Salesforce CTI for BPOs: Multi-Client Call Routing, Seat Licensing & White-Label Deployment

Why do BPOs need Salesforce CTI?

Traditional BPO contact centers often operate across CRMs, multiple telephony platforms, reporting tools, and spreadsheets. This makes agents switch between systems to access customer information, identify the client, document calls, and follow the correct workflow.

While bridging the gap, BPO contact center Salesforce brings these activities closer together, allowing agents to:

• Access customer records during conversations
• Receive and make calls directly from Salesforce
• Use IVR and automated call flows
• Identify the client associated with an incoming call
• Log call activity automatically
• Track agent and campaign performance
• Manage follow-up activities from the CRM
• Record and transcribe conversions where supported

What Makes Traditional BPO Call Routing Different?

Based on customer selection, department, and agent availability, a conventional contact center route calls. However, beyond this, a BPO needs another layer– client identity.

Before deciding where the call should go, the system needs to determine which client the caller is contacting. Once the client is identified, the call can be routed according to that client’s workflows, specific queues, agent requirements, and business hours.

For example, an outsourcing provider may handle calls for three different companies:

• Client A– Insurance Support
• Client B– eCommerce Orders
• Client C– Healthcare Scheduling

In that scenario, a call from an insurance customer should be directed to Client AI, while eCommerce and healthcare customers should be routed to their respective client teams. This client-based routing is what makes BPO call routing different from conventional contact center routing.

How Does Multi Tenant Call Routing Work?

Multi-tenant call routing allows a BPO to handle multiple client environments within a controlled contact center architecture. The routing logic can use information such as:

Inbound number—- Client—- Queue—-- Agent—-- Salesforce record

Let’s consider a BPO that provides customer support for an eCommerce brand, insurance company, and healthcare provider. Each client may have its own Salesforce IVR setup, IVR menu, phone number, business hours, support teams, and customer records.

When a call comes in, the CTI uses routing protocols and the telephone number to identify the client associated with that call. Rather than directing the call to the first available representative, the CTI reroutes the call to the correct line of representatives instead.

Multi-tenant call routing works as follows:

• A customer calls Client A’s dedicated number.
• The CTI identifies the inbound number and associates it with Client A.
• The system applies Client A’s routing rules.
• The call enters the appropriate IVR and queue.
• The system evaluates which agents are available and eligible to handle the call.
• Salesforce surfaces the relevant customer record for the selected agent.
• The agent handles the interaction and follows the appropriate client workflows.
• The details of the call, and its results, go into the Salesforce log.

In addition to identifying the client, BPOs collect more information that is helpful in determining the queue and agent to whom to send the call. This may include agent availability, his skills and certifications, urgency of the customer inquiry, customer language, operating hours, VIP status, client-specific procedures, etc. which results in more efficient call routing, allowing the agent to have all customer information.

What is Seat Licensing for BPO Contact Centers?

Seat licensing determines how many agents can actively use and access the CTI platform. A BPO may have 50 agents handling one client today and need 100 agents when a new campaign starts next month. It may also reduce the team when a seasonal campaign ends. This makes flexible seat management an important consideration when choosing Salesforce CTI for BPO operations.

Here are different types of users in a BPO, including:

• Permanent agents who work on ongoing client accounts
• Supervisors who monitor call queues and agent activity
• Part-time agents who work specific shifts and campaigns
• Seasonal agents added during periods of higher call volume
• Quality analysts who review calls and agent performance

A rigid licensing model can make these changes difficult to manage, making BPOs end up paying for seats they are not currently using. That’s why a CTI solution should be designed in a way that makes it easier to add, remove, and reassign users as client requirements and campaigns change.

Why Does Flexible Seat Licensing Matter for BPOs?

Launch New Campaigns Faster

Upon signing a new client, BPO may need to onboard a large group of agents within a short period. Flexible seat management allows the BPO to include the required users as the campaign goes live instead of restructuring its entire CTI environment.

Reduce Unused Licenses

Not every client campaign runs on the same scale throughout the year. So, when call volumes of a campaign declines, some agent seats may no longer be required. Being able to reallocate or reduce seats can help BPOs avoid maintaining licenses for users who are no longer active.

Scale with Client Growth

An existing client of the BPO may have increased customer care demands over a period of time. This could mean that, where a client once had 30 agents, now the demand is 75 as the customer base increases in size. BPO can leverage a scalable CTI solution to add seats and scale up without having to replace its existing contact center setup.

Can Salesforce CTI be White Labeled for BPO Clients?

Yes, based on the deployment model and the CTI platform, BPOs can use a white-label approach to present their contact center technology as part of their own managed service.

This ensures that BPOs provide clients with a branded contact center experience without asking each one of them to purchase and manage a separate telephony platform. For example, the underlying CTI infrastructure can be managed by the BPO, while each client can have its own:

• BPO branding: Present the contact center experience under the BPO’s brand.
• Agent groups: Create dedicated agent teams for different campaigns, clients, and support functions.
• Routing rules: Configure different call-routing logic for each client.
• Phone numbers: Assign dedicated business or support numbers to individual campaigns or clients.
• Reporting and Dashboards: Provide visibility into performance, volume, and queue activity on an individual client basis.
• Workflows: Configure Salesforce workflows per individual client requirements.
• Greetings/Prompts/Menus: Use greetings, prompts and menus that are specifically for the client.
• Queues: Set up queues for campaigns, departments, and individual clients.
• Customer communication experience: Customize how customers interact with the contact center across supported voice channels.

Without building a completely different contact center for every client, BPO can maintain a common CTI foundation and configure the parts that need to be different for each account.

What Does a White Label CTI Salesforce Architecture Look Like?

A simplified setup can look like this:

1. Client Brand / Phone NumberThe customer calls a number associated with a particular client.
2. CTI & Telephony LayerThe CTI receives the call and connects it to Salesforce.
3. Client Identification and Routing RulesNow, the system decides which client the call belongs to and applies that specific client’s routing rules.
4. IVR / Queue / Skill-Based RoutingThe customer makes a selection using IVR, and then the call is put in the relevant queue, and the call is routed according to the skill set of the agents and their availability.
5. BPO AgentThe appropriate agent gets the call and handles the interaction based on the client’s processes.
6. Salesforce Customer RecordThe relevant customer, account, case, and other Salesforce information can be surfaced to the agent.
7. Call Logging, Reporting, and AnalysisCall information is captured in Salesforce, creating a detailed Salesforce call history that allows the BPO to monitor performance and provide client-specific reporting.

Conclusion

With Salesforce CTI for BPOs, managing calls for multiple clients is easier. As it comes with flexible agent management, centralized call routing, connected customer data, and client specific workflows, you can streamline day-to-day operations while delivering a consistent experience across every client account.

GirikCTI integrates all of these features into a Salesforce connected contact center ideal for everyday BPO operations. Functions such as Call Routing, Interactive Voice Response, Click-To-Call & Reporting allow agents to control incoming and outgoing calls, send calls to assigned agents and integrate call activities into Salesforce records. Schedule a free demo to know more.