Asterisk Servers Meet CRM

The VAR Guy is intrigued by Switchvox. The tiny, 15-person company has big plans to integrate Asterisk-based PBXes with open source CRM software. VARs that specialize in unified communications should check out Switchvox’s strategy.

Switchvox’s latest IP PBX serves small and midsize businesses. The 3.0 release integrates with CRM (customer relationship management) software from SugarCRM and Salesforce.com. The upshot: Switchvox VARs can empower their customers to analyze and manage sales leads through Switchboard panels designed to work directly with CRM programs.

Specifically, detailed information from SugarCRM and Salesforce.com automatically pop-up on incoming calls via the Switchboard, Switchvox’s real-time call control panel, eliminating the need to access customer records manually. Also, integration with Google Maps allows customers to identify the location of inbound calls.

Switchvox is one of several small companies that specialize in Asterisk, an open source platform for building PBX and IP telephony services. In theory, Asterisk-based servers provide lower cost, easily modified alternatives to higher-end IP telephony servers from Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks and other traditional networking companies. Partnerships within the Asterisk market are popping up regularly. Another relationship of note involves Digium working closely with Vyatta, which specializes in open source networking equipment.