Microsoft teams solves communications challenges in a post covid world.
As the pandemic spread globally, businesses were forced to adapt quickly to remote working, whilst still retaining an enterprise-class IT solution that would support employees working from home. For those organisations that had already embraced Microsoft Teams, this transition was much smoother as MS Teams is designed to address communication challenges businesses face daily..
1. Online Collaboration with Microsoft Teams
Microsoft platform technologies are at the core of most business operations today, and Microsoft Teams facilitates many communications processes from instant conference calls to collaboration and document sharing within teams, all without compromising security. Integrating Microsoft Teams into your communications infrastructure is invaluable for workers operating outside of the traditional office environment and will be increasingly necessary going forward as remote working becomes the ‘new norm’ for many employees.
Organisations using conference calls to bring teams together for important meetings will need a conferencing add-on within their Microsoft license. This is included in all Microsoft 365 Business Voice plans and provides users with a regional number (available in most countries) that team members can use to connect to the call.
It’s important to note that the quality of the network connection matters considerably when hosting conference calls. If your internet connection is not ‘up to speed’ this will need to be addressed within your IT strategy to avoid poor quality calls where participants have difficulty connecting or staying connected.
2. MS Teams & Business Telephone Systems
Despite the very real need for online collaboration, one of the most common forms of communication between employees and external businesses is still the traditional phone. Telephone calls are necessary when detailed discussion of a subject is required or when a more personal level of communication must take place. You may be surprised to know that Microsoft Teams offers solutions to manage your telephony requirements as well.
Microsoft Teams can integrate with Voice over IP (VoIP) systems. Combining your existing telephony infrastructure with MS Teams has a number of benefits for businesses:
- Internal and external calls can be placed at any time and from any location.
- All your communication and collaboration tools are available within one window view.
- The platform can be accessed on any device, whether it be a desktop computer, mobile phone, or tablet device and is used with a compatible and inexpensive headset.
This makes Microsoft Teams a viable IT solution for remote and home workers, as well as those working from the business premises.
3. Cost Effective IT Solution
Whilst other communications tools may also facilitate online collaboration and integrate with your telephone systems, one of the major benefits of Microsoft Teams integration is that significant cost savings can often be realised compared to other solutions. When you integrate MS Teams, you can often use your existing phones therefore no additional costs are incurred in terms of replacing your existing equipment. If you have a SIP based phone system, integration is often very easy to accommodate.
Your Microsoft Teams integration can be designed for workers who are on your premises or connecting remotely via the cloud. VEI customers can also avail of a “pay as you grow/consume” model that ensures that you don’t overpay for the solution. In addition, taking out a service contract for a fully managed service often proves beneficial. Once deployed, our experts take on the responsibility for ensuring that your IT systems run smoothly day to day and are on hand to offer support and training for your team members.
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has highlighted how much we rely on robust and remote communications to complete day to day tasks. With so many people working from home, the deployment of communications and collaboration tools is a critical aspect of operations. A highly skilled and experienced IT team such as VEI can support businesses with all aspects of IT infrastructure projects, from reviewing your requirements, identifying the right solutions to suit your requirements and budget, right through to deployment and ongoing systems maintenance. This leaves you free to focus on what matters most—your business growth.
Please contact us to learn more about our IT solutions and discover how we can help your business stay fully connected.