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Service Cloud Voice: Native Telephony for Salesforce

Replace legacy CTI with Salesforce's built-in voice platform. Real-time transcription, AI-powered agent assist, and omnichannel routing—all natively embedded in the Service Cloud console.

Service Cloud Voice (SCV) is Salesforce's native telephony solution that brings voice conversations directly into the agent workspace alongside chat, email, and messaging. With Open CTI retiring in February 2028, SCV is the clear path forward for every Salesforce organization that relies on phone-based service. Vantage Point helps you plan, implement, and optimize your SCV deployment—whether you choose Amazon Connect, partner telephony, or bring-your-own carrier.

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"What Is" Definition Block

What Is Salesforce Service Cloud Voice?

Service Cloud Voice (SCV) is Salesforce's native cloud telephony platform that embeds voice calls directly into the Service Cloud agent console. Unlike legacy Open CTI integrations that bolt external phone systems onto Salesforce, SCV is built into the platform—delivering real-time call transcription, AI-powered recommendations, and unified omnichannel routing out of the box. SCV launched in 2020 and is now the strategic replacement for Salesforce's Open CTI framework, which reaches end-of-life on February 28, 2028. Salesforce offers three SCV deployment models: SCV with Amazon Connect (turnkey), SCV with Partner Telephony (Genesys, NICE, Vonage, etc.), and SCV with your existing carrier via Bring Your Own Telephony (BYOT).

 

The Challenge

Why Legacy CTI Can't Keep Up

Open CTI served Salesforce organizations well for over a decade, but the telephony landscape has changed. AI-powered service, real-time transcription, and unified agent experiences demand a natively integrated voice platform—not a bolted-on adapter.

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Common Pain Points

Open CTI End-of-Life


Salesforce deprecated Open CTI in early 2026 and will retire it entirely on February 28, 2028. Organizations still running Open CTI integrations face a hard deadline to migrate—and custom CTI adapters built over years of development won't simply "port" to the new platform.

No Native AI or Transcription


Legacy CTI integrations can't access Salesforce's AI capabilities. There's no real-time transcription, no Einstein-powered Next Best Action recommendations during calls, and no automated call summaries. Agents toggle between phone systems and Salesforce, losing context with every click.

Fragmented Omnichannel Experience


When phone lives outside Salesforce, supervisors can't see voice alongside chat, email, and messaging in a single queue. Routing rules are duplicated across systems, reporting is fragmented, and agents juggle multiple interfaces to serve one customer.

Compliance and Audit Gaps


Financial services, healthcare, and regulated industries need call recordings linked directly to CRM records, automated retention policies, and audit trails that connect voice interactions to cases and accounts. Bolted-on CTI makes this painful.

The Solution

What Makes Service Cloud Voice Different

Real-Time Call Transcription

Every call is transcribed live, powered by Amazon Transcribe or Contact Lens. Agents see the conversation in text alongside customer records, and supervisors can monitor calls without listening in.

  • Live speech-to-text during active calls
  • Multi-language transcription support
  • Automatic transcript attachment to case records
  • Keyword and phrase detection
  • Searchable call history

Einstein AI Agent Assist

Einstein analyzes the live transcript in real time, surfacing knowledge articles, recommending next best actions, and flagging customer sentiment shifts.

  • Next Best Action recommendations during calls
  • Automated knowledge article suggestions
  • Real-time sentiment analysis
  • Einstein Conversation Insights (post-call analytics)
  • Agentforce integration for autonomous call handling

Unified Omnichannel Routing

Voice joins chat, email, SMS, and social in a single omnichannel queue. Salesforce routes calls based on agent skills, availability, and customer priority.

  • Single routing engine for voice + digital channels
  • Skills-based call routing
  • Priority queuing based on customer attributes
  • Real-time supervisor dashboard
  • Automatic call distribution (ACD)

Flexible Telephony Options

Choose your deployment model: Amazon Connect (turnkey), Partner Telephony (Genesys, NICE CXone, Vonage, Five9), or Bring Your Own Telephony (BYOT).

  • Amazon Connect (turnkey, Salesforce-managed)
  • Partner Telephony from ISV partners
  • BYOT for existing carriers
  • Number porting and provisioning
  • Global voice coverage

Key Features Deep Dive

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Call Recording & Storage

Automatic recording with secure cloud storage, linked directly to case records

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Embedded Softphone

Native softphone in the Service Cloud console with click-to-dial, transfer, conference, hold, mute

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Supervisor Console

Real-time monitoring with listen, whisper, and barge capabilities across voice + digital

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Post-Call Automation

Auto-create tasks, update case fields, trigger workflows, generate AI call summaries

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Intelligent IVR

Build IVR menus using Salesforce Flow + Amazon Connect contact flows, routed by CRM data

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Analytics & Reporting

Native dashboards for call volume, handle time, first-call resolution, agent performance

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Phase 1: Assessment & Planning

Audit current telephony, map call flows, define SCV deployment model

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Phase 2: Architecture & Design

Configure Amazon Connect, routing rules, IVR flows, number strategy

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Phase 3: Build & Configure

Deploy SCV, set up softphone, enable transcription and Einstein AI

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Phase 4: Migration & Testing

Port numbers, migrate from legacy CTI, validate routing and compliance

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Phase 5: Launch & Optimize

Go-live support, agent training, continuous IVR and AI optimization

Why Financial Services Firms Choose
Vantage Point for Service Cloud Voice

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CTI Migration Expertise

Dozens of Open CTI → SCV migrations completed

Certified FSC Consultants

Salesforce + Telephony Depth

Certified in Service Cloud, Omnichannel, with Amazon Connect and Genesys experience

Proven Accelerators

Industry-Aware Implementation

SEC 17a-4 call recording, HIPAA compliance, core banking integration

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Agentforce-Ready Architecture

SCV implementations designed for autonomous call handling and AI-powered processing

Our Values

FAQ

1. What is Salesforce Service Cloud Voice?

Native telephony platform embedded in Service Cloud console with real-time transcription, AI agent assist, omnichannel routing, and call recording.

2. Why is Salesforce retiring Open CTI?

Strategic shift toward unified AI-powered agent experience. Open CTI deprecated 2026, retired Feb 28, 2028. SCV replaces it with native transcription, Einstein AI, Agentforce, and omnichannel routing.

3. What are the different SCV deployment models?

Three: (1) Amazon Connect (turnkey), (2) Partner Telephony (Genesys, NICE, Vonage, Five9), (3) BYOT with existing carrier.

4. How much does Service Cloud Voice cost?

Varies by model. Amazon Connect includes per-minute AWS charges. Partner/BYOT use your existing telephony costs. SCV license typically included with Service Cloud Enterprise or available as add-on.

5. How long does an SCV implementation take?

6-12 weeks typical. Simple deployments: 4-6 weeks. Complex CTI migrations: 3-4 months.

6. Can SCV integrate with my existing phone system?

Yes via BYOT or Partner Telephony. Amazon Connect offers deepest native integration but isn't required.

7. What's the difference between SCV and Open CTI?

Open CTI = bolt-on JS API. SCV = native platform with transcription, AI, omnichannel routing, and Agentforce. Open CTI retires Feb 2028.

8. Does SCV support real-time transcription?

Yes, powered by Amazon Transcribe/Contact Lens. Live in agent console, auto-saved to case records, searchable and reportable.

9. How does SCV work with Agentforce?

Autonomous call handling, intent-based routing, real-time coaching, automated post-call processing and summaries.

10. What happens when Open CTI retires?

All Open CTI integrations stop working Feb 28, 2028. Custom softphones won't load. Must migrate to SCV before deadline. Start planning 6-12 months ahead.

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Ready to Migrate from CTI to Service Cloud Voice?

The clock is ticking on Open CTI. Schedule a consultation to assess your current telephony setup and build a migration roadmap—before the February 2028 deadline.