Softphones explained: Top Characteristics and Benefits
12 min
What's a Softphone and How does it work?
Today, If you want to modernize business communications, you may have come across the so-called 'Softphone''. This article will discuss what a Softphone is and reveal its top characteristics or features and benefits to your business. A softphone is a software-based phone that allows you to make calls over the internet without depending on an actual telephone. The softphone looks similar to your mobile device's keypad or dialer. To place calls, simply download the Softphone application on your device then connect to your business phone services using the login information.
Softphone in a Salesforce Phone System
Softphones working over the internet protocol are called VoIP phones and give the most value to your business if integrated with the CRM. And if you are running on Salesforce CRM, it is essential to centralize your telephone system to have fully integrated and streamlined communication with your customers. To further offer a better customer experience, you need to track interactions such as telephone conversations, texting, video, and social media engagement through your CRM. It would be best to have a computer telephony integration (CTI) to integrate the telephony system in the Salesforce environment.
Top Softphone Characteristics
Softphones have various features that enhance business calling, like transferring calls, conferencing with other users, and more. Modern softphones come with unique characteristics to fit all of your communication needs. These include outbound and inbound calling from any location, transferring calls to other departments and active agents, caller ID management, in-network audio conferencing/call bridge, access to voicemails, and compatibility with any internet-enabled devices. With a combination of these softphone features with VoIP service, you get a full-fledged call center system.
- Below are the top characteristics you’ll find in a VoIP-enabled call center phone system :
- Agent Presence
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- Call Recording and Transcription
- Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
- Call Routing
- KPI Tracking with Built-in Reports and Dashboards
Softphone Benefits
VoIP is much cheaper than a plain old telephone service, especially for international calling. And since web phones use VoIP technology, you can cut down on long-distance fees and lower your monthly phone bill. Your company also saves on equipment since softphones are software-based. So no need for additional bulky hardware. All you need to start is a computer or smartphone, microphone, and speakers, or a headset and a stable network connection.
You can also pair your Softphone with an IP telephony system like PhoneIQ. The Softphone's flexibility and cloud calling capabilities are perfect for keeping remote teams connected and free to communicate from any device or location. And with unified communication capabilities like in-network conferencing, you can increase internal collaboration and knowledge sharing. Softphones also have a short installation time when compared to legacy telephony systems. You only need the Softphone provider, installing the application, and you’re ready to get started. But to fully enjoy the benefits, you need a good VoIP service and a high-quality softphone integrated with a CRM application like Salesforce.
Now we know in detail the benefits of softphones, then let’s see how can your teams benefit from using a VoIP-enabled call center phone system integrated with Salesforce;
1. CRM Integrations with Easy Data Access:
It's easy to access customer data using a softphone in a VoIP-enabled call center. This enables agents to support customers fast and seamlessly both on the phone system and within Salesforce. Businesses can also provide a better customer experience at scale by further integrating with cloud-based applications like AppExchange in Salesforce.
2. Significant Savings:
Unlike legacy phone systems, the softphone's screen pop and single click dial features save valuable time for agents. The screen pop presents the right on-screen records to the agents instantly. The click to dial option enables the agents to initiate a call with one click.
Both of these options are available in Salesforce as well. It is also way cheaper to provision a softphone within a VoIP-enabled phone system, and long-distance calls are not expensive.
3. Web-based calls management:
Web-based softphone systems equip agents to make and receive calls from their browser window irrespective of location without requiring any hard phones. Call center managers can monitor performance metrics, generate reports, and agents' productivity in real-time.
4. Flexibility, reliability, and scalability:
With softphones, call center agents are flexible to work anywhere, anytime, and on any device. Also, softphones can be easily personalized to suit the needs of a call center and CRM application. You can easily scale in the cloud-based softphones with less budget or rather affordable operational expenses. VoIP phone systems offer multi-tenant instances with lower latency and availability zones to give better and more reliable call service.
5. Improved Team Collaboration with Enhanced Security:
Agent presence capabilities like “Available to Respond”, “Do Not Disturb” or “In A meeting” can help to improve team collaboration and work efficiency. Softphones allow agents to communicate with customers using their personal numbers but hiding caller IDs. Only the dedicated business numbers are shared with customers hence maintaining privacy and high information security.
Final Recommendation
If your business is using Salesforce and a legacy phone system for the call center, it’s strongly recommended to make a switch to a complete VoIP telephony system. To fully enjoy the benefits and streamline the business communications you need to have a stable and reliable internet connection, good VoIP service, and a high-quality softphone. Check this guide on the best CTI options to learn more about cloud-based VoIP phone systems and collaboration platforms in Salesforce. At the end of the day with softphone technology, your business will achieve workforce mobility, increased agent productivity, improved customer experience, and lower operating expenses.
