One thing that has become more and more popular over the past years is embedded code snippets from search engines and social networks into web pages. Those hard-to-read little snippets can provide a lot of functionality to pages that would otherwise talk a lot of time for a web designer to complete.
We at Vodia have done something similar already almost two years ago with the click to talk button that can be places on a web page, so that visitors can call a company up right from the browser. That button was using the WebRTC technology to make it happen. However in order to work, it was depending on the browsers support for WebRTC which has only over the past months improved significantly, and still have many devices especially embedded devices without proper support.
What was more successful than the talk button for web page visitors was the talk button for the PBX users. This was a simple way to offer the softphone functionality without the need to install a software on the local PC. At times when more and more people realize that installing software can make their whole PC instable, not having to install software can be a huge advantage. The limitation to a few browsers is not such a big problem as internal users usually have no big problem to use a browser that supports WebRTC or to upgrade the browser that they are currently using.
With the next version (post 5.2.5) we will be able to go one step further and offer a code snippet that can be used to place that softphone in internal web pages. For example, many CRM tools allow today placing custom code on the web pages. This way, the softphone becomes part of the CRM tool. Instead of complicated ways to talk to the PBX through all sorts of TAPI and other drivers, the talk happens from the very same piece of software that is also hosting the CRM front end. The snippet opens a new window, so that navigating does not terminate the ongoing phone call. It is easy to pass parameters such as the phone number that should be dialed to the window, and even other information like customer numbers are possible. The method is primarily targeted at outbound calls; however in theory also inbound calls are possible; though there obviously passing parameters is hard as it is difficult to predict who will call next. Of course the WebRTC client can be part of an agent group, so that groups can work together. And of course the network translation properties of the PBX are available, so that it is possible to use the functionality for example from home or on the road.

We hope that customers are picking this method up and make rich web pages that can generate outbound calls using the Vodia PBX.