1. Your Guide to Integrating
RightNow Web™ eService Center
With existing Sales Force Automation, Call Center
and Marketing Automation Systems
By Steve Daines, VP Customer Service, RightNow® Technologies
 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.

2. Abstract
Using RightNow Web eService Center (eSC), online visitors are empowered
to find their own answers, unhampered by delayed emails or frustrating
telephone calls. RightNow's dynamic knowledge base helps Web visitors find
information fast, answering up to 90% of questions through self-help.
RightNow's SmartAssistant™ technology actually learns from previous user
interactions, and automatically suggests solutions to customers and customer
service representatives (CSRs), yielding fast, efficient service.
The Internet’s emergence as a sales, service, and marketing platform made
it essential for eService solutions to seamlessly integrate with existing sales
force automation, call center, and marketing automation systems.
Companies never before had such a tremendous opportunity to track their
customers’ needs and interests, using the wealth of knowledge to deliver
increasingly personalized sales, service, and marketing programs to
customers. The ultimate goal is creating closer customer relationships and
loyalty through the organization’s Web-based ecosystem.
Despite claims by many Internet customer service providers regarding their
“end-to-end solutions,” the reality is the eCRM market encompasses a
number of separate solutions, which many times evolve through technology
acquisition. Unfortunately, many of these so-called integrated solutions fail
to allow value-extraction from the individual applications. To ensure industry-
leading functionality and optimal price/value relationship (ROI), organizations
often wish to use collaborative technologies such as RightNow Web eService
Center in conjunction with other eCRM solutions. Some researchers have
suggested that in highly complex B2C, or slightly complex B2B projects,
integration work may represent 75% of the total project cost. In contrast,
RightNow Technologies designed its integration capabilities to radically
reduce the cost and speed of developing and maintaining eCRM integration.
Overview
This document describes various integration approaches and criteria
for selecting a RightNow Web eService Center integration strategy.
Integration objectives:
Easily integrate with leading sales force automation, call center, and
marketing automation systems.
Define a specific set of standard integration methods, handling the large
majority of integrations without changes in the base code.
Ensure that integration approaches address the technical needs of
conventional Internet-based systems and hosted configurations.
Value-added partners are able to complete integrations.
Integrations must help our customers gain competitive advantage in their
market space.
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 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.

3. Integration Methods
There are four primary methods of eService Center application integration:
1. XML Application Bridge
2. XML Application Program Interface (API) and Event Handlers
3. Redirecting Personal Assistance Requests
4. Data Transfer Utilities
1) XML Application Bridge
Description
The Application Bridge provides for synchronization of eService Center's
customer and incident database information with external related databases.
This is accomplished in a manner that permits “bridging” between
applications – when they are not located in the same data center and if
firewall restrictions are in place. Generally, no programming is required to
the RightNow base code. Programming may be required within the targeted
application.
Firewall Figure 1
• Email – Customer submits an
Publish Incident incident via a Personal
eService Center
eCRM Assistance request.
Customer
Self-Service Console • CSR publishes answer to eSC
CSR
eSC Targeted DB via the targeted application’s
Email DB DB
console.
Chat
• Live Chat – Customer requests
chat, CSR publishes answer to
eSC DB via the targeted
application’s console.
XML
Phone Application • Phone/Fax – CSR publishes and
Bridge enters into console answer to
eSC DB via the targeted
Fax application’s console.
Outbound Information
Information is sent from eSC to a predetermined email address when a
specific event occurs within eSC. The following events are supported:
• When an Incident is created, updated, or deleted
• When a Customer is created, updated, or deleted
• When workflow criteria are matched
These events facilitate sending information to external systems when
information is modified within eSC. The contents of the email contain the
actual data related to the update that has occurred in a format acceptable to
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 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.

4. the external system. This method requires an external system have an email
parser to receive the email, extract the information, and commit appropriate
changes to the database. For example, this function could be used to update
customer information in an external system when customer information is
updated within eService Center.
Inbound Information
When email is received in XML format recognizable to the Application Bridge,
the email is parsed and the information added to the eSC database. This
capability is used to add, update, or delete information within the eSC
knowledge base when changes have occurred in a related external database.
For example, when a help desk application has new information for
publishing on the Web, an email is constructed, sent to the Application
Bridge, and is updated within eSC.
When to Use
The Application Bridge should be chosen when considering application
integration options that cannot be directly posted over the Internet. It is
extremely robust it also takes advantage of XML which can reduces time and
costs.
Benefits:
Requires minimal programming within eService Center
Takes advantage of the XML API.
Very versatile and flexible
Provides an audit trail to prevent data loss in the case of system
downtime
Requirements/Limitations:
Requires an email parser for related external database
Limited to the amount of time to send email between two
systems.
2) XML Application Program Interface (API) and External Events
Handlers
Description
The XML Application Program Interface (API) allows a programmer access to
eSC incident and customer functions across the Web. The eSC XML API uses
the same functions that are used in eSC. The API is accessible by creating
and XML document that is posted over the Web to eSC. Customer-supplied or
professional services-supplied programs can use this API to access or update
information stored in eSC.
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 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.

5. When to Use
Use XML API when information can be posted over the Web directly to eSC.
This method is the fastest and most flexible method of integration. The XML
API is only used to get information into eSC.
Benefits:
Gives programmers a direct interface with eSC to create or
update customers, companies and incidents.
Real time integration by posting information directly over the
Web.
Most flexible form of integration.
Requirements/Limitations:
Requires XML programming experience and familiarity with eSC
functions.
Only used to get information into eSC.
3) External Events
Description
External Events are a custom scripts executed by eSC when a Customer,
Company, Answer, or Incident is created, updated or deleted. These scripts
can be created in any executable language such as PERL or C. External
events are used to get information out of eSC.
When to Use
External Events are primarily used to get information out of eSC. External
Events can be used to automatically send out information in any format. For
example when an incident is created an external event can be programmed
to send an XML page to an application.
Benefits:
• Very flexible and can receive information in many formats.
Requirements/Limitations:
• Requires knowledge of an executable programming language.
4) Redirecting Personal Assistance Requests
Description
Redirecting Personal Assistance requests allows replacement of the Personal
Assistance Web page with a Web page that directs the customer inquiry to
another system. For example, the Personal Assistance page can be replaced
with the ticket creating form from Vantive’s Van Web product so when a
customer wishes human assistance the ticket is directed to the Vantive
system.
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 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.

6. When to Use
This method should be applied when eSC is used strictly for self-service (not
email management or incident tracking), and a straightforward method of
creating incidents in another system is required.
Benefits:
Ease of implementation
Requirements/ Limitations:
Uni-directional data transfer
Does not handle adding new information to the knowledge base
Third party system must have an incident submission Web page
5) Data Transfer Utilities
Description
The data transfer utilities, Kimport and Kexport, allow bulk data to be
transferred between eSC and external systems. Both utilities read from and
write to comma separated value (CSV) formatted files. In addition, an option
on Kimport synchronizes databases by merging new with previous data.
When to Use
The data transfer utilities are used primarily when large amounts of data are
converted from one system to another, or when periodic updates are desired
between systems. For immediate updates of data between systems, use the
Application Bridge.
Benefits:
Facilitates bulk data conversion
Requirements/ Limitations:
Data is batch-processed periodically
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 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.

7. Conclusion
Integrated, cross-channel eCRM applications will increasingly be perceived as
the critical infrastructure that make the difference between the winners and
losers in the business world of the 21st century. Organizations can receive the
ROI and customer service of RightNow Web eService Center even if you
already purchased an Internet customer service solution, or if you are
considering a purchase through stand-alone installation or through
application integration.
Through strong partnerships with professional service companies and
innovative Web-based architecture, RightNow Technologies enables fast,
easy, and seamless integration across the eCRM spectrum. Using the four
methods above, customers can effectively integrate RightNow Web eService
Center with other applications in their CRM environments.
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 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.

8. About the Author
Steve Daines joined RightNow Technologies in June 2000 following a
successful 13-year career with Procter & Gamble. While with P&G, Steve
spent seven years managing supply and manufacturing operation in the US,
followed by a six-year stint in Asia leading the company's expansion in
mainland China. As it evolves into a global operation, Steve directs and
manages all aspects of customer care at RightNow Technologies. Steve
holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Montana State University.
About RightNow Technologies
RightNow Technologies is a leading global provider of proven eService
solutions that deliver rapid time-to-benefit and quick ROI. RightNow’s
comprehensive eService solutions include Web-based self-service, email
response management, live chat and collaboration, and service analytics.
These solutions feature integrated product architecture, highly intuitive
interfaces, and centralized workflow management – all based on a
proprietary customer-driven, self-learning knowledge base.
RightNow also offers a Web-based location tool, RightNow Locator, which
directly links a company’s Web presence with its real-world locations,
providing customers the information they need to purchase products or
obtain services locally.
RightNow customers include Air New Zealand, Ben & Jerry’s, British Airways,
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Fujitsu, Maxtor, Nortel, Orbitz, Ping Golf, Remington,
Sanyo, Social Security Administration, Sprint, and more than 1,100 other
organizations in a wide range of vertical markets.
Founded in 1995, RightNow has offices in Bozeman, Dallas, London, and
Sydney, and an associated office in Tokyo. RightNow’s products are available
in 15 languages worldwide.
For further information visit www.rightnow.com or email info@rightnow.com.
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 2002 RightNow Technologies, Inc.