Guide to Intercom integration

Summary: 

Aircall's integration with Intercom allows for a comprehensive synchronization of communication data between the two platforms. This includes automatically syncing Intercom Users and Leads with the Aircall phone application, displaying relevant contact and conversation information via Insight Cards, and logging all calls and SMS messages as Intercom Conversations. The integration also handles anonymous calls and provides detailed call assignment and tag synchronization.

Why it matters

This integration is crucial for businesses using both Aircall and Intercom as it centralizes customer communication data, ensuring sales and support teams have immediate access to call history and contact details. It improves efficiency, enhances customer experience through informed interactions, and provides a unified view of customer engagement, ultimately leading to better team management and task accountability.

Key features overview

Contact Sync

• Automatically syncs saved Users and Leads from Intercom to your Aircall phone application.
• Displays the User/Lead name on incoming/outgoing calls in Aircall.
• Requires phone numbers in Intercom to be saved in E.164 format (e.g., +15555555555) or other supported formats.

• When a User/Lead is found in Intercom and Contact Sync is enabled, their Phone, Email, and Name are added to the Aircall Contact.
• A direct link to the Intercom User/Lead is provided in the Aircall Contact for easy editing in Intercom.

Insight Cards

• Shown in the Aircall phone app for calls involving existing or newly created Intercom Users/Leads.
• Information includes:
  • 'See contact page': A clickable link to the Intercom User/Lead page.
  • 'Name': The Intercom User/Lead name, or the phone number with "Aircall new user/lead" for new contacts.
  • 'Type': Indicates if the contact is a 'User' or 'Lead'.
• Also shown for calls where a User/Lead has an Open or Closed Conversation in Intercom, including:
  • 'See last conversation page': A clickable link to the most recent Open or Closed Conversation.
  • 'Status': 'Open' or 'Closed' based on the Conversation status.
  • 'Owner': The Conversation Owner; if their email matches an Aircall account, their availability is shown.

Logging Calls and SMS

• To Existing Users/Leads: All calls and SMS to/from a validly formatted phone number saved on an Intercom User or Lead will be logged as a Conversation associated with that User or Lead.
  • Note on Call Logging to Existing Users: If multiple Intercom Users have the same phone number, call logging for that number will be prevented. Each phone number should be saved to only one User for proper logging.
• To a New Contact: If no Intercom User/Lead matches the number and settings allow, a new User/Lead will be created with:
  • First name = Phone number in E.164 Format
  • Last name = "Aircall new contact"
  • Phone = Phone number in E.164 Format
• Anonymous Calls: If enabled in settings, an anonymous User/Lead will be created for calls from anonymous numbers. Subsequent calls from anonymous numbers will be associated with this User/Lead.
  • Name: 'Aircall Anonymous Contact'
  • Email: 'anonymoys@aircall.io'

Call and SMS Logs - Field and Information

• Calls and SMS are created as Intercom Conversations based on integration settings.
• Assignment Logic:
  • Inbound Answered Call: Assigned to the answering teammate if emails match; otherwise, to the Intercom admin who set up the integration.
  • Inbound Unanswered Call: Assigned to no teammate, allowing Intercom assignment rules to apply.
  • Outbound Call: Assigned to the calling teammate if emails match; otherwise, to the Intercom admin.
  • Transferred Calls: Conversation updates assignment to the new Aircall user if their email matches in Intercom. If not, it remains assigned to the original teammate.
  • Inbound SMS: Assigned to the single user with a matching email on an Aircall number; otherwise, to the Intercom admin. If multiple users on an Aircall number, and creating a new Conversation, it remains unassigned. If logging to the last open Conversation, it remains assigned to the current teammate.
  • Outbound SMS: Assigned to the sending user if emails match; otherwise, to the Intercom admin.
• Call Details in Intercom: Each call creates a message (e.g., 'Inbound answered call on [Aircall number name]') with internal notes including: caller's phone number, Aircall number, waiting time, who answered/made the call, call duration, recording link, and any notes left on the call.

• SMS Details in Intercom: Each SMS creates a message (e.g., 'Inbound SMS on [Aircall number name]') with internal notes including: Aircall number used, sender/recipient, message content, and SMS status (Delivered or Delivery Failed for outbound).

Call Assignment

• If a call is assigned to an Aircall user in the Aircall phone app who has a matching email in Intercom, the Intercom Conversation will also be assigned to that teammate. A note will be left on the Conversation indicating who the call is assigned to and who assigned it.

Tag Sync

• Aircall tags left on a call are added to the relevant Intercom Conversation. If the tag doesn't exist in Intercom, it will be created.
• Tags are applied to the most recent message in the Intercom Conversation.
• If a tag is removed from a call in Aircall, it is also removed from the Intercom Conversation.

How to configure

For more information on how to integrate Intercom with Aircall, check this article "How to configure your Intercom integration".

FAQs 

Q: What phone number format is required for Contact Sync with Intercom?

• A: Numbers should be saved in E.164 format (+15555555555) or other supported formats.

Q: What happens if multiple Intercom Users have the same phone number?

• A: Call logging will be prevented for calls to or from that number. Ensure each phone number is saved to only one User.

Q: How long after a call can tags be synced to Intercom? 

• A: Tags can only sync with Intercom Conversations for two hours after the call ends.

Best Practices / Tips

• Always save phone numbers in Intercom using the E.164 format to ensure proper Contact Sync.
• Regularly review your Intercom Users/Leads to prevent duplicate phone numbers, which can hinder call logging.
• Make sure your Aircall and Intercom user emails match to enable accurate call assignment and visibility of teammate availability.