Interactive Intelligence Group has announced that Microsoft (News - Alert) has certified its Customer Interaction Center (CIC) software for interoperation with Microsoft Lync.
“Passing Lync Server interoperability testing means we offer customers a combined solution that meets stringent requirements for installation, configuration, documentation and support," said Interactive Intelligence (News - Alert) senior director of global alliances, Michael Shrall. "Our paired offering delivers a comprehensive solution for both the contact center and the enterprise without customers undergoing costly and time-consuming integration projects."
The Customer Interaction Center is an integrated communications suite, including voice, email, fax, video, text chat and SMS, among others.
Users of both CIC and Lync can access each other’s contacts, as well as collaborate via nearly any communication medium, including video, voice and text chats, no matter whether they’re on a Lync or CIC server.
The “presence,” which indicates whether a user is available, away or busy, is also shared between the two products.
CIC also has direct SIP integration, which makes placing VoIP calls easy between CIC and Lync users. It helps that SIP is already an open standard, just like many other Internet standards such as HTTP and SMTP.
Interoperability is important for businesses because hardware and software purchases don’t happen in a vacuum. Businesses always have some existing software and hardware in place, and don’t want the new products to cause problems with the old ones. The interoperability certification by Microsoft gives potential customers assurance that they can buy a service or product and be able to use it effectively with what they already have, while giving Interactive Intelligence even more credibility when marketing their solutions.
Interoperability helps businesses tailor products from various vendors into a solution that matches its own processes and workflows. Customization is necessary in many business environments.
The interoperability certification was performed as part of Microsoft’s Lync ISV Qualification program, but Interactive Intelligence is no stranger to Microsoft certification, having received interoperability certification for Lync in 2010, as well as having been a Microsoft Gold ISV partner since 2007. To add to its success, Interactive Intelligence is a platinum sponsor at the ITEXPO, taking place Jan. 28-31 in Miami, Florida.
Edited by Cassandra Tucker