This article describes the Benefits of Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) and what can be achieved by using this telephony solution.
Customers today expect great customer service. When they call they expect you to know who they are, what they did and why they might be calling.
That’s why more and more businesses are investing in Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), one of the best tools available to help making a big difference in the quality of customer interaction.
Being able to integrate telephones with your customer data has never been more important, and now it is affordable for all business sizes.
When using a Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) solution, like intelli-CTi you are transforming your business telephone system into a computer system. This enables you to integrate the telephone system with other software, for example your CRM system, to increase your business’ efficiency and productivity.
Benefits of CTI
Let’s explore some of the benefits of using a CTI solution
1. Reduce Costs & Increase Productivity
Less Infrastructure:
With CTI, there is no need for physical phones. Users can make and receive calls directly from their computer, using a softphone, with a single-click. CTI allows users to handle advanced call controls – answer, hang up, transfer, hold, mute and even capture in-call notes directly to a customer’s record.Many organizations have permanently expanded their work from home programs. Thanks to modern phone systems and online business systems, users can use their business phone with their company’s’ business system while remaining at home. CTI is a perfect companion for those who want to maintain their productivity, without requiring the typical equipment needed in an office environment.
2. Deliver Personalized Customer Experiences
Know who is calling before you answer the phone:
CTI enables users to be informed with an automatic screen pop for each call. This tells the user who is calling, along with detailed information about the caller, enabling the user to greet the caller by name with automatic access to all of their relevant information when they start the conversation.
This significantly reduces the call length and the need for users to place the caller on hold whilst they search for the customer details, ensuring the customer feels valued, increasing customer satisfaction and providing a professional engagement.
3. Consistent Call Processes
Streamlined operations:
A number of applications can be integrated with a CTI solution. for example, CRM solutions, such as the popular Dynamics 365 platform. This allows businesses to seamlessly integrate CRM into the customer experience and conversations. Another benefit from this streamlining is that you can ensure Business Processes are followed through for each call. When CTI automatically logs the call data into the CRM system, it ensures that the information tracked consistently and removes the risk of data being forgotten or lost by incorrect logging.
4. Informed and More Efficient Users
Hold shorter, concise and more contextual calls with Detailed Customer Information:
Having all the information at their fingertips, makes users informed and provides a professional customer experience. CTI provides a wealth of information from name, company, title, email details and the history of their interactions with your company.
This detailed information is key to driving the conversation and improving the customers’ (callers’) opinion of the business, and in turn their experience. Having this information readily available also helps to reduce the call time and makes the user more efficient.
5. Call Reporting
Model your business on your best performers:
CTI offers reporting that includes call logging and data for individual callers’ call history, related to purchases, support cases and opportunities. Users are fully informed on why the customer may be calling and can see how much interaction they have had with the business.
With CTI, every call is automatically logged and saved with its data directly in your CRM system. This data can be used to improve your business processes, user training and measure performance and customer experiences.
6. Improved Call Handling
And less frustration:
You do not want to keep your callers on hold, or have them hang up if they have been waiting too long. With CTI, lost calls, and customers can be reduced by shortening the average length of calls, and in turn reduce the average wait time. Improving call throughput reduces the number of staff (and phone lines) required to take the calls, saving costs.
7. Enhanced Caller Experience
Increase that positive word of mouth:
Having satisfied customers is good for your company’s brand and reputation
Being welcomed by name, and with the user having some knowledge of why the caller may be calling, offers a very personalized call. And not having to repeat information provides a very professional experience for the customer. Having shorter wait and call times are also very important to your callers, further reducing the call complexity and creating a more satisfying experience for all.
8. Increased Professionalism
Decrease frustration from long, unproductive calls:
CTI will improve the caller’s experience and satisfaction, as well as improve the company’s brand and image. Knowing who is calling and greeting them by name and knowing where they are calling from offers a personalized customer experience. And not having to repeat information, keeps your callers’ frustrations low. This benefits everyone, and it is easier for your users to deal with a happy and calm customer rather than one who is frustrated or annoyed.
9. Improves Remote Working
Keeping you connected when not in the office:
CTI is not just restricted to typical office buildings with on-premise phone systems. Due to the availability of cloud-hosted phone systems (such as RingCentral), it is also possible to benefit from CTI when working remotely.
This is especially important in recent times, when many of us are having to work remotely.
CTI Benefits Conclusion
In today’s busy and virtual world, help desks, sales teams, customer service departments and any business phone user are handling more calls, whilst delivering a professional service to each call. It is essential that the right tools are in place to help these users work more efficiently. A CTI solution integrating your company’s telephone and business system offers a rich set of call management features, helping to increase productivity, reducing call and wait times, and grow your customer relationship and loyalty with every call.
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