Oct. 28, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Interactive Intelligence (Nasdaq: ININ) and RightNow^® Technologies (Nasdaq: RNOW) are introducing an integrated software solution for improved customer interaction management.

The integration, with general availability in Q4 2009, combines the self-service and agent-assisted service capabilities of the RightNow CX customer experience suite, with the contact center automation and enterprise IP telephony functionality of the Interactive Intelligence all-in-one IP communications software suite, Customer Interaction Center^™ (CIC).

The new integration brings the following to the RightNow agent desktop for increased productivity and improved customer service: embedded call controls, screen-pop, multichannel queuing and routing, click-to-dial, and unified reporting.

“By having a unified desktop for agents and business users to manage interactions and data, companies can decrease call processing time, increase call resolution rates, and improve overall customer satisfaction,” said RightNow’s chief solution officer, David Vap. “Interactive Intelligence’s single-platform architecture further adds operational value by simplifying installation, administration, and customization.”

“In addition to streamlining the agent-assisted customer experience, this joint solution helps IT teams reduce deployment time for faster ROI by eliminating the need for custom integration,” said Interactive Intelligence vice president of business development, Bill Gildea. “With our respective engagement teams aligned, joint clients are assured they’re receiving solid customer experience solutions backed by dedicated experts.”

The integration includes the following functionality:

• Embedded call controls: From the RightNow agent desktop, users can quickly access full Interactive Intelligence client functionality for call and e-mail management (record, hold, transfer, mute, etc.), as well as presence management, company directory look-up, and more.
• Screen-pop: Adds the ability to screen-pop a pre-filled record, or if the number is not already stored, pop a blank screen for quick data-entry; includes customization tool for automated, multi-step screen-pop tasks.
• Multichannel queuing and routing: Enables calls and e-mails to be routed via a universal queue and managed from within a single screen.
• Click-to-dial: Easy “mouse-click” dialing eliminates the need to manually copy and paste numbers into a computer-based softphone, or dial from a desk phone.