Steve Jobs wasn’t the best software developer. He also wasn’t a world-class designer. But when he combined software with design, he created something world class. You may have a CRM, or agent interface, that you’ve invested a lot into. Wouldn’t it be great if you could combine it with call center technology to create something better?
There is more than one way to log in to your call center system. The provided agent screens are the most straightforward way. But an Application Program Interface (API) can give you another way. A web-based system using an XML call is pretty common these days. This gives you an easy to program way to interact with the system. The return values are usually pretty simple to understand as well, coming in a well-defined standard.
Another possibility is using a library that can be incorporated into your application. .NET applications, written in Microsoft’s popular software framework, can interface with a .NET library. Your call center needs are handled by your program, which just calls the functions it needs.
Finally, your call center software may have its own defined interface and functionality that you can hook into directly. Sometimes this is the best way to access very particular functionality that you need without adding a lot of overhead or complexity into your application. It may not be simple or supported by a wide set of standards, but having that capability available is better than a completely closed system.
Whether you just want to add dialing capability to your CRM, to your custom application, or you just want to build your own live reports for your contact center ACD system, you have the power. If you want to build your own agent interaction screens to incorporate what you already do with the power of inbound queues, you can. Just make sure that you’re using a full-featured, flexible call center software suite like Q-Suite that gives you this capability. Then you, too, can make something world class.