Connect Your CRM, ERP and Custom Software to Your Phone System with 3CX Integration

When a customer calls your company, the phone ringing is not enough on its own.

The caller has to be identified, their history has to appear on the agent's screen, the conversation has to be recorded and missed calls have to be followed up.

In many businesses, though, the phone system works independently of the CRM, ERP or support software. Staff have to switch between different screens during a call, ring the customer back and record call details by hand.

3CX integration removes this disconnect between your phone system and the business software you use.

At Arca Yazılım we integrate your 3CX system with your existing CRM, ERP, helpdesk, website, mobile application or software developed specifically for your business. Phone calls then stop being merely a communication activity and become a business process that can be tracked.

What is 3CX integration?

3CX integration allows your 3CX telephone infrastructure to exchange data with the other software and applications used in your business.

After integration, an incoming or outgoing call can automatically trigger different actions depending on the system you use.

When a customer calls, for example:

• The calling number can be looked up in the CRM.
• The customer card can open automatically.
• The customer's open orders can be displayed.
• Ongoing support requests can be shown to the agent.
• Call details can be saved to the customer's history.
• An automatic follow-up task can be created for a missed call.

3CX supports matching customers by telephone number or e-mail with CRM, helpdesk and ticket systems that offer a REST API. Operations such as finding a customer, creating a new contact, logging a call and logging a chat can be configured within the integration.

The aim here is not simply to connect 3CX to another programme. The real aim is to reduce the work staff carry out by hand and make customer communication measurable.

What does 3CX CRM integration give you?

If all the agent sees when a customer calls is a telephone number, the conversation usually begins with a question:

"Have you spoken to us before?"

CRM integration changes this.

The calling number is matched against existing customer records. When the customer is found, the relevant CRM screen can open automatically, or a link to the customer card can be provided from within 3CX.

Before the conversation begins, the agent can see the customer's:

• Name and company details,
• Previous conversations,
• Open quotations,
• Sales opportunities,
• Support records,
• Date of last contact

on screen.

When the call ends, the date, duration, the member of staff who took it and the call outcome can be transferred to the CRM. 3CX's CRM integration structure allows unanswered calls to be recorded in the system alongside incoming and outgoing ones.

Turning missed calls into CRM tasks

In many businesses missed calls simply sit in a list on the phone screen. Who will return the call, and when, is unclear.

With a bespoke 3CX CRM integration, a missed call can:

• Be assigned to the relevant sales representative.
• Create a new task within the CRM.
• Raise an alert if it is not returned within a set time.
• Be tracked in the manager's report.
• Be linked to the customer's existing record.

A missed call then no longer depends on someone remembering it personally.

What can be done with 3CX ERP integration?

While CRM systems manage customer communication, ERP software holds information on orders, stock, accounts, servicing and operations.

With 3CX integrated into the ERP, staff can reach a customer's operational information faster during a call.

Depending on the ERP system in use and the authorisation structure, scenarios such as these can be built:

• Displaying the calling customer's open orders,
• Checking order and delivery status,
• Opening service or maintenance records,
• Showing account information to authorised users,
• Linking the call outcome to the order record,
• Starting a 3CX call from the customer card with a single click.

When a customer calls to ask about a delivery, for instance, the member of staff does not need to ask for the customer number again. Once the telephone number matches, the relevant orders can be brought up on screen.

This shortens call times and reduces the need to transfer the customer between departments.

3CX helpdesk and support system integration

In technical support teams, keeping phone calls and support records separate can cause significant loss of information.

A customer explains their problem on the phone, but if no ticket is raised afterwards the matter can fall out of sight. Equally, a new record may be created without the existing support record being seen.

With 3CX helpdesk integration:

• The calling customer's open support records can be displayed.
• A new ticket can be created during the call.
• The call duration can be added to the support record.
• The call can be routed to the relevant technical team.
• A missed support call can be turned into a task automatically.
• Call notes can be saved into the existing request.

3CX's Call Control API can be used to build bespoke helpdesk automation such as managing incoming support calls, routing them to suitable staff and tracking call metrics.

Which software can 3CX be integrated with?

3CX does not have to be used with off-the-shelf CRM systems alone.

Bespoke integrations can be built with many applications that offer a REST API or suitable data services.

Systems that can be integrated

• CRM software
• ERP systems
• Helpdesk and ticketing applications
• Service management software
• Appointment systems
• E-commerce platforms
• Order tracking applications
• Websites
• Mobile applications
• Business intelligence and reporting systems
• Software developed specifically for an organisation

Not every system has the same technical foundation. Before integration, therefore, the software's API structure, authentication method, data format and the 3CX licence should be assessed together.

What can be done with a 3CX integration built for your business?

Where off-the-shelf integrations are not enough, bespoke processes can be designed around how the business works.

Opening the calling customer's screen automatically

When a customer calls, the telephone number is looked up in the software you use.

When a match is found, the customer card, order screen, support record or service information can open automatically.

Staff then do not spend the first minutes of a call searching for customer details.

Starting a call from your own software with one click

A call can be started through 3CX by clicking a telephone number inside the CRM, ERP or custom software.

There is no need for staff to type the number again. The chance of dialling the wrong number falls, and the call made can be linked to the relevant customer record.

The 3CX Call Control API allows operations such as starting, answering, transferring and ending calls to be managed programmatically from third-party applications.

Triggering automatic actions during a call

Different actions can be triggered according to the type of incoming call or the customer's selection.

For example:

• A sales enquiry can be turned into a CRM opportunity.
• A technical support call can create a ticket.
• An appointment request can open the calendar screen.
• A service call can bring up existing device records.
• A payment question can be routed to the relevant finance screen.

Saving information automatically after a call

When a call ends, information about it can be sent to another system.

Depending on the scope of the integration, the information transferred may include:

• The calling or called number,
• The call start and end time,
• The call duration,
• The member of staff who took the call,
• Whether it was answered,
• Queue information,
• The call outcome,
• Call notes.

This reduces the need for staff to enter the same information by hand after every phone call.

Transferring call data to a custom reporting panel

3CX contains various reports covering call logs, chat logs, missed queue calls, callback requests, waiting times and queue performance.

This data can be combined with the company's own reporting or business intelligence infrastructure.

A management dashboard could show all of the following at once, for instance:

• The number of calls received daily,
• Answered and missed calls,
• Average answer time,
• Peak call hours,
• Call distribution by department,
• Call outcomes by customer or order type,
• Missed calls that have not been returned.

Telephone data can then be assessed alongside sales, support and operational results.

An example 3CX integration scenario

Take a technical service company.

When a customer calls, the telephone number is looked up automatically in the service software. When a match is found, the devices the customer has previously left for servicing and their ongoing jobs appear on the agent's screen.

If the customer has an open record, the member of staff opens the relevant service request directly. If a new problem is being reported, they create a new record during the call.

When the call ends:

• The call date,
• The call duration,
• The member of staff involved,
• The service request,
• The call outcome

are added to the system automatically.

If the call cannot be answered, a callback task is assigned to the relevant service team. The customer's request then does not simply sit in a missed call list; it becomes a work record that can be tracked.

A similar structure can be applied to companies in sales, healthcare, education, logistics, consultancy, e-commerce and field services.

Why might a bespoke integration be needed rather than an off-the-shelf connection?

Not every business uses the same process.

In some businesses, simply opening the caller's CRM card is enough. In others, the customer's orders, open invoices, service records and past conversations all need to be shown at once.

Off-the-shelf integrations generally cover standard scenarios. Bespoke software development may be needed for the following, however:

• Using a CRM or ERP built for the organisation,
• Pulling data from more than one system,
• Applying custom user permissions,
• Automating internal workflows,
• Creating different rules for missed calls,
• Transferring call outcomes to a custom reporting system,
• Preparing a user interface different from the standard screens.

Arca Yazılım's custom software approach covers integration with existing ERP, CRM and external API systems, and the development of bespoke management panels and reporting tools.

How does Arca Yazılım carry out a 3CX integration?

3CX integration is not something completed simply by setting up an API connection.

For a sound project, the existing call process and the screens staff use have to be understood first.

Requirement analysis

The first stage examines the existing telephone and software infrastructure.

Answers are established to these questions:

• Which software do staff use?
• What information should appear when a customer calls?
• Which tasks are done by hand?
• How are incoming and outgoing calls tracked?
• Who should missed calls be assigned to?
• Which data needs reporting?

Establishing the scope of the integration

Which systems will exchange data with 3CX is settled.

API services, telephone number formats, customer matching rules, user permissions and error scenarios are determined.

The 3CX version and licence are also checked at this stage. The use of advanced features such as the Call Control API in particular may depend on licence conditions. 3CX's official guide states that specific Enterprise licence conditions apply to Call Control access.

Custom software development

Integration services and user screens are built according to the requirements established.

At this stage:

• API connections,
• Data matching,
• Call events,
• Automatic tasks,
• CRM or ERP screens,
• Reporting panels

can be prepared.

The testing process

The system is not tested with an ordinary incoming call alone.

Different scenarios are checked together:

• An incoming call,
• An outgoing call,
• A missed call,
• A busy user,
• Call transfer,
• A customer not in the system,
• An incorrect or incomplete telephone number,
• An API connection error,
• More than one customer sharing the same number,
• An unauthorised user attempting to access information.

These checks reduce the data and user experience problems that can arise once the integration goes live.

Going live and technical support

Once testing is complete, the integration is moved to the live environment.

As new needs emerge in use, the system can be developed further, reports extended or new automation added.

Arca Yazılım's implementation methodology likewise consists of business analysis, architectural planning, development, testing, integration and release.

What does 3CX integration gain your business?

A well-planned 3CX integration does more than let staff make calls faster.

It makes the whole communication process more traceable.

The main gains are:

• Fast access to customer information during a call,
• Less switching between different applications,
• Less manual data entry,
• Orderly follow-up of missed calls,
• Sales and support processes put on record,
• Customer history viewable in one place,
• Call data reported alongside business results,
• Communication automation built for the business.

As the scope of the integration grows, the phone system stops being a tool that works apart from the business's other software. It becomes a direct part of CRM, ERP, helpdesk and reporting processes.

Frequently asked questions about 3CX integration

Can 3CX be integrated with every CRM system?

A bespoke integration can be prepared for CRM systems offering a REST API. The features available, however, depend on the API services the CRM provides and its data access permissions.

Can we start calls from our own software with 3CX?

Where a suitable 3CX version, licence and technical infrastructure are in place, scenarios for starting calls and managing other call operations from third-party applications can be built.

Can the calling customer's CRM screen open automatically?

Yes. The incoming telephone number can be looked up in the CRM or custom software and the matching customer card shown to the user.

Can missed calls be transferred to the CRM?

Depending on the scope of the integration, missed calls can be recorded as a CRM activity, a support record or a user task.

Can 3CX work together with an ERP system?

Where the ERP system offers a suitable API or data service, integration can be established with customer, order, service and operational information.

How long does integration take?

The time varies with the API structure of the software involved, the data to be transferred, the screens to be prepared and the scope of the automation. A technical analysis is needed first for a reliable view of timing and cost.

Make your phone calls part of your business processes

You do not have to use 3CX as a standalone exchange that merely manages phone calls.

Through integration with your CRM, ERP, support system or organisation-specific software, you can make customer communication faster, more orderly and measurable.

At Arca Yazılım we examine your existing infrastructure and build integration solutions between 3CX and your other business applications, tailored to your organisation.

To find out more about this subject you can reach us on 0312 256 72 78, and for detailed information and our other solutions you can visit www.arcayazilim.com.