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Find case studies on computer telephony integration systems

Want to find out how call centers handle call volumes with CTI? How about larger and more general CTI usage in a corporate environment? Use handy online websites to find case studies and features on how businesses use these tools.

I recommend: Find CTI case studies and more at Security Park including success stories, podcasts on intelligent management, call center solutions and a whole lot of other CTI applications to today's business world. Get more CTI and dialing case studies and other news at Total Call Management Solutions.

Find CTI tool and software product reviews for evaluating computer telephony integration services

Another online source of CTI information comes in the form of product reviews from industry insiders who rate CTI services and solutions and otherwise comment on what makes this technology tick, applicable to a wide range of businesses for communications enhancement and portability.

I recommend: Nortel and other CTI Toolkits are reviewed at Retrevo: "Matching People With Electronics." Find more on CTI and other emerging tools at Geek.com.

Find more general computer telephony integration news

Other sites can help managers get a handle on what's coming out of computer telephony integration companies and related technology providers for scheming on what might be viable for a particular business in the near future. Use these reference sites to help plan for an upgrade for your systems to voice solutions with ultra-modern telephony.

I recommend: CTI News online showcases multiple articles about all of the new and emerging technologies around computer telephony integration. Get more on CTI, IP telephony and uses at the Technology Marketing Corporation online news center.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking at computer telephony integration systems, think about what is the 'weakest link' in your existing communication system. Is it outdated voice mail technology? Lack of client data in real time? Knowing your weaknesses is the best way to efficiently plan for maximum help from CTI technology.

Guide to CTI Services

CTI call center software gives your agents full access to a customer's history as soon as they pick up the phone

By Marianne Cotter, Freelance writer

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Choose CTI software systems that include customer pop-up screens

The core of CTI is the computer telephony technology that enables the customer's data record to be retrieved from a database and viewed on a pop-up screen on an agent's computer in tandem with the incoming customer call.

I recommend: Chrysalis Software’s Sonata CTI Suite is CTI call center software that includes pop-up screens. CTI software systems like QCS’s QCall delivers customer information to your employee’s desktop in a number of formats. Inter-Tel’s Telephony Manager integrates your communications system with Microsoft CRM software so that customer information from your CRM program is automatically screen popped to your staff’s computers.

Look for call center software that includes CTI solutions

Computer telephony is part of a comprehensive call center solution that includes features such as IVR (interactive voice response), inbound/outbound calling, call routing, predictive dialers, and multi-site support as well as reporting and analytics.

I recommend: With the inContact call center software suite, computer telephony is integrated with other standard call center features. Call Center Software World allows you to search vendors by criteria, including CTI services.

Add scripting to CTI software systems

Providing scripting for call center agents is a proven productivity enhancer. CTI solutions that integrate scripting with the customer pop-up screen is an added benefit.

I recommend: AMCAT’s Communicator solution integrates scripting with CTI services for a better customer experience. OnviSource Call Center Solutions’ AutoScript feature allows scripts to be structured to automatically populate your customer’s data.

Industry-specific CTI services

From hospitality to emergency response, different industries have different call center needs. While shopping for CTI services, look at CTI software systems that are optimized for your specific customer needs.

I recommend: MicroAutomation’s CTI call center software offers industry specific solutions for healthcare, utilities, hospitality, government, retail, manufacturing, financial services and emergency response. Five9.com computer telephony industry solutions include outsourcers, mortgage and finance, offshore BPO and collections.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When shopping for CTI software systems, ask about training and product support.
• •  Save money by considering CTI software systems that offer modular solutions rather than those that offer a large integrated call center package.
• •  If your call center has several locations, make sure your CTI call center software can handle multi-site call centers.
• •  Make sure to choose CTI call center software that will integrate with your existing telephony infrastructure and agent workstation environments.
• •  Ask computer telephony vendors if their CTI solutions can integrate with fax, email, chat, video and other customer contact points.

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Find scripting solutions from computer telephony integration companies

This kind of CTI product and system is perfect for a call center environment. Companies offer computer telephony integration tools that enhance the ability of a database setup to 'pluck out' relevant customer information and pinpoint call goals with scripting features.

I recommend: CTI solutions from Noble Amcat populate data displays with specific client info and scripting to guide workers toward beneficial results. Get more call center scripter options like the Hermes Interface Designer from Vocalcom online.

Use computer telephony integration systems for voice portability

Whether it's managing an array of voice mail boxes or reviewing past conference calls for accuracy, CTI can help deliver your digital assets to the required destination. Find product details online and ask reps about cutomizing CTI products for your business.

I recommend: At CTI Pro, you can find applications and solutions for optimal voice mail recording, exporting .wav files to systems, and other portability for voice and communications. Sentenia Systems offers "the potential to integrate all your communication systems, from e-mail to voicemail, into one seamless whole" with VoIP and computer telephony integration solutions that will truly propel a communication system into the future.

Use computer telephony integration services for A/V integration

Many CTI services are making inroads at including video features in CTI products. This part of the digital frontier promises to be an interesting part of how businesses will use CTI tools in the future.

I recommend: Get both audio and video elements of CTI from the CTI Toolkit at Surf. Look for more on the developing use of CTI for full-scale A/V designs at NEC: "Empowered by Innovation."

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking for computer telephony integration solutions and working with CTI services, try to develop a 'game plan,' where you can come up with good questions for service reps to assure that the customization of these tools is going your way and not just in a random direction.

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Automatic Number Identification (ANI)

Automatic Number Identification (ANI) refers to the ability to identify the telephone number of an incoming call. In the context of CTI services, ANI refers to the capability of an application to display this number on the computer screen.

I recommend: Database Systems Corp. provides an extensive library of CTI terms, such as ANI.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a CTI service that allows a user to access a database with a telephone. The user may input information with their voice by using speech recognition technology or by manually pressing keys on a touch-tone telephone.

I recommend: Talking Technology International offers a glossary of terms related to CTI services, including IVR.

Predictive dialer

A predictive dialer automatically places outbound calls before a customer service representative is available to handle the call. This type of CTI service uses statistical modeling to predict when the call will be answered in order to increase agent productivity.

I recommend: IAT provides a description of a predictive dialer and the features it offers.

Automatic Call Distributor (ACD)

An Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) is an automated system that distributes incoming calls to a group of customer service representatives. It is a common part of a CTI system.

I recommend: PCMag offers a more detailed description of ACD, including possible implementations.

Click-to-call

A click-to-call CTI function allows a customer service agent to make a call by clicking a button with their mouse. This function provides greater speed and accuracy when making a call.

I recommend: Connections Magazine provides a discussion on the use of CTI in call centers, including a description of click-to-call functions.

Call forcing

In a CTI context, call forcing delivers a call to an available agent. It typically notifies the agent of the incoming call by providing a beep tone. Call forcing is a standard feature for most ACDs.

I recommend: AnswerConnect has more information about call forcing.