Netigate’s API

What is an API?

An API (application programming interface) can be described as a procedure that allows two (or more) systems to communicate with each other. During the API call, systems can retrieve and receive data from each other. Please note that Netigate’s API receives information and allows your system to retrieve information. Netigate never sends data to your system or retrieves data from your system. Netigate’s API is based on the REST standard.
Generally, any system can handle open REST APIs. Common examples are CRM systems, active directories (ADs), HR systems. If you are unsure if your system can handle an API connection, contact your provider.

Possibilities with API

A REST API gives your several different possibilities. We have compiled a list of the most common uses for a Netigate API.

1. Add respondents to an existing send-out

With a Netigate API, you can automatically add respondents to an existing send-out. You create a send-out in Netigate, determine layout, content and design; the API connection will ensure that it goes out to the right respondents at the right time. This solution is useful when you want to send trigger-based surveys. The send-out can be per individual or in batches. Background data can personalise the survey send-out. Automatic notifications can be set to notify relevant people within your organisation about the feedback results. To illustrate the scenario, we have drawn up three examples.

Please note: The option to add respondents to existing send-outs is very useful when you have an action that is supposed to trigger a survey. However, this method cannot add reminders to your survey. Please see 2. Create new send-outs if you feel reminders are necessary.

Example 1:
You want to send a survey every time a customer was in contact with your customer service. To achieve the best result, the survey should go out timely, so the experience is still fresh and relevant in the respondent´s mind. If you do the send-out manually, you will either have a full-time job sending out surveys after every contact or will have to do it in batches which eliminates the valuable time factor. Alternatively, with the API you can connect Netigate with the system your customer service team uses. Every time the customer service agent marks the contact with the customer in their system as “completed”, the system communicates with Netigate to receive the contact details for your customer, Netigate adds them to the send-out list of your survey and sends out the survey. This way, the respondent has the survey within minutes.
Note: You can even add “quarantines”, e.g. block the customer to receive a similar survey for the following 30 days. This is particularly useful if the case has follow-up contacts. If the same customer contacts support again the next day for the same issue, you probably do not want to send the same survey again.

Example 2:
You have an event and want to know afterwards how it was perceived. With the API, the survey can be sent in a batch to all people who attended the event the day after the event has finished. The API connects Netigate with your system, and when you make changes to your system that the event is now “closed”, the system communicates with Netigate to receive the contact details of all participants, add them to the respondent list and send the survey. This way, everyone can evaluate the event at the same time. This is helpful if you want to send batch surveys regularly and save manual labour behind it. With background data, you can e.g. address each respondent with their name. You can set up automated notifications to the responsible trainer of the workshop so they get the feedback directly.

Example 3:
A member has purchased an item in your physical store. Since they are a member, you have their contact details. When your system receives the info that a member has made a purchase, it connects through the API with Netigate, asks Netigate to add the contact details to the send-out and to activate the survey. The member has a survey about their shopping experience in their inbox moments after they made the purchase.

2. Create new send-outs

With a Netigate API, you can automatically create new send-outs. This can be used for trigger-based surveys. Every respondent will receive their own send-out. This allows you to also determine reminders for them. Background data allows a personalised send-out to each person. Automatic notifications can be set to notify relevant people within your organisation about the feedback results.

Example 1:
You want to know what your prospect thought about the performance of your sales rep during the meeting. You connect Netigate with your CRM system via REST API. Once your CRM system gets the info that the sales meeting has ended, it requests Netigate to receive the contact details of the prospect. Netigate will create a send-out to that prospect and they will have a survey in their inbox minutes after the contact point with your sales rep. If the respondent does not answer the survey within a predefined timeframe, e.g. one week, a reminder will be sent to them.

Example 2:
You are an external recruitment agency and your recruiter has found a candidate for a company. 1 week after the hire, you can send a survey through Netigate to the HR responsible asking how happy they were with the recruiter (did they present valid candidates, was the time frame good, did they work professionally, etc.). At a predefined later stage, e.g. 3 months later, another survey can be sent (are you still happy with the recruit, how is the candidate performing, etc.). Through background data, the email send-out can be personalised, e.g. with the recruiter’s name. You can also set an automatic notification to the recruiter directly, so they see the feedback for their performance.

3. Show survey results

With a Netigate REST API, you can retrieve individual survey result data and e.g. visualise them in your own system. This gives several people in your organisation the option to see survey results for areas that concern them, without needing Netigate access.

Example:
You can show in your CRM system how happy the respective customer is with your product. You can base this, for example, on survey results you get from ongoing satisfaction surveys. This gives the option that every sales rep can see how happy their customers are without needing Netigate access. The CRM sends through the API a request to Netigate to receive data. The result will be shown directly in the CRM. Sales Rep A can, therefore, see that customer A gave a 1 – very dissatisfied, in the last evaluation. This will be a good time for the sales rep to reach out to the customer and prevent churn.
Note: this will not show a holistic view of all feedback data. To create a holistic visualisation, you can use shared reports or dashboards.

4. Update respondent lists

Another common use for a REST API is to use it to update respondent lists. This is especially useful for bigger companies or municipalities that have a lot of staff turnover. You can use the API to add from your AD (active directory) to the respondent list. This allows you to have an updated respondent list at all times, even when employees start new or quit position on a regular basis. This way your employee survey reaches all staff quickly and easily.

Setting up an API connection

It is not a big development project to set up a normal API connection. The whole process can be completed within one week, given that you have your requirement-specifications and depending on the responsible party of your system’s integration (provider/ IT department / 3rd party). As a customer, you can always contact your designated Technical Project Manager for further help.

The usual steps for a Netigate REST API are as follows

1st step:
The customer sets requirement specifications. This is a framework that defines which action shall trigger which outcome at which time-frame. It shall also define possible exceptions, e.g. quarantines.

2nd step:
Meeting between Netigate, customer and 3rd party (that can be your in-house IT department, the provider or a 3rd party – depending who shall handle the technical implementation of the API). In the meeting, the goals of the API will be explained and potential technical limitations identified. A plan of implementation will be reached.

3rd step (optional):
Customer sends a list of background data to Netigate. Netigate can pre-populate the background data to help set them up in the desired order (e.g. alphabetical, ascending order) and make the API process easier. Set order applies to ordinal values, which are values you will want to filter on in the results, e.g. business area, region, department. An order is not relevant for text values, which are information that is unique and not applicable for the breakdown in the report, e.g. respondent name, unique customer ID. This step is optional and can also be done directly through REST API by the customer.

4th step:
Netigate sends over API token and IDs (survey ID, send-out ID, background data IDs). Customer, if applicable with help of their 3rd party, sets up API requests and puts IDs in the API code. Note: if you choose to create new sendouts, IDs will not be static and need to be handled directly in the API code.

5th step:
Test-phase. Customer tests the implementation. Netigate can help by confirming if data populates as desired in the Netigate platform. Note: Be aware of potential security issues, e.g. firewalls on your end.

6th step:
API is integrated and can be used.

If you want to see the full API documentation, please visit https://api.netigate.net