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How and why to integrate Microsoft Teams with your telephony platform

In a Connected World: The Importance of Business Communication

In a world that is increasingly distant physically but close technologically, companies seek to ensure the best communication between their leaders and collaborators, between teams, and also with their customers. And in this ambition, a 'classic' reappears: corporate telephony, which is strengthened by integrating with new technologies such as Microsoft Teams Telephony.

Corporate Numbers and Smartphones: A Necessary Evolution

The widespread use of smartphones has allowed the incorporation and adaptation of so-called corporate numbers, those lines created with the exclusive aim of ensuring communication in work contexts.

Problems with Traditional Telephony in the Digital Age

However, over time, these become obsolete in their forms and even end up being counterproductive in a world that renews its ways of working and communicating. Obsolete telephone exchanges, high maintenance costs, the presence of telephones on desks, or even phone numbers tied to a device in an office are some of the problems that arise as companies evolve.

Microsoft Teams Telephony: The Modern Solution

Thus, the evolution and novelty of new platforms like Microsoft Teams Telephony and the implementation of hybrid workspaces demand new solutions. Today, telephony must respond so that users can make and receive calls from anywhere and on any device, including mobile; promote the ability to enable modern capabilities and devices, and be cost-effective to manage.

Benefits of Microsoft Teams Telephony

This is how new ideas are developed that revolutionize the way of communicating via phone. One of them is the proposal of Microsoft Teams Phone, which allows integrating corporate numbers and substantially increasing their possibilities.

“The devices of this proposal allow very easily integrating telephony to the Teams platform. These devices have the classic functionalities of a phone, but with the ability to integrate into the Microsoft Teams platform in a practical way”, explains Manuel Viskovic, service leader at Newtech Group.

Increase Productivity with Microsoft Teams Telephony

This possibility includes numerous functionalities that provide countless benefits. On this, Viskovic highlights that the main one is “being able to properly manage resources for communication between parties” and adds that the fundamental differential lies in “using the platform internally and corporately while also mapping telephony”.

This possibility allows increasing productivity with an application that seamlessly integrates calls into the workflow. What does this mean? It allows working smarter by bringing together calls, chat, and meetings in an all-in-one application. On the other hand, it saves IT teams time with its more optimized setup and management, and also provides users with flexible devices for any budget.

Key Features of Microsoft Teams Telephony

All this is possible thanks to numerous features that make up the complete experience. Among them, the following stand out:

• Voice and video calls: Employees can make and receive calls to anyone in the Teams network and any phone number.
• Screen sharing: You can share the screen and control the worker’s device to enhance collaboration.
• Visual voicemail: Voicemails can be viewed in one place and receive voicemail transcriptions in the inbox.
• Meeting conversion: Participants can be added to any call to turn an individual call into a group call.
• Transfer: Calls can be easily transferred to other team members, leveraging chat consultations for seamless call transfers.
• Mobile calls: The platform allows making and receiving calls from any number on your mobile device with the Teams app.
• Custom contact groups: Teams can create groups to easily locate important contacts.
• Managing multiple calls: Managing multiple calls is possible with features like call hold and parking.
• Delegation: Phone calls can also be delegated to one or more team members.
• Queues: The ‘auto attendant’ allows placing calls in a queue and assigning calls to available agents.

Recommended Devices for Microsoft Teams Telephony

All these possibilities go hand in hand with appropriate and fundamental technological devices. Regarding the most recommended, the expert from Newtech Group highlights native Microsoft Teams phones: “These are devices that allow the user to log in so that the user experience is equivalent to the desktop app experience, and the setup is transparent in terms of configuration. These devices are fully intuitive for the end user”, he explains.

Variety of Devices for All Needs

There are key devices for each particular space, whether desks, third spaces, or open offices. Among them are the ‘Teams Displays,’ the newest premium complementary experience for calls and collaboration that integrates technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Cortana, and Teams UI so users can participate in calls and meetings seamlessly.

Then there are the desk and video phones where Microsoft Teams’ central phone experience includes rich features such as quick dial access, user home screens, contact access, and collaboration functionality. Lastly, there are low-cost phones and ‘SIP gateway’ that allows the company to use any SIP-compatible device with Microsoft Teams. It also helps customers leverage their existing telephony hardware as they move to Teams Phone.

The Role of the Integrator in Microsoft Teams Telephony

Like any transformation, it never happens in isolation or alone. Specialists accompany, advise, and ensure the best adoption. It is worth noting that implementing Microsoft Teams Phone should have a context and a purpose behind it. This is where the role of technology integrators who bring their knowledge comes in.

The integrator helps in making final decisions on the selection of available infrastructure and technology to integrate. The final decision encompasses much more than specific knowledge of the technology’s functionalities. This is why there are companies like Newtech that analyze problems, create solutions, advise, and conduct technology proof of concept.

In our case, we help companies in the comprehensive adoption of Teams as a communication tool. We consider the current dynamics of the processes carried out to make a convenient transition to the new technology.

This is how the corporate world can integrate traditional calls with the new era of unified communications.

Integration of Teams Direct Routing and Session Border Controllers (SBC) Management

At Newtech Group, we also offer Teams Direct Routing integration services, allowing companies to connect their existing telephony infrastructure with Microsoft Teams. This ensures that users can make and receive traditional phone calls directly from the Teams platform.

To optimize this integration, we use Session Border Controllers to manage and protect voice and data transmission between different networks. SBC ensure the quality, security, and efficiency of business communications.

Next Steps

It is also important to consider the need for an initial good diagnosis on the use of telephony, the people who will use it and their needs, available or possible infrastructure to implement, and no less importantly, the adoption of all this technology and new habits that must be accompanied by change management for the people.

That is why at Newtech Group, we have the experience and trained personnel to offer these services aimed at achieving a return on investment for your organization.

Contact us to learn more about the solutions we provide for the integration of Microsoft Teams Phone System, the Teams platform, and applications that expand its possibilities. Through our Research and Development area, we can offer to solve and automate your organization’s processes.

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