Business Phone

A phone call is no longer just a conversation between people, it is becoming a critical digital asset, just like a PowerPoint, a Word document, or a SharePoint.

Enter Microsoft Teams, a collaboration platform that not only offers chat, video conferencing, and file sharing but also serves as a robust business phone system through Calling Services for Microsoft Teams.

In this blog, we will explore how Microsoft License holders can use these services, and alternatives, to transform their business phone system.

Why Microsoft Teams?

Teams Calling with Co-Pilot enables customers to record, document, understand, and leverage content of any phone call in their organization. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can connect calling content into any system, like in Excel, Outlook, Salesforce, or their customer contact center.

This completely transforms how people think about the value of a phone call as it drastically helps employees to increase their quality of customer support, sales productivity, collaboration and more. Fusion Connect is the leading Cloud Calling company improving phone calls.

Seamless Integration

Microsoft Teams is part of the Microsoft 365 suite, which means it integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft applications like Outlook, Word, and Excel. This makes it easier to schedule calls, share documents, and collaborate in real-time.

Cost-Effective

Traditional phone systems can be expensive to set up and maintain. Microsoft Teams offers a cost-effective alternative that leverages your existing infrastructure and internet connectivity.

Flexibility

Whether you're in the office, at home, or on the go, Microsoft Teams allows you to make and receive calls from any device. This is particularly useful for remote teams and flexible working arrangements.

Setting Up Microsoft Teams as a Business Phone

Setting up Microsoft Teams as a business phone can be achieved through three primary options: Operator Connect, Direct Routing, and Calling Plan, each catering to different business needs and preferences.

Operator Connect

Operator Connect allows businesses to integrate their existing telecom operators with Microsoft Teams, providing a seamless and unified communication experience. With a user-friendly interface, businesses can easily manage and monitor their callings, ensuring efficient communication within the organization. Operator Connect offers flexibility and scalability, enabling businesses to adapt to changing communication needs and organizational growth.

Direct Routing

Direct Routing serves as an alternative for businesses seeking greater customization and control over their telephony infrastructure. It allows organizations to connect their SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) trunks to Microsoft Teams.

Calling Plan

Calling Plan is a Microsoft-provided solution that assigns phone numbers to Teams users, eliminating the need for traditional telephony hardware.

Microsoft Teams Business Phone Features to Explore

Call Queues

Set up call queues to direct incoming calls to the next available representative.

Auto-Attendant

Use the auto-attendant feature to greet callers and direct them to the appropriate department or individual.

Voicemail

Microsoft Teams also offers a voicemail feature, which can transcribe messages and send them to your email.

Call Analytics

Monitor call performance with analytics features that provide insights into call quality, duration, and more.

Microsoft Teams Business Phone Best Practices

• Training
  Ensure that your team is well-versed in how to use Microsoft Teams for calling.
• Quality Check
  Regularly check the call quality and resolve any issues that arise.
• Updates
  Keep your Teams application up to date to benefit from the latest features and security patches.

Microsoft Teams as Your Business Phone

Microsoft Teams is not just a collaboration tool; it's a comprehensive business phone solution that offers flexibility, cost-savings, and seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 apps. By setting it up correctly and exploring its myriad features, you can transform the way your business communicates.

References:

Microsoft: Business phone systems