You have actually probably heard the phrase “seamless combination” if you have actually looked into purchasing company software application. Vendors like to paint a lovely image of contact center combination: just download, point, click, and voila.
In truth, it’s not that basic.
The one-click combination promise
Incorporating CRM data into your contact center platform isn’t just nice to have– it’s needed to get the complete advantage of your investment.
Marketers throw around terms like “plug-and-play,” “out-of-the-box,” and “one-click” all the time. I have actually even used them myself when explaining integrations.
The idea behind off-the-shelf integrations is genuine. They’re expected to make it simple for anybody, even those without an IT background, to connect their tools.
After all, not everyone has the resources to work with a designer.
These combinations are built and checked by professionals who know the systems inside and out. Plus, vendors on both sides deal with updates and maintenance for you. When one updates, the other does the same.
It sounds incredible in theory.
But contact center combinations are built for the masses– not for your particular workflows, systems, or representatives. Every contact center is different, and there’s no chance for vendors to represent everybody’s requirements.
What to anticipate from out-of-the-box contact center combinations
If you’re fortunate, you’ll set up the combination and whatever will work as planned. This is more likely if you’re using a well-established CRM, like HubSpot or Salesforce, coupled with a popular contact center solution, like Nextiva or RingCentral.
You might find a couple of locations that feel clunky, however you can change your processes to make it work. This absolutely does happen.
But more frequently, you’ll discover the combination works all right. Not excellent, just fine.
Fields may not map properly, features you were hoping for might be unavailable, and there may be no timeline for these functions being included– you’re at the grace of the 2 suppliers.
This prevails if you utilize new or lesser-known software application.
It can likewise happen if you’re combining well-known CRM software and an industry-specific contact center platform– or vice versa.
You might still have the ability to make the combination work without investing in designer resources, however you’ll likely need to depend on workarounds and hacks to get it to work for your team.
Worst case scenario? Absolutely nothing works. This is especially typical if you’ve greatly customized your CRM or contact center platform. Whether you’re using something you constructed or you’ve had a developer fine-tune recognized systems to match your procedures, you’ll have a hard time making off-the-shelf combinations work for you.
No matter which scenario you fall under, you may still find yourself expecting more. That’s an unfortunate, however typical experience.
When pre-made combinations aren’t enough
The simplest option is middleware– third-party tools that concentrate on linking data, systems, and processes. Zapier and Make are the most popular today.
I’ve had a lot of success utilizing these for different jobs. While there is a discovering curve and included expense, neither is as steep as customized integrations or APIs. For the most part, middleware is drag-and-drop, letting you easily produce custom circulations and automations.
For contact centers, you may have the ability to use them to:
- Sync interaction history.
- Create new contacts in your CRM.
- Update contact info in either system.
- Trigger tasks, tips, and follow-ups.
- Automate offer and opportunity management.
- Set up customized alerts and notices.
You can even use it to draw in other tools, like Slack or email too. With that stated, there are restrictions– especially when it pertains to flexibility and customization. Some features and abilities just will not be an alternative.
If you have the budget, time, and resources, custom combinations using APIs and SDKs offer far greater possibilities.
These also give you more control over security– it may be your only choice if you have to stick to strict security requirements (like HIPAA).
However, custom-made combinations add complexity and overhead beyond what middleware requires.
With either choice, you might deal with latency, scalability issues, compatibility issues, security threats, and issues with consistency.
Why isn’t contact center combination much easier?
Every contact center is unique. The information they collect, how they save it, what they do with it, and their processes are unlike any other service– including yours.
To make complex things even more, CRMs and contact center options are highly personalized. While this is excellent for customizing them to your workflows, any level of modification inherently makes combination a challenge.
Omnichannel integration is even harder. Syncing e-mails, chats, social media, text, and other interaction logs into a CRM– even one that isn’t tailored– is no little task.
Synchronization of all typically results in duplicates, lost information, or data corruption.
On top of that, innovation is constantly changing. New features come out and UI updates take place behind the scenes all the time. Your combination might work completely one day but break the next. It’s a constant evolution that requires ongoing maintenance from everybody involved.
Vendors and middleware suppliers do their finest to make things simple for everyone, but it’s a huge task.
How to make contact center combinations work for you
First and foremost, if you do not have a CRM or contact center solution, choosing 2 that work well together is the best place to begin.
SEE: Best contact center CRM software application and finest call center platforms.
The best technique is to utilize complimentary trials, demonstrations, and direct discussions with vendors. You might be lured to simply register for one and call it excellent, however that’s not going to do you any favors in the long run.
Hang around testing each option, specifically the out-of-the-box integrations. Try to duplicate your use case as carefully as possible and test it at volume.
The more thoroughly you test, the fewer surprises you’ll face later on.
Do not hesitate to grill suppliers on combination specifics. Inform them how you work and what you require, then have them show how it’s done. If they can’t show you, think about that a warning. You ought to likewise inquire about future advancement plans so you understand the direction they’re headed.
Currently have both pieces of software? You have three alternatives, depending upon your spending plan.
If you’re working with no budget, manual information entry or partial combinations can be enough on a little scale. Even basic syncing contacts, moving interaction logs, and using screen pop can offer a substantial benefit.
Something is much better than nothing.
Have more than no budget plan but less than a lot? You’ll likely require to make internal changes to make out-of-the-box contact center combination work. This might imply changing to a various CRM or contact center option, customizing your procedures, creating workarounds, streamlining the information you gather, or learning to use middleware.
For businesses with deep pockets, a customized integration or API advancement is the very best way to prevent internal changes and get exactly what you require.
It may take longer than you expect, but it’ll deserve it to have a system that matches your workflow.
No matter what, training your team on your integrated system is vital. Even the best setup won’t work if no one knows how to use it.
