Cloud PBX Integration with CRM Systems: How it Works

System administration can be a very time-consuming task. This is why CRM systems were invented. The problem is that sometimes the more systems you add, the more complex things become.

Here is how a cloud PBX and CRM integration can improve workplace efficiency.

Table of Contents

1. What are CRM Systems?
2. Which CRM systems can integrate with cloud PBX?
3. Reasons why you should integrate your CRM with a cloud PBX
4. Frequently asked questions

What are CRM systems?

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. As the name suggests, it’s a system that’s designed to manage customer relationships and data.  CRM systems also support sales management, help internal communications and deliver insights.

What is CRM integration for cloud-based phone systems?

A CRM integration with a cloud PBX system simply implies that the business phone system is connected to CRM software. The result of the integration is that information is synchronised between the two tools. With a CRM system, you can record every interaction with customers, in an effective way. If all key information is synced between the phone system and CRM, the workload of employees is reduced. When customer calls end, the necessary details will automatically be fed into the CRM.

This is all dependent upon the level of integration and capability of the cloud based PBX.  For example, some call recording systems just record the calls, but others have full voice recognition and can dictate, to a good standard, the conversation that has taken place and add this to a CRM record. The result is saving valuable time and eliminating the need for manual inputs. A very simple time saving with a CRM integration is click to dial, rather than manually having to dial numbers.

How do cloud PBX systems integrate with CRMs?

Most CRMs available on the market today use an open API to help build connections to other software platforms.  If a CRM has this type of interface, you will usually find that they also have the connections pre-built to get the PBX and CRM to work together and sync.  You also have the option of a middleware, such as Zapier, if one hasn’t been built.

Which CRM systems can integrate with cloud PBX?

Here are some of the key CRM systems that have integrations with most cloud PBX systems:

HubSpot

HubSpot is an industry leader when it comes to CRM software for inbound marketing and sales.

Interestingly, it was HubSpot co-founder, Brian Halligan, who invented the term inbound marketing. The platform offers users a convenient way to synchronise sales, marketing, website content management systems and customer service.

A telephony integration with HubSpot can reduce the number of business communication tools you have. It can also reduce the need for manual data entry. This can give you a more professional experience, and ensure customer information is readily available.

HubSpot does have a built-in telephony solution; but it’s unlikely to give you the same level of control that you’d get from a purpose built business telephone system.

Salesforce

Salesforce is another powerful CRM that has great utility when integrated with a phone system. It’s been a popular CRM for some years, with businesses using it to strengthen customer relations and increase sales. Salesforce offers a variety of solutions such as:

• Service Cloud
• Sales Cloud
• Commerce Cloud
• Marketing Cloud

It has a variety of functions that can strengthen stakeholder relations. It can also seamlessly gather data, and, ultimately, improve workflow efficiency. Additionally, Salesforce allows users to create communication reports. The downside to Salesforce is that it, at the time of writing, may not be cost-effective for smaller businesses. The platform also may have a lot of features that a smaller business might not find useful.

Microsoft Dynamics 365

In 2016, Microsoft released Microsoft Dynamics 365 to be the successor to their Dynamics CRM. It’s one of the fastest-growing apps in the company’s history. This is largely because of its integration with Microsoft Office, which lots of companies already use. Using Dynamics 365 without a telephony integration will mean users have to switch between platforms. But, a cloud phone system and CRM integration can unlock further possibilities. All this while, streamlining task fulfilment, which will then save time.

Zendesk

Well over 100,000 companies make use of Zendesk. The platform is dedicated to creating a stress-free customer experience. They also empower both sales and customer service teams. It’s split into two components, Zendesk Sell and Zendesk Service. Zendesk Sell focuses on monitoring leads and sales reporting. Zendesk Service makes it easier for customers to get in touch. Service also gives customers the tools to solve their issues and enables collaboration. Integrating Zendesk with a telephony solution can improve customer satisfaction. It will also ease the daily undertakings of agents, and boost productivity.

With United Telecoms, you can integrate a large number of different CRM systems with our Cloud PBX, including:

Microsoft Teams

HubSpot

Salesforce

Bullhorn

Proprietary

MS Dynamic

Sugar CRM

Pipedrive

Zoho

Zendesk

Vtiger

Pipedrive

SuiteCRM

The team at United Telecoms will take the time to understand what your current internal business practices are, from your CRM system to how this is utilised and integrated with direct reference to communication. We can then suggest the best system and integration service for your needs, helping you to become connected seamlessly with consistent support.

7 Reasons why you should integrate your CRM system with a cloud PBX system

Here are a few reasons why a cloud phone and CRM integration can be beneficial to your business operations:

1. Improved productivity

One of the hardest tasks for salespeople and customer service staff is tracking their phone calls with customers. Not having a PBX-CRM integration makes this task even more difficult. Without the integration, staff will have to manually enter data into the CRM.This easily wastes precious time that could be used for selling. With a full integration, sales/service agents get instant access to customer information. Details such as previous conversations, voicemails and call recordings are available at the click of a button.

2. Better internal communications

Nowadays, companies have more access to data than ever before. The unfortunate reality is that despite lots of data being available, very few people are actually able to access it. Integrating a CRM and a PBX is a useful tactic for breaking down data silos. By ensuring that information flows freely between the two systems, you’ll be enabling every employee to access key information that can make their job far easier.

3. Advanced BI and analytics

If you don’t have a good understanding of your customers and business processes, you won’t be able to keep up with the competitors that fully leverage data. After you’ve broken down a data silo via a cloud phone and CRM integration, you’ll be able to enjoy more access to business intelligence and analytics. A great example of this in action is an estate agent missing phone calls. A missed phone could be the difference between getting a sales commission or not. So, utilising data and reporting, you can get a missed call/unreturned report sent every few hours. If you have missed a call but not returned the call, you can get back in touch easily. Lastly, by closely tracking key metric data related to customer service, sales and KPIs, you’ll be able to judge the efficiency of your internal systems. The more information you can access, the better equipped you are to make informed business decisions.

4. Customer satisfaction:

Happy customers are the backbone of any successful company. The main objective of CRM systems is to improve a company’s relationship with its customers. A PBX-CRM integration can ensure that your customers are satisfied by easing communications. With an integration, both people on either side of the call can be made happier. Agents will have real-time and historic data on a customer. This data can be used to tailor the conversation or better anticipate what a customer may want or need. If a CRM supports this, when customers call, support staff can effortlessly view their profile. This profile typically contains personal information and records of previous interactions. So, a customer who has a technical issue can be easily redirected to an agent who they previously dealt with. In short, the PBX-CRM integrations can lead to shorter calls and wait times, more personalised service, and increasingly satisfied customers.

5. Simple ticket management

In many regards, being inundated with customer calls is not an ideal situation. This is primarily because it can be hard to track every detail in a phone conversation. If you integrate your PBX with your CRM system, you can access call history and old contacts. Additionally, you can also have it create a new contact based on the caller ID. This basically means that you can document details such as which agent spoke to a customer last and what the conversation was about. Some CRMs also come with advanced contact centre features. These allow you to search using specific search parameters.

6. More sales

If data is accessible in one place, you’ll be able to see all interactions and the nature of those interactions. You can then use this data to devise strategies on how best to serve your customers. For example, you’ll be able to see what customers purchased in the past, what complaints or compliments they’ve made and what interactions they’ve had in the past. Even if an agent that previously dealt with a customer isn’t available, their co-workers will still be able to see this information and use it to drive sales.

7. Shaping marketing

The last and often overlooked benefit of integrations is that they can shape the marketing initiatives of your business. With the data gathered, your business can analyse client behaviour. You can also craft buyer personas, and build comprehensive marketing strategies. Additionally, you can see practically all the data related to calls. You can then use the data from the calls to see if the changes in your marketing have positively impacted business..

Final thoughts on intergrating your CRM with a cloud PBX

An increasing number of companies of all sizes are opting to connect their critical business systems into one connected platform.  PBX and CRM integration, in particular, is becoming increasingly common and for good reason.

Robust integration can enhance productivity, streamline operations, ease decision-making and fortify customer relationships.

Get in touch with our team and we will strive to provide the most cost-effective, efficient and well-suited solution for your business with effective CRM – PBX integration services

Frequently asked questions