The coronavirus pandemic presented many challenges for businesses. For during the lock-downs, businesses had to transition to working remotely. Fortunately, at BITS we are a long-time partner of Microsoft. Therefore, during this period, the services that we were providing to our clients played an essential role in businesses being able to set up and work from home. In line with this transition to remote work, our help-desk quickly became inundated with calls. What was challenging was that our business too had to transition online, whilst maintaining high quality services to clients by providing over-the-phone support and remote assistance.
Before we delve in, let’s go over the basics.
What Is Microsoft Teams Voice?
Microsoft Teams Voice is a powerful communication solution that transforms the way businesses connect and collaborate. Integrating seamlessly with the broader Microsoft Teams platform, Teams Voice extends beyond conventional messaging and video conferencing, offering a comprehensive voice communication experience. It enables users to make and receive calls directly within the Teams interface, streamlining communication and enhancing productivity. With features such as call forwarding, voicemail, and call history, Teams Voice provides a robust telephony solution for modern workplaces.
Benefits of Microsoft Teams Voice
There are multiple benefits of Microsoft Teams Voice. From the seamless integration and ease of mobility it allows, to the cost effectiveness of the platform, Microsoft Teams Voice is a powerful system. Let’s explore each of the benefits in more detail.
#1 Ease of Integration
To be able to continue to provide high quality services, we knew we needed to make some adjustments. In the leading months, we had been using the Teams platform. This meant we were already familiar with the video calling function. Logically, the next step was to move our entire telephone/calling service over to Microsoft Teams. The ease at which we were able to move 100% into the cloud for Teams Voice however, was impressive – even to a bunch of techies like us!
#2 Take Calls Any Time, Any Where
Despite having gradually moved back into the office, As we have gradually moved back into the office, we decided to stick with Teams for our Voice and Video calls. We now have no phones on our desks – although you can get Teams compatible phones – and we have a wireless headset for each staff member. There is also an App which you can install onto a smart phone which means that if you were out of the office you could receive calls transferred from the office over the Teams App.
#3 Cost Effective
The cost-saving aspect was an additional advantage of this transition. We’ve eliminated line rental costs entirely. Now, our staff have the flexibility to work from home any day. Additionally, once they have the app on their smartphone or laptop, they are seamlessly integrated to handle calls and provide support to our clients. Moreover, Microsoft’s calling plans are quite generous, resulting in additional cost savings. For the first time, we have fixed costs associated with the telecommunications of our business.
Why should you consider Microsoft Teams for your voice calls?
If there is one thing that the pandemic has taught businesses, it’s that they need to remain agile and to be prepared to make major changes at short notice. If you aim to enable remote work for your staff while ensuring they remain part of the same team as they would be in the office, implementing a VOIP solution like Teams is the simplest and most effective way to accomplish this.
Our business is a prime example as we have implemented Microsoft Teams into our workplace. We have learnt how to effectively implement it to ensure it’s fit for our business purposes. Having had first hand experience with the platform, we can confidently recommend the service to our clients.
This innovative tool not only consolidates communication channels but also facilitates a more unified and collaborative work environment. Teams Voice is not just about making calls; it’s about fostering efficient, integrated, and dynamic communication within the familiar Microsoft Teams ecosystem. Whether in the office or working remotely, Microsoft Teams Voice is a game-changer in modern business communication.
Contact us today for more information on how Microsoft Teams & in particular, Microsoft Teams Voice, can help your business.
Next Blog: Technical Challenges Around an Office Move