CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) is the term used to describe the linking of the two, enabling organisations to make calls directly from databases or popular contact management packages (e.g. Goldmine and ACT!) and automatically pull up customer records relating to an incoming call. Essentially a call centre application, ‘predictive dialling’ removes all dialling responsibilities from an agent. Once a call has been completed the software automatically dials the next number on an agent’s call list, eliminating the risk of misdials and dead time between calls.
First party and third party CTI
First party CTIis ideal for a small number of users, is a single desktop solution that requires each individual PC to be connected to a telephone. Third party CTI is more likely to be used when ten or more staff need automatic access to database records, is a multiple terminal solution requiring a single link between the telephone system and the Microsoft NT server.
Productivity and customer service benefits
Most manufacturers offer CTI interfaces for their digital telephone systems that are compliant with Microsoft’s TAPI (Telephone Application Programme Interface) and TAPI-2 standard protocols. The use of open standards gives users access to a wide range of commercially available CTI packages and bespoke applications written specifically for a business
The productivity of outbound dialling is also improved, as calls can be made directly from a contact management package, such as ACT!, by highlighting a customer’s telephone number and clicking the call button. This is ideal for departments where there is a high level of outbound and follow up calls, such as telesales.
‘Screen popping’ and Calling Line Identity
The classic CTI application is ‘screen popping’, which uses CLI (Calling Line Identity) –potentially – to identify callers and display their records on-screen before a call is answered, thereby improving the speed with which each call is handled.
In addition to the customer service benefits of greeting a caller by name, screen popping data from a customer database, say, gives help desk staff the information needed to deal with an enquiry in one call. Should the caller need to speak to someone else, their details and the updated customer record can be transferred with the call, eliminating the need for callers to answer the same questions all over again.
Goldmine and ACT!) and automatically pull up customer records relating to an incoming call. Essentially a call centre application, 
