Cloud-based services are transforming the ways in which software solutions are purchased, implemented and consumed. Salesforce.com is a shining example. In fact, Salesforce has become the poster child for the SaaS model. By delivering CRM software as a hosted service, Salesforce allows a business of any size to enjoy all the features and benefits of an enterprise-class CRM system without incurring the expense and burden of purchasing, deploying and maintaining traditional client/server software. The company has grown its installed base from just 1500 customers and 30,000 subscribers in 2000 to a remarkable 51,800 customers and 1.1 million subscribers in 2008. They’ve taken market share from traditional CRM vendors such as Oracle/Siebel and SAP, and forced those vendors to completely rethink their business models.
Many businesses are interested in tying Salesforce to the corporate phone system to improve user productivity and enhance customer interactions, but for most the cost and complexity of integrating Salesforce with conventional phone systems simply outweigh the benefits. Each and every corporate PBX has to be tied into Salesforce individually – a resource-intensive, time-consuming endeavor. And businesses that rely on multiple PBX vendors must purchase and deploy multiple gateway applications or undertake multiple development efforts – one for each vendor.
Worse still, most legacy phone systems offer limited APIs that enable only basic integration with Salesforce such as allowing a PBX user to click-to-dial from Salesforce contact records or autodial from Salesforce campaign lists. These capabilities may help enhance worker productivity but they won’t fundamentally improve the way a company interacts with its customers.
OnState is a cloud-based service that integrates fully with Salesforce to let businesses leverage mobile phones, VoIP, Skype, Google Apps and SIP to deliver customer-facing communications like click-to-chat, click to call back, and VoIP in the form of a virtual call center and virtual PBX to office workers, teleworkers, mobile users, and nomadic employees. The full Salesforce integration allows OnState’s solution to operate within Salesforce as an integrated Salesforce PBX and Salesforce call center, delivering seamless chat, voice, and mobile capabilities from inside Salesforce. And similar to Salesforce, OnState allows a business of any size to enjoy all the features and benefits of an enterprise-class business communications system without incurring the expense and burden of purchasing, deploying and maintaining on-site phone equipment.
Unlike a conventional phone system, OnState manages people and conversations – not just telephones. It uses business presence™ to track the availability and activity of employees wherever they are – in the office, working from home, or on the road.
OnState automatically connects callers to employees based on worker availability, capability, competency, spoken language or any other attributes or business rules that are important to an organization. It operates with diverse PBXs and phone networks to optimize interactive communications between employees and customers – independent of device (desk phones, soft phones, mobile phones), network (PSTN, Skype, VoIP/SIP), or medium (voice, chat, video). With OnState companies can deliver rich call-center features to ordinary employees and everyday business functions at a fraction of the price of a conventional call center solution.
OnState simplifies and improves Salesforce/phone system integration. Unlike premises-based phone systems with distinct points of integration, OnState delivers a universal, cloud-based interface. (figure 1) With OnState you integrate once, and you’re done. The entire workforce can enjoy Salesforce/OnState integration – independent of device, network, or location. And since OnState provides integral support for Salesforce.com, no custom software development is required.
In addition to basic Salesforce integration features (click-to-dial, autodial, incoming call screen pops) OnState lets companies use Salesforce.com customer data and real-time employee business presence information to actively influence call handling decisions and direct customers to the workers who can serve them best at a particular moment in time based on availability and business rules.
OnState can reach out to Salesforce.com as part of call establishment and use Salesforce.com data to determine how the call should be directed. Say Mary from Acme calls with a question. (figure 2) OnState queries Mary’s Salesforce record and determines she is entitled to speak with a premium account specialist. OnState consults its real-time business presence database and determines that Sally, who happens to be working from home using Skype, is an available premium account specialist who supports Acme. OnState pops Mary’s account record to Sally, and sets up a call between Mary and Sally. At the end of the call OnState updates the Salesforce record with pertinent call information and a link to a recording of the conversation.
OnState's virtual call center and PBX leverages Salesforce data and business presence to efficiently connect customers to the employees who can best serve them at a particular moment in time
By coupling Salesforce.com with OnState businesses can significantly improve employee productivity, enhance customer service, and boost sales. A single OnState/Salesforce integration effort yields support for the entire workforce – regardless of PBX, location, device or network. Companies can extract greater business value from incumbent PBXs, plus extend customer-facing communications to remote users and branch offices that aren’t part of the corporate phone system. And since both Salesforce.com and OnState are delivered as cloud-based services, businesses can activate users on-demand, and easily address rapidly-changing business conditions – without sizing, purchasing or maintaining any equipment. With Salesforce and OnState any business can enjoy all the features and benefits of an enterprise-strength, customer-oriented communications system without the expense and hassle of traditional premises-based solutions. With Salesforce and OnState companies can improve customer satisfaction and optimize workforce productivity by intelligently connecting customers to the right employee at the right time.
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Can this integrate to Javelin CRM?
Hi Ben,
Yes, Onstate provides web services for integration with external applications, including Javelin CRM.