If you make a lot of phone calls, it’s worth knowing the options available for optimizing phone applications (softphones) to work with CentralStationCRM.
Not all applications offer the same features. Some, such as sipgate, include an integration option that allows for the transfer of contacts and call logs. Others allow contacts to be displayed in the CRM when incoming calls are received.
Outgoing Calls (Click to Call)
The simplest setting you can configure is to initiate an outgoing call. If you click on a phone number in the CRM, it will open in your softphone and the call will start there. This requires that the softphone be installed and set as the default app for so-called "TEL links". You can specify which app is used for TEL links in the default app settings for Windows or Apple, or in your browser.
Incoming Calls (Action URLs)
Many softphones and phone applications support so-called "action URLs" or webhooks. This allows a URL to be automatically opened in the browser when certain events occur—for example, when an incoming call is received.
For example, the caller’s phone number can be automatically passed to CentralStationCRM to search for the contact immediately and display it if a match is found.
To do this, you need to configure a URL in your telephony application that is called when the phone rings. The transferred phone number is usually inserted using placeholders specific to that application. The names of these placeholders and where to find the setting depend on the softphone or phone system you’re using.
A typical example of a search URL in CentralStationCRM looks like this:
https://accountname.centralstationcrm.net/search?q=PHONENUMBER
Replace accountname with the name of your CentralStationCRM account. PHONENUMBER is a placeholder for your phone application.
Advanced Telephony Options
Some phone providers also offer direct integrations with CRM systems. These go beyond simple TEL links or action URLs and enable a deeper exchange of data between the phone system and the CRM.
Depending on the provider and the level of integration, the following may be possible:
Calls—both outgoing and incoming—are automatically logged in the CRM
Contacts are synchronized
Incoming callers are recognized immediately
Call details are saved directly to the contact
Which features are available depends on the specific telephony solution and the depth of its integration. In this context, it’s worth taking a look at sipgate. Some integrations only allow you to open contacts, while others also let you create, edit, or automatically synchronize CRM data.