What is Open CTI and What Are the Benefits?

Since 73% of customers expect seamless interactions, your business needs all customer contact to be seamless. Salesforce Open CTI helps agents offer a more personalized and efficient service. It also allows for call transfers without putting the customer on hold.

Open CTI, or Open Computer Telephone Integration, is a set of standards and protocols. It allows computer systems and telephony systems to communicate with each other. As such, businesses can use it to integrate their phone systems with their CRM systems.

In this guide, we’ll discuss what Open CTI is, how it works, and the benefits it offers businesses. We’ll also show you how to use Salesforce Open CTI to serve customers, work efficiently, and save money. Read on for more insights:

Table of Contents

How Open CTI Works

Open CTI uses a software application that acts as a bridge between the phone system and the computer system. The software application allows the two systems to communicate with each other and exchange data. Here’s a simplified example of how Open CTI works:

A customer calls a business that’s using Open CTI
A computer routes the call to the appropriate agent
The Open CTI software shows the caller ID and other info on the agent’s computer screen
The agent can then click a button on their computer to answer the call
The agent and customer then have a conversation

The Open CTI software application also automatically logs the call data in the business’s CRM system.

Types of Open CTI Solutions

The two main types of Open CTI solutions are desktop and server-based CTI. Desktop CTI solutions run on the individual agent’s computer. They are less expensive but can be more difficult to manage and configure.

Server-based CTI solutions operate from a central server. They are quite expensive but are easier to manage and configure. While both solutions have diverse features, server-based solutions often offer more advanced features.

Their standard features include click-to-dial, screen pop, call recording, and call routing. Call monitoring and reporting are also part of the standard features. The more advanced features include predictive dialing, autodialer, IVR integration, CRM integration, and contact center management.

When choosing an Open CTI solution, consider the specific needs of your business. For instance, if your business has a limited budget, choose a desktop CTI solution. But if you work with a complex call center environment, a server-based CTI solution may be ideal.

Benefits of Salesforce Open CTI

Salesforce Open CTI can be a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes. It can help solve challenges such as poor customer service, low agent productivity, and compliance risks for businesses. Discussed below are its benefits in detail:

All-in-One Solution

An all-in-one solution is a software product or service that has many features in one place. It helps businesses streamline operations and improve efficiency. Your company can use it to make better decisions.

Salesforce CTI opens a window that shows all the important details, including analytics. As such, it can save a lot of time and increase productivity. Agents can use it to access the customer’s account information, call history, and analytics from a single window.

Your agents can focus on the customer conversation to improve customer service. The managers can use the analytics provided by the API to identify areas for improvement in the call center. With this information, they can develop training programs and improve call center processes.

Wide Support Range

Open Salesforce CTI provides support for multiple web browsers and platforms. Supported web browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari. The supported platforms are Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Web browsers and operating systems are important elements in customer relationship management. They help access CRM software. The CRM software may also have desktop or mobile apps that need a specific operating system like Windows, macOS, or iOS.

The performance and usability of CRM software will also depend on the web browsers and operating systems. If a CRM software vendor doesn’t support a web browser or operating system, users may have problems using the software.

Customizable

CTI with Salesforce allows you to customize softphones based on needs and preferences. It can help users to increase their productivity. Your agents can also use it to optimize their workflow.

Users can add important data and information to the dashboard with Salesforce Open CTI. This way, they’ll have the information they need to handle a call in one place. It will take less time to switch between different windows and applications.

Users can configure their softphone to answer calls based on certain criteria automatically. The criteria can include caller ID or the time of day. These configurations can free up users’ time to focus on other tasks.
It’s possible to set up different call-handling rules for different types of calls.

For instance, you can set up a rule that automatically routes incoming sales to the appropriate sales representative. Doing this can improve the efficiency of the call-handling process.

The softphone’s built-in features, such as call recording and screen pop, can help improve customer service. For instance, you can use call recording to identify areas where your agents can improve their call-handling skills. Screen pop can help view customer information before agents answer a call.

Improved Customer Relationship

Improved customer relationships can give businesses a competitive advantage. In a competitive marketplace, businesses need to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Businesses that build strong relationships with customers can succeed in the long term.

Open Salesforce CTI lets agents have a complete view of the customer’s account. This way, agents can provide more personalized and efficient service. Personalized and efficient service can lead to customer satisfaction and loyalty.

With Open Salesforce CTI, it’s easier for customers to get the help they need. Your agents can use it to route customers to the appropriate agent or department. The routing will be relevant to the customers’ needs.

Businesses can use this tool to reduce customer churn. As a result, they can identify and address customer issues early on. The tool can create reports on how customers interact and find customers who might leave.

Increased Sales

When a business increases its sales, it increases its revenue and profitability. This way, it can invest in new products or services, expand its operations, and hire more employees. Increased sales can also lead to a higher market share and increased brand awareness.

Salesforce Open CTI can help businesses to increase sales. It makes it easy to personalize services. It also gives agents more time to focus on more productive tasks like talking to customers.

With Salesforce Open CTI, agents get the tools and information they need to close more deals. Agents can use it to qualify leads and track sales progress automatically. They can also track customer interactions and record sales calls to improve the sales process and increase sales.

Security

When handling customers’ data, your CRM tools need to have secure protocols. These protocols protect customer privacy and prevent you from losing sensitive data. It also helps your business comply with data protection regulations.

Data protection regulations aim to protect the privacy of individuals. They mandate businesses to take steps to protect customers’ data. Open Salesforce CTI can help businesses comply with the GDPR by encrypting data, limiting access control, and auditing data.

Open Salesforce CTI uses HTTPS to encrypt all interactions with its telephony server. As such, all customer and company data is secure. An unauthorized third party can’t intercept it with this level of protection.

HTTPS is a secure protocol used to transmit data over the internet. It uses TLS to encrypt data during transit so no one can read it if intercepted. This way, it protects sensitive customer and financial data from theft or exposure.

Integrating Salesforce Open CTI

To integrate Salesforce Open CTI, choose an Open Salesforce CTI partner. Your options for providers are plenty. But be sure to compare the different solutions to find the one that is right for your business.

Once you choose a provider, install the Open Salesforce CTI solution. The installation process will vary with the solution you choose. Either way, it doesn’t require a lot of skill and time.

The next time is to configure the Open Salesforce CTI solution. Configurations also vary depending on the solution. But expect most solutions will provide step-by-step instructions.

Lastly, test the solution before you deploy it to your production environment. After the CTI integration, your agents can make and receive calls from Salesforce. They will also access call-related features like click-to-dial, screen pop, and call recording.

Ensure that your Salesforce environment is compatible with Open CTI for better outcomes. You should also choose a solution that meets your business needs.

Need a Salesforce Open CTI Solution for Your Business?

To stay competitive, use tools and techniques that meet your customers’ changing needs. Salesforce Open CTI is a customizable solution that pairs well with CRM and telephony systems. So, it’s a powerful tool for seamless customer interaction.

If you want to increase your productivity and revenue with a Salesforce Open CTI solution, Fastcall is here to help. Our dialer is lightweight, easy to use, and works on many devices and channels. Sign up for a free trial today and explore how Fastcall can improve your business.