Central looks at some of the benefits Microsoft Teams Voice has to offer, including how it can help streamline operations and unify communications
As technology continues to advance at pace, we’re seeing what were once pinnacles of innovation become completely redundant – and often, seemingly overnight.
The most recent part of the tech stack to be trumped, legacy phone systems are slowly but surely being replaced by cloud-based solutions across the globe – with Microsoft Teams dominating this opportunity.
According to a recent Forrester study, SMBs can realise an average £93,000 in savings benefit over three years, and enterprises over £9.3bn, by integrating calling capabilities into their communication platform.
Yet, with such a relentless volume of information to digest in the tech space, it comes as no surprise that organisational leaders are hesitant to dive straight into adoption.
To this end, the Central team has clubbed together to provide some of the must-know benefits Teams Voice has to offer. Let’s delve deeper…
Answer calls on the go
There are a whole host of ways to use Teams Voice, although most users tend to install the mobile app, enabling them to make and receive calls in any location – rather than be tied to a desk-based handset.
While this may sound invasive, and blur the boundaries between personal and professional for some, the app has an excellent functionality which allows users to set predetermined, active working hours – during which, notifications of any work-related calls are paused.
Secure and reliable support
By extension, Teams Voice is an inherently secure platform, which enforces organisation-wide multi-factor authentication, single sign on, and continued encryption of data – both in transit and at rest. So, even with the increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks, you can rest easy that your business-critical data will remain secure.
Not only this, but Teams Voice also comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee – backed by a service-level agreement (SLA), load-balancing and in-built redundancy. Because Azure – Microsoft’s cloud technology – is an ultrafast network which spans the entire globe, it’s rare that connections drop out – so you can experience high-quality calls, too.
Scalability and flexibility as required
Because Teams Voice is a cloud-based solution, the infrastructure can be deployed relatively quickly, as well as scaled up or down as required. As a business leader, head of operations, or financial director, the range of investments available allows great flexibility to suit your of-the-moment needs.
For example, organisations can choose between:
- MS Teams Phone Standard (£6 user/month) – Cloud-based phone system with advanced features including call transfer, multilevel auto attendants, and call queues, plus connection to your choice of public switched telephone network (PSTN), and 99.9% uptime SLA.
- MS Teams Phone and Calling Plan (£11.30 user/month) – All the benefits of MS Teams Phone Standard, plus a domestic calling plan with 1,200 minutes per user, per month, in all other available markets.
- MS 365 E5 (£48.10 user/month) – A cloud-based suite of productivity apps combined with advanced voice, analytics, security, and compliance services.
Helps to unify communications
While putting all your eggs in one basket can be a cause for concern if a potential issue arises, the ability to access everything in one central location introduces unparalleled benefits for SMEs.
By housing multiple communication and collaboration channels under the Microsoft banner, you can guarantee complete compatibility from one application to the next – in turn, boosting productivity, streamlining operations, and improving the overall customer experience.
From managing phone numbers to calling plans, voice routing to auto attendants – everything is available in one place.
Built-in security and compliance
There’s no denying that the cyber security landscape is becoming increasingly volatile, which is why it’s important that infrastructure remains robust, to mitigate the risk of an attack. And that’s another reason why MS Teams Voice is so great for businesses!
With built-in compliance features – including team and organisation-wide multi-factor authentication, single sign-on through Active Directory, and encryption of data in transit and rest – you can rest assured that your organisation’s security posture is truly augmented.
- Still need convincing? To learn more about the benefits of Microsoft Teams Voice, and how Central can help manage this secure, reliable, and compliant service on your behalf, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Central Networks and Technologies is a Housing Digital Stakeholder that offers a range of IT support to those in the social housing sector.
Image: mimagephotography/Shutterstock
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