Microsoft Teams is already central to workplace collaboration, but for many businesses, its full potential isn't realized without extending its capabilities. The core functionality of Teams - chat, meetings, and file sharing - are essential, but communication doesn't stop there. Businesses need to make Teams Phone a central part of their communication strategy. Extending Teams Phone allows for better integration, scalability, and control over how you manage and optimize communication.
This isn’t about simply adding more features. It’s about creating a system that works harder for your business, connecting your team, your clients, and your partners more effectively. Here’s how you can extend Teams Phone and unlock more value.
For Teams Phone to be fully integrated into your business communications, you need to connect it to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Without PSTN connectivity, Teams is limited to internal calls and meetings, but for most businesses, being able to communicate outside the organization is essential.
There are two primary ways enterprises connect Teams to the PSTN: Direct Routing and Operator Connect.
The decision between these two options depends on your need for control versus simplicity. Direct Routing is ideal if you have specific needs or prefer managing your telephony infrastructure. However, Operator Connect is a great choice for businesses that want to focus on communication without the complexity of managing additional hardware or configuration.
Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever, and your communication tools need to reflect that. Mobile Connect allows Teams Phone to be extended to mobile devices, so employees can make and receive calls using their Teams number, whether they’re at the office, at home, or on the go. This solution is particularly useful for businesses with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies or teams that need to stay connected at all times.
Mobile integration ensures that employees don’t need separate work and personal phones, keeping everything unified under the same communication system. IT teams can manage mobile usage through Teams’ security and compliance settings, making sure the communication stays secure and in line with company policies.
For businesses that need to stay in constant contact with employees across different locations, extending Teams Phone to mobile devices is a straightforward way to increase flexibility while maintaining a professional and secure environment.
Text messaging has become an essential form of communication for customers. However, most businesses still can’t send or receive SMS messages from their main business phone number within Teams. This creates a gap in communication that many businesses overlook.
Integrating SMS with Teams Phone allows businesses to engage with customers directly via text, offering another channel for communication without requiring new systems or devices. Whether it’s for customer support, appointment reminders, or quick inquiries, text messaging is fast, efficient, and preferred by many customers.
This integration ensures that businesses don’t miss messages from customers who prefer texting, enabling faster responses and improving customer satisfaction. It’s a simple but effective way to ensure that your communication channels remain diverse and responsive.
Even as businesses move toward cloud-based communication, legacy devices and systems remain a part of many organizations. Things like SIP devices, paging systems, and analog phones are still used across various industries. Migrating to a fully cloud-based system might not be possible for every business, especially when some systems are still necessary for daily operations.
Teams Phone allows businesses to integrate these legacy systems, ensuring that they can continue using their existing devices alongside modern tools like Teams. By connecting SIP trunks and analog gateways to Teams, you can unify your communication systems while still using traditional hardware.
This approach makes it easier for businesses to transition to a modern communication environment without needing to overhaul their entire infrastructure. You can keep using the equipment that works for your operations while taking full advantage of the advanced features that Teams provides.
For businesses that rely on contact centers, integrating Teams Phone with these systems is crucial for ensuring seamless customer service. Teams can be used to power both small-scale call centers with the built-in Queues App and large-scale customer support systems through integrations with third-party providers.
Whether you’re using a basic contact center setup or an advanced system, Teams allows for easier management of both internal and external communications from one platform. This integration ensures that agents can handle calls, emails, and chats from customers without switching between different systems.
The flexibility to choose between different types of contact center solutions - whether it’s a full-fledged system or a lightweight app - means you can scale your customer support operations as needed, while maintaining a consistent service experience for your customers.
In regulated industries like finance or healthcare, businesses must ensure that calls are properly recorded and stored for compliance purposes. With Teams Phone, businesses can integrate certified call recording providers to meet these requirements, ensuring that every call is captured, archived, and easily accessible when needed.
Cloud-based call recording offers businesses the ability to securely store and manage call data while adhering to industry regulations. This integration is essential for businesses that need to maintain compliance without disrupting daily operations. The simplicity of cloud-based solutions makes it easier to manage recordings and access them as required.
Artificial Intelligence is gradually making its way into business communication tools, and Teams Phone is no exception. With AI-driven features through Microsoft Copilot, like intelligent call routing, real-time transcription, and meeting summaries, Teams Phone can help streamline communication processes.
For example, AI can automatically transcribe calls, making it easier for teams to track key points without having to take notes manually. AI can also assist in routing calls based on priority or sentiment, ensuring that urgent matters are handled promptly.
While AI is still evolving, the early implementations within Teams Phone are already providing substantial benefits by improving communication efficiency and reducing manual workload.
Extending Teams Phone is about making it a central part of your business communication strategy. Whether it’s connecting to the PSTN, integrating mobile devices, adding SMS capabilities, or ensuring compliance with call recording, these extensions allow Teams to become a more flexible and powerful tool for businesses.
By extending the functionality of Teams Phone, you create a communication environment that is scalable, secure, and responsive to your needs. Whether you are dealing with customer inquiries, managing a mobile workforce, or handling regulatory compliance, the ability to tailor Teams Phone to your specific needs makes it a crucial asset for your business.
Ready to make Teams Phone work harder for you? The tools and integrations are there to help you optimize communication and keep your business running smoothly. Speak to us for more information.
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