Simplified: Integrating Salesforce Service Cloud with Your Telephony System

Phone support isn’t fading—it’s thriving. 

According to HubSpot, more than 69% of customers actually prefer phone support over chat or other channels. While millennials may lean towards texting, phone support remains a dominant and preferred choice for customer service. ^[i]

This enduring preference is all about the personal connection it offers. Maybe that’s why the cloud telephony market is booming, projected to skyrocket to USD 44.48 billion by 2029.^[ii]

Source^[iii]

But there’s a catch—integrating these advanced systems with existing tools like CRM platforms, ERP systems, and communication apps can feel like trying to piece together a puzzle where the pieces simply don’t fit.

That’s where Salesforce Service Cloud comes into play, offering a seamless connection between cloud telephony and your Salesforce CRM. It integrates voice channels directly into your Salesforce environment, streamlining operations by resolving compatibility issues and enabling your team to manage customer interactions effortlessly.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how Service Cloud simplifies integration with your existing telephony systems.

Salesforce Service Cloud – Offering Telephony Solution of the Future, for the Future!

Think phone calls are a thing of the past? Think again! 

In today’s digital age, phone support has never been more important. A CGS survey found that 86% of consumers prefer interacting with a human agent, and 71% would be less likely to use a brand without human customer service. ^[iv]

That’s where Salesforce Service Cloud Voice (Service Cloud Voice’s telephony solutions) comes in, offering a powerful solution for delivering exceptional phone support.

Service Cloud Voice seamlessly integrates with Salesforce, unifying voice, messaging, and email. It provides agents with a 360-degree customer view, AI-driven automation, and real-time supervisor tools. Designed for high-volume contact centers, it scales effortlessly and integrates with existing telephony for efficient operations.

By combining telephony with Salesforce’s CRM capabilities, Service Cloud Voice allows businesses to offer proactive, personalized service, automate common tasks, and reduce costs. It ensures that every customer interaction is handled seamlessly, providing agents and customers with a smooth experience.

But what if you use a different telephone provider? What are the best practices for integrating that system with the Salesforce Service Cloud instance?

Step-by-Step Guide to Configure Salesforce Service Cloud Voice (If You Dont Have it Installed Already)

Configuring Salesforce Service Cloud Voice involves precise steps to ensure proper integration with your telephony system and seamless operation for agents, supervisors, and customers. Here’s how to configure it correctly:

1. Prerequisites and Setup Preparation

• Verify that your Salesforce org is on a supported edition (Enterprise, Unlimited, or Performance) and includes Service Cloud Voice licenses.
• Select a telephony provider supported by Salesforce, such as Amazon Connect or another compatible telephony solution.
• Ensure that Omni-Channel is enabled in Salesforce.
• Confirm that the required users are assigned the necessary profiles and permission sets.

2. Enable Service Cloud Voice in Salesforce

• Navigate to Setup in Salesforce.
• In the Quick Find box, search for Service Cloud Voice Setup and click on it.
• Complete the setup wizard to activate Service Cloud Voice for your Salesforce org.
• Assign Service Cloud Voice licenses to the intended users.

3. Set Up the Telephony Provider

Amazon Connect (Default Salesforce Partner):

• Create an Amazon Connect instance through the AWS Management Console.
• Connect the Amazon Connect instance to Salesforce using the Voice Setup Flow in Salesforce Setup.
• Configure telephony settings, including queues, routing profiles, and contact flows, in Amazon Connect.

Third-Party Telephony Providers:

• Follow the provider’s specific steps to integrate their system with Salesforce.
• Use Salesforce CTI adapters or APIs to map telephony system components (e.g., queues, call recordings) to Salesforce Voice features.

4. Configure Omni-Channel for Voice Routing

• In Salesforce Setup, search for Omni-Channel Settings and enable Omni-Channel.
• Create and configure Routing Configurations to determine how voice calls are assigned to agents.
• Set up Omni-Channel Queues for routing voice interactions based on agent skills, priority levels, or other business rules.

5. Build the Agent Workspace

• Use Lightning App Builder to create or modify the Service Console App for voice-enabled agents.
• Add components such as:
  • Softphone Panel: For managing voice calls.
  • Case Details and Related Lists: To view customer context during calls.
  • Einstein Analytics Dashboards: For performance insights.
• Customize layouts to ensure agents can handle voice calls efficiently.

6. Enable Einstein AI Features

• Activate Einstein Conversation Insights to enable real-time call transcription and sentiment analysis.
• Configure Einstein Bots to automate routine customer interactions and route complex issues to agents.
• Set up AI Recommendations for next-best actions and proactive customer support.

7. Conduct Testing

• Perform end-to-end testing of the configuration:
  • Verify call routing and agent assignment.
  • Test real-time transcription and call recording.
  • Ensure seamless integration with Salesforce objects (e.g., Cases, Contacts).
• Simulate various customer scenarios to validate the configuration.

How to Integrate Salesforce Service Cloud with Third-Party Telephony System

If your organization already uses a third-party telephony system, there’s good news—you can still leverage Salesforce Service Cloud Voice to deliver a unified customer service experience. Service Cloud Voice integrates seamlessly with multiple telephony providers, including third-party solutions, ensuring your existing infrastructure fits with the Salesforce ecosystem. Here’s how to configure and integrate Service Cloud Voice with your telephony system:

1. Confirm Compatibility

Before beginning the integration process, ensure your telephony system is compatible with Salesforce. This can typically be done by:

• Checking if the provider supports Salesforce’s CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) standards.
• Verifying the availability of APIs or pre-built adapters for your telephony provider.

2. Prepare Your Telephony System for Integration

• For Amazon Connect (default partner):
  • Log in to the AWS Management Console, create an Amazon Connect instance, and configure routing profiles, call flows, and telephony settings.
• For Third-Party Providers:
  • Obtain any required API keys or credentials.
  • Identify the relevant CTI adapters or middleware to enable the connection.
  • Ensure your system supports data exchange with Salesforce, such as call logs, IVR data, and queue details.

3. Set Up Service Cloud Voice in Salesforce

• Go to Setup in Salesforce and search for Service Cloud Voice Setup.
• Follow the guided Voice Setup Flow to:
  • Activate Service Cloud Voice for your org.
  • Assign licenses to agents who will use the system.
• If using a third-party provider, specify the telephony integration type during setup.

4. Map Telephony Components to Salesforce

To ensure seamless functionality, map your telephony system components with Salesforce objects:

• Queues: Align your telephony queues with Omni-Channel Queues in Salesforce.
• Call Data: Configure settings to sync call logs, recordings, and IVR information with Salesforce records such as Cases, Contacts, or Leads.
• Routing Profiles: Ensure incoming calls are directed to the appropriate agents based on skills, availability, or other business rules.

5. Configure Omni-Channel for Voice

• Navigate to Omni-Channel Settings in Salesforce Setup.
• Enable Omni-Channel and set up Routing Configurations for voice.
• Create Workflows to automate tasks, such as creating Cases or sending follow-up emails after a call.

6. Enable and Configure AI-Powered Features

• Activate Einstein Conversation Insights to enable real-time transcription and sentiment analysis.
• Use Einstein Bots to automate repetitive interactions and direct complex queries to live agents.
• Enable Next Best Action to guide agents during calls based on context.

7. Conduct Testing

• Test the integration by simulating common scenarios:
  • Validate call routing and agent assignment workflows.
  • Check if call details and recordings are synced accurately with Salesforce records.
  • Ensure agents can manage calls within the Softphone Panel of the Service Console.

8. Monitor and Optimize

• Use the Omni-Supervisor Dashboard to track real-time activity, such as call volume, agent workload, and queue status.
• Regularly review reports and metrics to identify bottlenecks and improve workflows.
• Update routing rules and automation as needed to adapt to changing business requirements.

Integrating Service Cloud with Telephony Systems: Common Challenges and Solutions

Integrating Salesforce Service Cloud with telephony systems can unlock significant efficiency and customer experience improvements. However, the process isn’t without its hurdles. 

Here are some common challenges organizations face during this integration and how to overcome them, including why choosing Grazitti as your implementation partner can make all the difference.

1. Compatibility Issues with Telephony Systems

Challenge: Not all telephony systems seamlessly integrate with Salesforce, leading to issues with data synchronization, routing, or feature compatibility.

Solution:

• Verify telephony compatibility with Salesforce CTI standards before beginning the integration process.
• Use certified CTI adapters or APIs to bridge the gap between your telephony provider and Salesforce.
• Engage experts like Grazitti to assess your existing telephony infrastructure and recommend the best integration approach.

2. Complex Data Mapping

Challenge: Mapping telephony data (e.g., call logs, IVR information) to Salesforce objects like Cases, Contacts, or Leads can be overwhelming.

Solution:

• Identify key data points that need to be shared between systems and map them to Salesforce fields.
• Leverage Salesforce’s guided Voice Setup Flow for initial configuration and customization.
• Work with Grazitti to establish accurate data flows and ensure proper mapping for a seamless experience.

3. Inadequate Agent Training

Challenge: Agents may struggle to adapt to the new system, especially if they’re unfamiliar with Salesforce or Service Cloud Voice features.

Solution:

• Provide hands-on training sessions for agents to familiarize them with the Salesforce console and the integrated softphone panel.
• Offer role-based learning paths tailored to agents, supervisors, and admins.
• Grazitti can assist in developing custom training modules and onboarding programs for your team.

4. Difficulty in Configuring Omni-Channel for Voice

Challenge: Configuring Omni-Channel to route voice calls alongside other channels (e.g., chat, email) can be complex and error-prone.

Solution:

• Use Salesforce’s unified routing engine to ensure voice calls are routed to the right agents based on skills and availability.
• Regularly review and optimize Omni-Channel workflows.
• With Grazitti’s expertise, you can streamline Omni-Channel setup and enhance routing efficiency.

How Grazitti Can Help with Service Cloud Voice Integration?

Grazitti specializes in Salesforce integrations and has extensive experience working with various telephony systems. Their team of certified experts can:

• Assess your current infrastructure and recommend the best integration path.
• Handle complex configurations and data mapping with ease.
• Provide tailored training and resources to maximize user adoption.
• Offer ongoing support to troubleshoot issues and optimize system performance.

Statistical References
^[i]HubSpot
^[ii][iii]Techsciresearch
^[iv]Cloudtalk