What is the difference between CRM and CTI?
When considering the implementation of a system to improve the operations of a call center or contact center, you will often see or hear about CRM and CTI, which tend to be confused due to their similar names, but their functions and purposes are different.
In this article, I will explain the functions and features of both CRM and CTI, the merits of their implementation, and the points to consider when selecting a system.
What is CRM for call center systems?
CRM is an abbreviation for Customer Relationship Management.
It is a system for centrally managing various information such as most basic information such as name, address, age, purchase history, and customer service history.
It has been adopted by many companies, including call centers, regardless of industry or type of business.
Major CRM functions and benefits
The four main functions of CRM are as follows:
Management: Register and manage customer information as a database for using the company's products and services.
Search: Search for customer information using various search terms and display the results.
1) Sharing: Sharing the input and output of customer information with many related people and departments.
2) Analysis: Analyze and report customer information
When CRM is implemented in a call center, operators can refer to customer information during the call and respond appropriately. When re-entering a call, transferring a call, or providing a second response, the purchase history and response history can be referred to, allowing for a smoother response.
In addition, by registering the "voice of the customer" received at the call center in the CRM, it is possible to connect it to future product development, sales, and marketing strategies.
Call centers are often referred to as cost centers, but by utilizing CRM, you can contribute to improving the sales and customer satisfaction of the company.
What is a CTI call center system?
CTI is an abbreviation for Computer Telephony Integration and refers to the technology used to link telephone functions such as telephones, PBXs, and fax machines with computers and various systems. This technology is mainly used in call centers and contact centers and allows users to receive and make calls from a computer screen with a headset.
1) Main CTI features and benefits
The four main functions of CTI are as follows:
- Pop-up: Automatic display of customer information based on the source phone number, in conjunction with CRM.
- ACD function: Automatic allocation of incoming calls based on the availability and skills of the operator.
- IVR (Automatic Voice Response): Automatic response with voice guidance
- IVR (Automatic Voice Response): Automatic response with voice guidance ・One-click dialing: Make a call with a single click from a PC screen
All of these functions are indispensable for modern call centers. These features are all indispensable for modern call centers, and they can help reduce costs by increasing the efficiency of operators and allowing them to work with fewer people.
In addition to the above, there are a variety of other features for center administrators, such as call recording and reporting functions.
Differences between CRM and CTI
The main difference between CRM and CTI is whether it is for customer management or phone collaboration.
CRM can be used to manage customer information and improve response quality and customer satisfaction, while CTI can be used to improve business efficiency and reduce costs.
It is important to choose the system that best suits the purpose of implementation. The following is a comparison of the differences between CRM and CTI from various perspectives.
Roles of the systems
CRM is a system that specializes in customer information management, and although CTI may come with the same customer information management functions like CRM, it is most likely to be minimal and simple.
Because CRM specializes in customer management, it offers a wide range of features such as optimal customer information management, user-friendly UI screens, and a variety of reporting and analysis functions. Another advantage is that it is not a call center-specific system, so it can be shared among many departments.
CTI, on the other hand, is a telephone-related function. It is a system that is mainly designed to be used in call centers, and it comes with many functions for operators and administrators working in call centers.
It is directly related to improving the operational efficiency of call centers and features a full range of functions for cost reduction and productivity improvement.
Purpose of system implementation
The purpose of implementing a system is to manage and utilize customer information for CRM and improve the efficiency of call center operations for CTI.
By managing and analyzing a vast amount of customer information, CRM can be used to understand purchase and usage trends and utilize them in sales and marketing strategies, as well as to pick up customer feedback and utilize it in product development.
If you want to improve the quality of your call center's response, as well as the customer satisfaction of your entire company, CRM is the way to go.
Since CTI specializes in telephone functions, it can be used to optimize call center operations.
You can receive and make calls with a single click from your computer screen without lifting or lowering the handset, automatic response, and automatic sorting of incoming calls.
If you are aiming to reduce call center costs and improve operational efficiency, consider implementing CTI.
Effects of combining CRM and CTI
CRM and CTI are not used independently, but in combination to bring about synergistic effects. Here are three synergies that can be created by combining CRM and CTI:
1) Gaining Loyalty
Loyalty is a marketing term that refers to the level of attachment and trust that customers have in a company's products and services. It is a concept similar to customer satisfaction. The higher the level of loyalty, the more favorably customers view your products and the more likely they are to bring in ongoing sales.
This is an area where CRM is particularly strong. By analyzing basic information and various historical data in a complex manner, the customer's situation and intentions can be grasped, and detailed and accurate "One to One Marketing" can be realized.
2) Improvement of operator response quality
CRM/CTI is also effective in improving the response quality of operators working in call centers.
By registering response history in CRM, operators can respond to customers based on their past interactions. This also prevents stress for the customer, as they do not need to re-explain the purchased service or product or the previous interaction with the operator.
With CTI, each operator can respond to incoming calls according to his or her business skills through automatic IVR assignment. This not only improves the quality of the response but also reduces the response time.
By linking CRM and CTI, it is possible to identify customer information from the source phone number and automatically display it on the operator's computer screen. In addition, the call recording function of CTI can be used to periodically check the quality of responses, provide feedback to operators, and be used as a training theme to improve the overall quality of responses at the center.
3) Streamlining operations
Without a CRM, customer information is managed on paper, forms, and spreadsheets. The data is not stored well, and it is not easy to share it with all operators. In addition, basic customer information, customer service history, and purchase history are not centrally managed, which significantly reduces operational efficiency.
The same goes for CTI. Without CTI, you have to use so-called landline phones to make and receive calls. Even if the time spent on each call is short, it can be very costly in the medium to long term for the entire center, as you have to raise and lower the receiver and enter the phone number to be called.
CRM and CTI can be used to optimize and improve the efficiency of call center operations.
How to connect CRM and CTI
There are two main ways to connect CRM and CTI:
(1) Prepare separate products and connect them.
(2) Purchase and install one of the products and customize (add functions).
The advantage of the first method, which is to link different products, is that you can freely choose each product. You can compare the functions and operability of the two products and select the most suitable product that suits your company's purpose of use for both CRM and CTI.
However, there are cases where products are not compatible with each other, so it is necessary to check if the connection is possible before installation.
The second method is to customize either system. The advantage of this method is that you can focus on the functions you need without duplicating functions.
However, depending on the content of the system to be customized and the functions to be added, there is a disadvantage in that it takes time and money to develop and implement.
Comparison points of CRM and CTI systems for call centers
There are many products on the market for both CRM and CTI, so it is important to choose a system that fits your center. Here are some specific points to consider when selecting a CRM/CTI system, assuming that you will be implementing a CRM/CTI system in your call center.
How to select a CRM system
The following are some points to compare CRM systems:
Implementation type (on-premise or cloud-based)
Whether the functions you want to use are included or not.
Channels (Does the system support multiple channels such as phone, email, chat, SNS, etc.)
CRM systems can be run independently, but they can also be integrated with other systems, such as CTI, reservation systems, ticketing systems, etc., to provide even greater convenience.
If you already have an internal system running in your company, it is important to check whether and how it can be connected in advance. For more details, please refer to the following article.
How to choose a CTI system
The following are some points to compare CTI systems:
- Does it have all the necessary functions?
- Can it be connected to internal systems such as CRM?
- Does it have a support system in place?
Since CTI systems are mainly installed in call centers, if the phone system fails or the system goes down, the damage can be enormous.
An important point of comparison is the support system, including regular maintenance and 24/7 response in case of emergency.
Please refer to the following article for more detailed CTI comparison points.
Conclusion
CRM and CTI are two systems that are essential for business efficiency and response quality. Today, both systems are highly functional, and many easy-to-use products are available.
When selecting a system, it is important to clarify the purpose of the implementation and the issues to be solved, and then compare products from various perspectives such as functionality and operability. Use this article as a reference when considering the best product for your company.