Sales Director
As a standalone solution, VoIP systems are already packed with useful features. These handy additions include powerful call routing features to optimise your customer experience, alongside video conferencing and instant messaging features to elevate your communication game. You may be thinking, “Wow, that’s more than enough to help give my business a head start”, but what if we told you there was more? You see, VoIP also integrates with your favourite business tools and platforms. This means that should your business growth demand more from your VoIP system, you’ll be able to incorporate the relevant external tools to satisfy that demand. So, what kinds of tools and platforms can VoIP integrate with? Our latest guide has the answers, as we dive into the most popular tools that can be integrated with your VoIP system, and the advantages they offer to your business.
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Imagine that you’d used the same email client for years. You’d mastered its features and felt comfortable with how it worked for your business. But wait, you just invested in a VoIP system with its own email client. Does that mean you’ll have to learn a whole new system?
Thankfully, the answer is no. VoIP integration allows you to use external and third-party tools, platforms, and systems alongside your VoIP solution. As we mentioned, many VoIP solutions already have tons of useful tools; however, if you need to add additional tools or simply have a favourite that you want to keep using, VoIP’s integration capability can help.
VoIP can integrate with some of the most popular tech tools. This includes CRM systems that allow you to store and manage customer data. We already mentioned email clients, but with Outlook and Google Workspace being popular for collaborative business use, these integrations offer several advantages.
Elsewhere, you’ll be able to pull third-party messaging platforms like Slack, alongside powerful project management tools like Asana or Trello.
VoIP uses APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to synchronise data and communicate with your external platform of choice. APIs act as a bridge between the two that lets them talk to each other. For example, APIs allow your CRM to deliver customer data to your VoIP system. This means that when a customer calls, your VoIPs API will pull their data from your CRM, allowing you to access it during the call.
Your VoIP system (depending on the model you choose) can integrate with a host of different external tools. However, select integration options are popular for a reason: they work to take your communication and customer experience to the next level.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools are software that store and record your customer data. You can also track customer conversations, monitor potential leads, and analyse trends that could help improve your customer experience.
CRMs can also be integrated with your VoIP system to help support accuracy, productivity, and security. Popular features include ‘click to call’ actions, letting you make calls from inside individual customer records, which in turn saves time switching between different platforms.
Most CRMs also allow automation, allowing you to trigger follow-up tasks after calls, depending on what is needed. This works well for busy workplaces where tasks may get missed.
When it comes to CRMs, Salesforce is arguably the most versatile choice for combining with your VoIP system. What makes it the most popular choice, though?
One advantage Salesforce has over its competition is its AppExchange marketplace, which gives users access to a vast bank of apps and integrations to support a diverse range of businesses. Salesforce is also regarded as forward-thinking, utilising new technologies to offer innovative solutions, including AI, to provide deep analytics and powerful task automation.
If you’d like to learn more about how CRMs can benefit your VoIP system, head to our article ‘VoIP and CRM: A Powerful Approach to Data Management’.
Though modern businesses offer and utilise many channels of communication, email remains the most popular. This makes email clients - used to receive, send and organise both internal and customer emails - essential to daily operations.
The beauty of integrating an email client with your VoIP system is that it can interact with other integrated tools, too. Pairing your VoIP with both an email client and CRM allows you to pull accurate and relevant data into emails when needed.
Certain VoIP systems, like T2K’s Gamma Horizon, offer voicemail-to-email features. This handy application transcribes voicemails and sends them to your email, saving you the trouble of repeatedly listening to voicemails to note down caller information.
Currently, Microsoft Outlook is the most popular email client for VoIP integration. It offers useful features like click-to-call from email, allowing you to dial customers from within an email. However, the main reason for its popularity is integration with its own suite of applications.
These apps include Microsoft Office and 365, which contains two widely used tools, Word and Excel. Integration with another industry-leading tool, Teams - also makes Outlook an attractive prospect for businesses looking for a comprehensive communication suite.
Instant messaging tools allow real-time conversations over a chat-style platform. Whether you’re exchanging ideas with a colleague at a different location, or simply sending a reminder to a team member, IM tools are an efficient way to have conversations 1:1 or as part of a group.
They can also enhance customer experience, with many companies offering an online chat facility where customers can ask questions to a dedicated member of staff. The real-time element helps create a distinction between IM and email, which is often used for less pressing or time-sensitive matters.
As mentioned above, Microsoft Teams is the most widely used IM tool for businesses due to its integration with other popular Microsoft apps.
Other similar tools include Slack and WhatsApp. The former lets users organise interactions into separate channels - allowing them to order them in a way that promotes focus. The latter also exists as a hugely popular personal IM platform, facilitating ease of use and familiarity for business users.
Project management tools act as a central platform where everyone involved in a project can share ideas, discuss new directions, and ensure everyone is up to date.
These tools create a streamlined workflow where project leaders can assign tasks, set goals, and hold project members accountable for their contributions. Most project management tools allow users to exchange data and use IM to communicate in real-time, while also being able to record their progress.
Known for its simple and accessible interface, Trello is a popular project management tool for businesses. It uses a Kanban-like interface, allowing users to drag and drop items, tasks, and project goals onto the project board. Trello is also highly customisable, meaning it can be adapted for use with a range of businesses and projects.
Monday.com is another innovative option. It emphasises the effectiveness of the project members over the project as a whole, with a focus on connection and collaboration. It is also specifically suited to integrating with VoIP and is widely compatible with a range of VoIP systems.
With so many exciting and potential-expanding tools available, it’s easy to dive right in and start investing. However, before you do, here is a quick checklist of areas to consider when integrating your favourite tools with your VoIP system.
Most VoIP systems offer integration with a range of popular tools, but it’s still worth checking before investing. If your VoIP system doesn’t provide integration with the tool you need to use, consider using third-party connection tools like Zapier, which act as a bridge between your VoIP system and your external tool of choice.
If you’re planning to integrate a popular tool, for example, Salesforce, they’ll likely meet security standards, giving you peace of mind that your data is secure. However, you should always check that your integrations comply with security regulations and are able to transmit data securely across your VoIP system.
The last thing you want is to experience a fault with an integration and discover that little or no support is available. Before investing, check the level of user support available while also considering the cost of future maintenance.
On paper, certain technologies deliver everything we want. However, in reality, the same tech can be inaccessible and time-consuming to use. That’s why it’s best to weigh up the advantages of the tool against its usability. This way, you’ll eliminate potential inefficiencies before they happen.
Many VoIP systems, including many offered by T2K, offer native features and tools to help your business thrive. However, if you’d prefer to use your favourite third-party applications, your VoIP system can integrate many popular tools, offering you familiarity with previously used platforms.
VoIP integrates with tools like CRM, email clients and instant messaging platforms, allowing you to access customer data instantly and saving you the fuss of switching between platforms. You can also use integrations to monitor trends and insights, tailoring your services for an improved customer experience.
By pairing your VoIP with these tools, you can enjoy a suite of communication tools that work together to elevate your business's performance and reputation.
If you’d like to learn more about integrating VoIP with your favourite tools, speak to T2K today.
Having worked for T2k for nearly 25 years, it's fair to say that Lee is an expert when it comes to all things telephony and business communications. Overseeing the commercial side of the business, he has helped the company evolve and grow through the decades. In recent years, and with the advent of VoIP and hosted telephony, Lee has made sure that T2k is at the forefront of technological developments. With a firm interest in helping businesses navigate the world of telecoms, Lee is responsible for the majority of the content on this website.
