If we ignore all the communication that companies make with the outside, with their customers, suppliers, etc., we will find that companies also handle a large amount of internal communication. Any organization is ultimately an amalgamation of all its employees working towards a common goal. These employees have a variety of communication and collaboration needs.
In the past, these needs were met on an interpersonal level using text messages or calls or sometimes even productivity software. But these are all separate platforms that clearly have no scope for integration and collaboration between them. This can add an obstacle to the steady operation and growth of the business.
These services offer many benefits while being less costly to operate and maintain. Before diving deeper into this set of comparisons, let’s take a look at exactly what these two terms mean.
CCaaS and CRM: Why do you need this integration
CRM is the primary workspace for power users in contact centers.
In fact, a typical salesperson spends 18% of their work time on a CRM system, with nearly 63% of their time devoted to sales technology as a whole. However, it is well known that the sales team hates administrative work, manual data management, and navigating through multiple control software. The news of the hour is that CRM is evolving into a single application that unifies lead generation, lead generation, direct selling, and cross-selling/upselling efforts.
As a result, more and more companies are integrating the communication features of multichannel contact and call center software (such as VoIP and messaging) into their CRM systems. And that’s how you can use Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS).
What does CRM integration really mean?
There are different ways for the CCaaS platform to connect to the CRM system. For companies that are investing in building contact centers in the cloud, it’s important to understand what integrations are needed to support your business processes. The synergy between CCaaS and CRM integration offers a holistic view of customer interactions, history, and preferences. This integration bridges communication silos by funneling customer interactions from various channels, such as voice, email, chat, and social media, into a unified platform. This central repository ensures that customer service representatives have real-time access to accurate and up-to-date customer data, fostering personalized interactions.
Now, first understand what is cloud contact center? A cloud contact center, sometimes known as hosted contact center, is a technological solution that empowers businesses to oversee and manage customer interactions across diverse communication channels by utilizing cloud-based infrastructure and assets. Instead of depending on conventional in-house hardware and software, a cloud contact center harnesses cloud capabilities to deliver an adaptable, scalable, and economically efficient framework for engaging with customers.
Let’s look at the five most popular built-in features:
Integrated click to call
The simplest and most popular integration allows you to call any contact or receive a call from a website, with the click of a button in your CRM workspace.
Integrated dialer (import call list)
A useful feature for teams that use tools like AI Predictive Dialer to quickly reach large numbers of contacts for lead generation, mass recruiting, or customer research. Dialer integration allows contact center supervisors to import contact lists directly from the CRM database to initiate dial-up campaigns.Â
Display/CTI
This feature allows CRM users to open a softphone window and dial a number of their choice with a single click.
Call Details API
A set of features that allow users to automatically transfer Call Detail Records (CDRs) and Call Result Records into the CRM system to enrich customer records.
SMS/Messaging API
A set of features that allow salespeople and agents to send and receive SMS and other messages from their CRM workspace.
Overall, which integration is right for you depends on your business processes; for example, a small support team might just need click-to-call. At the same time, complex upsell algorithms may involve sending messages across multiple channels or require dialer integration.
CCaaS integration with Business systems: Expanding Horizons
In addition to CRM, the CCaaS integration extends the transition to other core business systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), help desk software, and sales automation platforms. These integrations provide comprehensive insights, allowing organizations to optimize resource allocation, streamline workflow, and make informed decisions.
ERP Integration
Linking CCaaS with ERP systems improves operational efficiency. For example, when a customer makes a service request, CCaaS can trigger processes in the ERP system to allocate resources, track inventory, and schedule service appointments. This ensures quick service delivery and reduces manual interventions. Integrated help desk:
By integrating CCaaS with help desk software, organizations create a unified service department. Customer requests and problems can be seamlessly transferred between channels, ensuring consistent and efficient service delivery.
Sales automation integration
Integration with sales automation platforms ensures consistency across the entire customer journey. When a lead expresses interest via chat or email, CCaaS integration can trigger automatic follow-up actions, such as assigning the lead to a sales rep or sending an emailed personalized.
Technical achievements
Middleware solutions play an important role in connecting CCaaS to various enterprise systems. These intermediate applications facilitate the exchange of data by translating and mapping data between different systems. The API continues to be the backbone, enabling data synchronization and process automation.
Benefits of Integrating CCaaS with Enterprise Systems
Streamline the process
Integrated process optimization by automating workflows across different systems. This minimizes manual data entry, reduces errors, and speeds up task execution.
Resource optimization:
ERP integration enables real-time resource allocation, allowing for efficient planning of personnel, materials, and equipment based on upcoming service requirements. Data-driven decisions:
The integration provides a unified data store, enabling informed decision making. Management can analyze trends, track performance metrics, and identify areas for improvement.
Advanced Collaboration:
Integrated systems foster cross-departmental collaboration. Customer information flows seamlessly, eliminating communication barriers and promoting cross-functional collaboration.
Final Thoughts
Integrating CCaaS with CRM and other enterprise systems presents a transformational opportunity for companies looking to increase customer engagement and operational efficiency. This integration not only improves agent productivity, but also ensures consistent and personalized interactions across multiple touchpoints. By expanding integration with ERP, helpdesk, and sales automation systems, organizations can unlock the potential for streamlined processes, and data-driven insights.
Also Read: How Microsoft Dynamics 365 Revolutionizes Customer Relationship Management (CRM)?
