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Computer Telephony Integration?
What are the benefits of having computer telephony integration? I have a call center and my agents have mentioned that having certain features would be more helpful for them. Call routing, transfers, etc. What are the costs of such integration and where do I start researching how to do it?
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2 Answers
I'll let others speak to the cost but the biggest advantage to CTI is reducing call handle times thereby improving agent productivity and increasing agent efficiency.
Basically CTI is about integrating your PBX & ACD with your CRM system. Without CTI when a call is routed to an agent, the agent must go into the CRM or Billing system and look for the caller. With CTI the CRM system will (screen) pop a window from the CRM system with the callers record just as the agent is picking up the call. This is why many call centers have a minimum amount of IVR upfront so that callers provide unique identifier info (e.g. SS# or Account #) info for the CTI process.
Top CTI vendors I know of include the likes of Avaya, Genesys (genesyslabs.com) and Cisco. Most of these vendors serve mid-size and enterprise calls call centers (200+ agents)
For smaller call centers there are now hosted call center platforms that include hosted PBX and online call center CRM suites. You may get CTI "for free" with these companies. One example might be Liveops.
Finally, there are also CRM vendor that offer CTI integration going the other way . . . Oracle (Siebel) CRM is an example.
Good luck.
I have re-visited this topic several times for small companies with overworked staffs (
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