In today’s highly competitive business landscape, SMEs must go the extra mile to meet and exceed customer expectations. Fortunately, Salesforce customers can improve customer engagement by using a native Salesforce messaging app and Computer Telephony Integration (CTI).
CTI and SMS messaging systems that integrate with your CRM offer centralized control over all communications through a simple user interface. Using that interface, users can efficiently communicate with their customers, managing their expectations and predicting their future needs.
If you want to boost efficiency and drive customer involvement, CTI and SMS applications could be the solution. This post will teach you how you can leverage CTI and SMS systems to effectively communicate with your customers.
Best practices for integrating Calling in Salesforce
We all value the time of sales teams regardless of what they are selling. Integrating calling into Salesforce eliminates the tedious and time-consuming dialing process. Integration enables salespeople to automate calling accurately, enabling them to focus on what matters most – speaking with prospects and customers.
There are other products available on the market, including GirikCTI, a native CTI for Salesforce app. They not only integrate phone systems, but also offer call recording, screen pops, call transcription, automated dialing, and much more. So, we recommend you follow these guidelines:
- Always choose native Salesforce apps over third-party integrations.
- Before integrating your Salesforce instance with a calling system, make sure it works with your current Salesforce edition. Sales Dialer is only accessible in Sales Cloud and Service Cloud, which are typically available in Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited editions.
- Ensure that your browser is compatible with your preferred calling system.
- Assign a number to ensure that calls do not appear to be from an unknown number.
- It is usually a good idea to make the phone system accessible via the page’s utility bar. It will enable your sales reps to access information faster.
- It is important to control access to the calling system.
- Enable the Local Presence feature (available in GirikCTI) to improve your phone call’s chances of being answered.
- Enable the auto call logging function (available in GirikCTI) to speed up the sales process and log all calls within Salesforce.
Tips for SMS for Salesforce Apps
An SMS platform can help you follow up with prospects and customers after the initial phone conversation. You can use it to communicate with a large audience for campaigns, for example. You can also utilize it for one-on-one messaging. Bulk or broadcast messages are useful for confirmations, updates, or reminders, whereas one-on-one messaging works brilliantly for personal conversations, such as follow-ups or appointment scheduling.
You can find a variety of apps on AppExchange, and by following the recommendations below, you can use them efficiently.
- Use a truly native SMS platform.
- Routing messages to respond to customers faster. For instance, you can configure automated message routing based on keywords in incoming messages. A message including the word ‘exchange’ can be routed to an exchange specialist, but one containing the word ‘product’ can be routed to a product specialist.
- Creating automated responses to commonly asked questions based on keywords in the incoming SMS. For example, a text message including the phrase “When will I get a refund?” can prompt an automatic SMS response with the typical refund waiting period.
- Using Scheduler to send timely SMS to customers or broadcast SMS messages for a campaign.
- Use SMS templates to personalize communication.
- Set up the SMS platform for one-on-one real-time conversations with customers.
- Assign managed package licenses to users: When you install a licensed managed package from AppExchange, you acquire a set number of licenses from the package creator or publisher. Each license can be assigned to a specific user inside your organization. If you have assigned all available licenses but want to grant licenses to new users, you can reassign one or purchase more.
SMS and Telephony Integration: Text and Call Concurrently to Enhance Engagement
Business communication is not just confined to text. This includes phone calls as well. The hallmark of good customer service is issue resolution time. Therefore, the faster and more efficiently you manage prospects and customers, the better the results. So, one of the most effective methods to improve customer experiences is to handle calls more efficiently. Agents frequently have to send SMS messages to customers in order to redefine their experiences. And this is where CTI integration may transform processes. CTI integration allows customers to text and call at the same time, streamlining their interaction process. Here’s what companies can do to improve customer service.
CTI and SMS Integration to Improve Interactions
Know Your Callers
Without a doubt, CTI enables enterprises to alter their call handling process. Agents can easily manage inbound and outbound calls from their system with CTI integration. Agents are generally unable to identify the caller. However, by leveraging CTI for Salesforce, reps can instantly identify the caller because they have all of their information displayed on the screen in front of them.
Consequently, agents can greet customers by name for more personalized interactions and avoid collecting the same information every time a caller calls.
Also, if a note is created from a prior interaction, it pops up on the screen, allowing agents to resume the conversation where they left off and manage calls successfully.
Act on Requests Promptly by Sending Relevant Information via Text
Most incoming calls to a contact center are for requests or complaints. CTI enables agents to manage calls and resolve issues more quickly. When a caller calls to reserve an appointment, agents can schedule it quickly and send a confirmation SMS while on the call.
Alternatively, if there is a call to report a loss of card or a fraud transaction, agents can act on it immediately and send an SMS with the ticket number and expected resolution time.
Educate Callers While on Call with SMS
Customers call in with a variety of problems. It could also be a lack of information or difficulty obtaining the information needed on a specific issue.
To handle such problems quickly and without stretching the session, support agents can deliver Salesforce SMS while on the phone and send a relevant URL redirecting to the web page, which has all the relevant information. This would assist in providing extensive information on the relevant issue and enhancing interactions.
Close Deals Faster with SMS and CTI
Not all leads require nurturing over the phone or via SMS. Prospects with strong buying intent may contact a company to clarify certain details before buying. In response, agents can address all of their concerns and assist them in making a buying decision over the phone.
Agents can also send payment links securely via SMS, allowing them to expedite the purchase process. This allows agents to eliminate navigation and close purchases over the phone, without giving callers the opportunity to reconsider their decision.
For most firms that require sophisticated call center capabilities, deploying an advanced CTI system is the way to go. They simplify call center operations, interface directly with Salesforce, and provide users with extensive functionality through unique features such as KPI tracking, AI insights, and SMS tools.
If you want to improve your phone system, consider GirikCTI.
GirikCTI is a cloud-based, 100% native Salesforce CTI platform used by Salesforce customers to capture insights, analyze interactions, and provide insights for use in KPIs.
Sign up for a free 30-day trial today.