’re Not All Created Equal
A lot of call center tools claim to be integrated with popular software. In reality, though, that’s not completely true. Even if a certain software integration is offered, some integrations go deeper than others. You may get some of the features from the software but not all. We’ll touch more on this below.
To start, there are three main types of integrations you should know about.
Native Integrations
From an end-user standpoint, these are the best kinds of integrations. You need no additional software to use them because the built-in integrated features work seamlessly. For instance, a call center program natively integrated with a CRM system will let you manage calls directly from the CRM interface—no extra set-up steps required.
- Pros: Fully-functional integration with zero coding needed on your end
- Cons: Limited to the tools supported by your call center service provider
API Integrations
API integrations are designed to connect different software applications directly. Unlike native options, API-based integrations require solid technical know-how to set up and maintain. Furthermore, API integrations may not always be available out of the box, so you’ll have to code it yourself or purchase additional custom services for a fee.
- Pros: High flexibility, allowing you to customize the integration to suit your business’s unique needs
- Cons: They require a lot of technical expertise, which can be a hurdle for businesses with limited IT resources
Third-Party Connectors
Also known as “middleware,” these connectors offer advantages that the two options above share. They typically use APIs to connect two or more systems over the cloud, reducing the complexity of coding and maintenance. For instance, Zapier is a popular tool that connects apps so you can automate your workflow. Make (formerly known as Integromat) and Workato are also popular integration and automation tools.
- Pros: Very easy to use, affordable, and they provide a wide range of tool integration options
- Cons: These integrations are often quite limited in use and sometimes fickle to adopt
Depth of Integration is Critical
Keep in mind: just because your software is natively integrated with a given tool doesn’t mean that it will work seamlessly. For instance, when it comes to CRMs, some software tools only support basic functions such as logging calls. Others may offer more advanced features like call recordings and analytics.
The depth of integration is extremely important. It determines how easy it is for you to use your call center software with your other tools, as well as the number of operations available to you in the first place.
For example, if you want to transfer calls from your call center tool to your CRM, you’ll need a deep integration supporting this feature. If all you need is basic call logging and note-taking, a native or API integration might be more than enough.
Must-Have Integrations (The Non-Negotiable)
While specific needs may vary from one business to another, there are some essential integrations every call center software should have.
CRM
Your call center tool should work with your CRM platform because it allows you to have a bird’s eye view on customers interactions with your business. This type of integration provides different departments with access to call logs, recordings, and other crucial information.
If, for example, a long-time customer contacts your call center, their name and history with your business will pop up on the agent’s screen. This way, your team will have all the information regarding previous purchases, interactions with support, and any other relevant data.
IVR (Interactive Voice Response)
IVR software lets you set up automated voice menus for your callers so they can be on the phone without the help of a human agent. A secure IVR is able to handle password resets, bank account information, billing details, and so on.
IVR integration helps your customers save time since they don’t have to wait on the phone for a human to help out with simple operations. Plus, it makes your call center team more effective.
Help Desk and Ticketing
Every customer interaction has the potential to become a customer support ticket. As such, you want your call center software to integrate with your preferred help desk and ticketing tool. This allows you to streamline operations and address customer concerns easier.
If someone calls your support team, for instance, but they don’t wait on the phone long enough for an agent to respond, the call could automatically generate a support ticket. From there, your team can get back to the caller as soon as possible. This reduces customer wait time, removes friction, and ensures that no issues slip through the cracks.
CTI (Computer Telephony Integration)
CTI allows your computer systems to interact directly with your phones. It also makes it easy to call contacts from within your CRM or support tool. Similarly, when someone calls in, their information pops up on the agent’s screen so they can provide accurate and personalized customer service.
Having a CTI integration allows you to save time, as your agents don’t have to scramble through multiple databases to find customer information.
The Nice-to-Have Call Center Integrations
The aforementioned integrations are not the only ones available. There are many others that could make your agents’ lives easier, your call center operations better, and your customers happier.
File Management Sharing
File-sharing software like Dropbox or OneDrive helps your organization stay on top of all the documents they need to save, revisit, and share from department to department. Some call center tools come with this integration included. It’s a useful tool for reducing manual work, infinite searches for documents, and so on.
Marketing and Sales Automation
Better communication between your sales, marketing, and customer care teams will help your entire business. It will help marketing develop strategies that are a better fit for customers, sales build rapport quicker, and customer care teams communicate not just information but value.
Call Whispering and Monitoring
Call whispering and monitoring enables you to monitor and support agents who may still lack experience. If they get stuck or need assistance, a call whispering integration allows them to request help without the caller ever noticing. This helps agents build confidence while on a call and ensures that all calls are handled efficiently.
Artificial Intelligence
AI has definitely taken the world by storm no matter what industry you work in. HR uses it for recruitment, sales use it for lead generation, and customer care uses it for better analysis of the sentiment behind calls.
With an AI integration, your call center tool can recognize if a customer is angry or dissatisfied and suggest an appropriate response strategy to the agent. This helps agents provide more empathetic support, leading to happier customers.
Facebook Messenger
Although Facebook isn’t necessarily a customer support channel, many customers feel it’s easier to contact companies on social media. You need to stay on top of all messages your business receives, and that includes messages coming from Facebook Messenger.
An integration with Facebook Messenger enables you to centralize all your communications, keep track of conversations, and ensure no inquiry goes unnoticed.
What to Do If You Can’t Get Every Integration You Need
If you can’t get every single integration you want, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. On the contrary, there are solutions to help you get all the integrations you need or add more in the future.
For instance, you can settle on a tool that comes with as many of the “must-haves” that you need, then hire someone to help you with custom APIs for the integrations you’re missing. You could also figure out viable workarounds, like using Zapier, if you want to save your budget and keep it simple.