Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration platform that helps businesses communicate efficiently and effectively. Most companies use the business basic or standard version for internal communication and file sharing, while others invest in a higher-tier solution that includes voice capabilities.
Whether your remote workers have been using Microsoft Teams for years or you're learning the platform's features for the first time, consider unlocking seamless collaboration by merging Teams with a customizable stack of cost-effective communication solutions offered by a Microsoft-approved managed service provider.
Exploring Platform Features: Why So Many Businesses Rely on Microsoft Teams
Efficient, real-time business communication is essential for overall productivity, workforce engagement, and consumer satisfaction. Within two years of its launch in 2017, Microsoft Teams was the collaboration platform of choice for 500,000 organizations. By March 2020, an average of 44 million people were using the platform daily. And in 2023, Q2 figures reported Teams monthly users had hit 280 million.
Companies using Microsoft Teams benefit from some of the most in-demand business communication solutions available. Team members can use the platform for one-on-one meetings or large group gatherings, sharing files, and daily chats, in addition to the following set of impressive collaboration tools.
Video Conferencing
Voice communication can help remote workers feel connected to one another, and adding real-time video adds further personalization to workers’ collaboration experience. With Microsoft Teams, video collaboration can be recorded and transcribed, team members can share whiteboards and documents, and participants can exit large group meetings to converse in virtual "breakout rooms."
Team Chat and Channels
At its core, Microsoft Teams is a chat-based platform. To start a conversation, team members simply select “New Chat” and enter the name, phone number, or email address of the person (or people) they want to message. Chats are private between the selected parties; channels are open to the rest of the organization. “Chats” are best utilized for one-off conversations or general comments or questions, whereas “channel conversations” are typically used for collaborating on projects.
Microsoft Teams Phone
Microsoft Teams Phone brings enterprise phone features directly into the platform. With the add-on service, team members have access to cloud-hosted voicemail, call transcription, operator connect, and advanced call control features, including auto attendants, call queues, and voice-enabled channels.
Teams' native calling plans are intended for use by small- to medium-sized businesses, whose telephony needs are unlikely to fluctuate throughout the month. For larger enterprises whose operations need the flexibility to scale up or down according to their needs, the best value is combining Microsoft Teams with a more-comprehensive communications platform.
How Choosing the Right Business Communication Provider Enhances Team Capabilities
Microsoft’s calling plans give end-users the many advantages of transmitting incoming and outgoing calls over the internet. However, Microsoft’s phone plans have a limited number of features. They're sold in bundles, price-per-user charges are locked in, and subscribers need to be logged into the system to make and receive calls.
But Microsoft also empowers approved managed service providers to take the platform's capabilities to the next level by integrating Microsoft Teams into managed service providers’ call, chat, video, and audio conferencing platforms, creating a more flexible, customizable telephony solution that’s still powered by Microsoft Teams.
Enhanced Scalability & Flexibility
By nature, Microsoft Teams is a one-size-fits-most collaboration solution. But with the right managed service provider, you'll have a flexible, scalable service that supercharges Microsoft Teams by augmenting the platform's basic video conferencing, chat, and collaboration features with robust enterprise voice capabilities. You'll also have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your business is supported by a team of skilled, knowledgeable IT professionals and advanced enterprise features Microsoft doesn't offer.
Enterprise-Level Call Center Features
Microsoft Teams provides a limited number of call center features. But end-users can't configure call queues or auto attendants in Teams without a resource account for each attendant, a compatible phone system, and virtual user licensing.
By partnering with a Microsoft-approved managed service provider, you get all the voice functionality you need for business-level communication, advanced call routing (even during holidays and off-hours), AI-enhanced call reporting, call holding and transfer, and more.
Advanced Team Features from Your Current Phone System
With Microsoft's phone service added to Teams, you'll need Teams-certified desktop phones to use the platform in place of your business phone, adding to your overall investment costs. But when you invest in managed Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) or managed Session Initiated Protocol (mSIP), you can use Teams features with your current business phone.
Phone systems that are not SIP-compatible can be converted with an inexpensive adaptor that converts analog phone signals to digital packets transmitted over the internet. Your voice, video, data, and Teams applications are consolidated into a single user-friendly interface. Your network is protected with the latest encryption technology and tools that detect (and deter) security threats. If internet service is disrupted for any reason, incoming calls are easily dispatched to an alternate number.
Teams Implementation and Continual Support
Although Microsoft Teams offers many advantages, it was not designed to replace an enterprise phone system, and Microsoft doesn't provide the support or training many IT departments need to manage migration. If your IT staff doesn't have enough experience to manage the process efficiently, your company could be saddled with costly downtime. There's also the issue of platform training. Microsoft-certified vendors ensure your transition (and training) goes smoothly.
Could Voice-Enabled Teams Unlock Seamless Collaboration for Your Business?
Microsoft Teams offers an impressive combination of features. It's the most popular conferencing platform in 41 countries. Integrating Teams and enterprise voice unlocks seamless communication by augmenting the platform's impressive chat, collaboration, and video conferencing features and closing the gaps between what the software offers and what your business needs.
As a Direct Gold Microsoft Partner, BCM One offers end-to-end Teams deployment, enterprise-grade collaboration training, and exemplary customer support. To learn more about supporting your staff with voice-enabled Microsoft Teams, contact us today.
