March 21, 2016 at 09:24Open interface for Hive: we made it
Hive cloud PBX receives an open interface for connecting the IP-telephony platform to other information systems.
Cloud PBXs and IP-telephony provide a new level of flexibility for organizing call processing and management processes. However, the capabilities of modern communication technologies are not fully disclosed if there is no constant interaction between the PBX and other information systems of the company.
Let us give an example: a Call-center employee works in a CRM system - absolutely anyone and from any manufacturer. He receives an incoming call and begins its processing. In the absence of additional integration, he will see only the number or even the subscriber’s identifier on the screen of his phone, and with the configured interaction between the virtual PBX and the CRM system, all known customer data may appear on the screen — name, interaction history, active contracts, and so on. . Therefore, it is not surprising that we at Hive set out to create an open API library that would allow us to configure the interaction of IP-telephony with any other information system.
Three Whale API Architecture
Without diving right into a detailed description of the functions and capabilities of the new interface, we note its main features, including those that distinguish us from other cloud telephony platforms. The API uses standard GET or POST methods, allowing you to manipulate data or upload files, including conversation records and faxes, work with call history, initiate calls and much more. In this case, the connection takes place via an encrypted TLS channel, using a private key, which can be obtained in the personal account of the Hive service client. By the way, the Hive portal itself accesses the cloud PBX through this API in order to upload files, initiate calls, and inform the user about events (when you see how beautifully the lights in your account blink - this is it).
To support the maximum number of possibilities, our API contains three subsystems. The first of these, REST, provides data on request. The second, WEB-HOOK - transfers data to your platform, for example, to inform you that the conversation has ended. Third, WEBSOCKETS - allows you to configure continuous interaction between the cloud PBX and an external information system.
In fact, we already examined the first example when we talked about a contact center employee, but in fact, transferring data about calls can have much wider application. For example, one of our customers wanted to create a script that compiles a table of incoming calls with all their parameters: subscriber number, duration, waiting time, and so on. Having an open API allowed us to do this very quickly. In the same way, you can easily get the unloading of all calls from the database for each subscriber, just make a request.
The second aspect is the integration of IP-telephony into various information systems, including CRM, web portals and other corporate software, where you can use the “call button”, listen to recordings of conversations, and it also makes sense to analyze the call history, for example, for a specific client or by a certain deal. Simple instructions allow you to implement the ability to initiate a call from almost anywhere, using both direct dialing and a call based on available data about a client, partner, contractor. For the convenience of programming, we developed a ready-made class in PHP with our own methods, and now the call to the Hive functions occurs according to the standard, documented scheme.
But we could not stop there and went beyond the standard functions. Due to this, the Hive API also has the ability to connect to the cloud PBX via websockets. This subsystem significantly expands the integration capabilities, allowing you to connect telephony to various applications on an ongoing basis. The websockets interface allows you to respond to events in real time. For example, the application will immediately receive data that the phone rang from the subscriber, the phone was picked up, the phone became unavailable, and so on. Each event can cause a specific action, including alert the operator, display cards, request additional information, etc. Moreover, in the near future, further expansion of the capabilities of the API is expected.
Single ecosystem
Using minimal programming (you can use the ready-made PHP class to add new features to your system), Hive communication services can be integrated into an existing or new software ecosystem with maximum effect and at minimal cost. In particular, on the basis of the new API, integration with the popular AMOCRM system has already been implemented. For AMO, we popped up a customer’s card, automatically created transactions and saved a contact, and attached a conversation record to the transaction. All this is done using our API.
Why is all this done? Using simple API methods that are described in detail on the site, allows you to create a single information space for your services and information systems. And this, in turn, leads to an increase in the efficiency of business processes, allows you to work with great comfort, spend less time and money on communications, using them to the fullest.
For reference
• IPtelefon is a communications service provider, system integrator and developer of innovative telecommunications solutions.
• Hive - cloud PBX for business.
• ZeON - a communication server delivered as a boxed solution with wide configuration options.
Cloud PBXs and IP-telephony provide a new level of flexibility for organizing call processing and management processes. However, the capabilities of modern communication technologies are not fully disclosed if there is no constant interaction between the PBX and other information systems of the company.
Let us give an example: a Call-center employee works in a CRM system - absolutely anyone and from any manufacturer. He receives an incoming call and begins its processing. In the absence of additional integration, he will see only the number or even the subscriber’s identifier on the screen of his phone, and with the configured interaction between the virtual PBX and the CRM system, all known customer data may appear on the screen — name, interaction history, active contracts, and so on. . Therefore, it is not surprising that we at Hive set out to create an open API library that would allow us to configure the interaction of IP-telephony with any other information system.
Three Whale API Architecture
Without diving right into a detailed description of the functions and capabilities of the new interface, we note its main features, including those that distinguish us from other cloud telephony platforms. The API uses standard GET or POST methods, allowing you to manipulate data or upload files, including conversation records and faxes, work with call history, initiate calls and much more. In this case, the connection takes place via an encrypted TLS channel, using a private key, which can be obtained in the personal account of the Hive service client. By the way, the Hive portal itself accesses the cloud PBX through this API in order to upload files, initiate calls, and inform the user about events (when you see how beautifully the lights in your account blink - this is it).
To support the maximum number of possibilities, our API contains three subsystems. The first of these, REST, provides data on request. The second, WEB-HOOK - transfers data to your platform, for example, to inform you that the conversation has ended. Third, WEBSOCKETS - allows you to configure continuous interaction between the cloud PBX and an external information system.
In fact, we already examined the first example when we talked about a contact center employee, but in fact, transferring data about calls can have much wider application. For example, one of our customers wanted to create a script that compiles a table of incoming calls with all their parameters: subscriber number, duration, waiting time, and so on. Having an open API allowed us to do this very quickly. In the same way, you can easily get the unloading of all calls from the database for each subscriber, just make a request.
The second aspect is the integration of IP-telephony into various information systems, including CRM, web portals and other corporate software, where you can use the “call button”, listen to recordings of conversations, and it also makes sense to analyze the call history, for example, for a specific client or by a certain deal. Simple instructions allow you to implement the ability to initiate a call from almost anywhere, using both direct dialing and a call based on available data about a client, partner, contractor. For the convenience of programming, we developed a ready-made class in PHP with our own methods, and now the call to the Hive functions occurs according to the standard, documented scheme.
But we could not stop there and went beyond the standard functions. Due to this, the Hive API also has the ability to connect to the cloud PBX via websockets. This subsystem significantly expands the integration capabilities, allowing you to connect telephony to various applications on an ongoing basis. The websockets interface allows you to respond to events in real time. For example, the application will immediately receive data that the phone rang from the subscriber, the phone was picked up, the phone became unavailable, and so on. Each event can cause a specific action, including alert the operator, display cards, request additional information, etc. Moreover, in the near future, further expansion of the capabilities of the API is expected.
Single ecosystem
Using minimal programming (you can use the ready-made PHP class to add new features to your system), Hive communication services can be integrated into an existing or new software ecosystem with maximum effect and at minimal cost. In particular, on the basis of the new API, integration with the popular AMOCRM system has already been implemented. For AMO, we popped up a customer’s card, automatically created transactions and saved a contact, and attached a conversation record to the transaction. All this is done using our API.
Why is all this done? Using simple API methods that are described in detail on the site, allows you to create a single information space for your services and information systems. And this, in turn, leads to an increase in the efficiency of business processes, allows you to work with great comfort, spend less time and money on communications, using them to the fullest.
For reference
• IPtelefon is a communications service provider, system integrator and developer of innovative telecommunications solutions.
• Hive - cloud PBX for business.
• ZeON - a communication server delivered as a boxed solution with wide configuration options.