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How to leverage MS Teams and integrate it with your UCaaS

technavadmin UCaaS , , , ,
How to leverage MS Teams and integrate it with your UCaaS
By John Witcher
Director of Client Engagement

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, effective communication and collaboration are paramount for the success of any organization. Many businesses have already embraced Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) as their go-to platform for team collaboration and want to integrate MS Teams with their UCaaS or use it as their UCaaS platform in totality.

The integration of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) with MS Teams is a powerful solution that can enhance your team’s communication and productivity, reduce complexity and lower costs. In this blog, we aim to shed light on this untapped potential, providing you with the necessary steps, recommendations, and insights to seamless UCaaS integration with Microsoft Teams.

Understanding UCaaS and MS Teams

UCaaS is a cloud-based communication solution that has various tools like voice calling, video conferencing, instant messaging, SMS text, WhatsApp, AI, transcription, and presence management in one place.

Microsoft Teams (MS Teams), on the other hand, is included with every type of MS License and is the prevalent collaboration platform known for its robust features, including internal and external communication, file sharing, and project management. 

Integrating UCaaS with MS Teams consolidates communication channels, allowing users to access MS Teams voice/video calls, instant messaging, and collaborative workspaces within a single application as well as leveraging their UCaaS advanced technologies that MS Teams does not provide:

  • Enhanced IVR/PBX, associated management, and reporting
  • SMS text
  • AI and associated technology
  • WhatsApp
  • Contact Center and Workforce Management
  • Transcription

This saves time and simplifies workflows by eliminating the need for switching between multiple tools and enhances productivity by facilitating efficient collaboration, as well as increases the communication mediums, technologies, and management capabilities of MS Teams.

Benefits of UCaaS and MS Teams Integration

UCaaS integration with MS Teams offers a range of benefits that significantly enhance communication and collaboration within organizations.

Cost Savings

By consolidating various communication channels into a single platform, businesses can reduce the expenses associated with managing multiple tools with MS Teams integration.

Improved Efficiency

UCaaS integration improves efficiency and productivity for teams. With UCaaS and MS Teams working seamlessly together, employees can communicate, collaborate, access information more efficiently, use additional enhanced technologies, leading to faster decision-making and smoother workflows.

More Flexibility

Employees to communicate and collaborate from any location or device either from MS Teams or the UCaaS platform. Whether they are in the office, working remotely, or on the go, the integrated UCaaS and MS Teams solution ensures that teams stay connected and productive.

The final takeaway

In conclusion, integrating UCaaS with MS Teams can unlock a world of benefits for organizations. By consolidating communication channels, businesses can save costs and improve efficiency. Moreover, the enhanced collaboration features and flexibility enable seamless teamwork.

If you are considering UCaaS and Microsoft Teams integration for your organization, Technology Navigation is here to make your transition as seamless as possible. Connect with us.

UCaaS providers: the features that differentiate them

technavadmin UCaaS , , ,
UCaaS providers: the features that differentiate them

By Chis Newell
Founder & President

Unified Communications as a Service has been widely adopted due to its low cost, integrations, ease of use, and increased scalability. The online nature of UCaaS platforms enables employees to access communications and collaborate anytime from anywhere, making remote work highly productive. Due to its rising popularity, UCaaS solutions have to contend with each other to become the best for businesses of all sizes.

Below is a review of some of the top UCaaS providers currently dominating the industry to help provide insight for your business.

Ring Central

Ring Central has been one of the top UCaaS companies for the past five years. Their software provides many different services, which include, SMS texting, audio/video conference, instant messaging, business analytics and CCaaS. If you are considering Ring Central, here are some of its main features:

  • High-quality audio and voice calling
  • Simple and convenient user interface
  • Significant team collaboration features
  • Good customer service
  • Very receptive to user suggestions
  • High level of MS Teams integration

Nextiva

This UCaaS company disrupted the industry with its exceptional Business Suite feature containing omnichannel communication for their CCaaS offerings. In addition, their inbuilt CRM feature can help customer-centric businesses rely on customer data and information to make good decisions. These are some of its most important features:

  • Strong native CRM with solid features
  • Convenient Mobile App
  • Flexible User Training
  • White glove customer support
  • Can provide trucking / direct connect to MS Teams as well as full integration

Microsoft Teams

MS Teams is a highly adopted collaboration provider, but they are far from excelling at UCaaS.  There are ways to enhance MS Teams to meet clients’ UCaaS requirements, however, it requires trunking augmentation or full integration with another provider. If you’re considering Microsoft Teams, here are some features to take into consideration:

  • All tools are integrated within a single platform
  • Widely accepted
  • Easy file search options
  • Easy backup and collaboration feature

Zoom 

Zoom jumped onto the UCaaS scene in 2019 when they started offering unified communications as a natural extension of their conferencing product set. Here are some features to look for with Zoom:

  • Hd voice and Hd call
  • A free basic plan for all user
  • 1000+ third-party integration
  • Easy-to-use interface if you are an exsiting zoom user
  • Full-screen view and Zoom rooms

8×8

8×8 has consistently been a solid provider for UCaaS and collaboration services. With their recent acquisition of Fuze their capabilities continue to expand.  MNCs traditionally look favorably on 8×8’s global footprint. Know some of its main features:

  • Solid mobile application
  • Extensive and stable global footprint
  • Faster updates improve the user interface
  • High level of integration with Teams

Dial Pad

Dial Pad is an up-and-coming UCaas provider with some very unique features. Well known for its voice intelligence feature,  Dial Pad processes natural language and has voice recognition to improve customer experience in real-time. In addition, they are rapidly developing a solid omnichannel CCaaS platform. Their features include:

  • Voice intelligence feature
  • Fully integrated UCaaS and CCaaS platform for SMB
  • Digitally enabled, which improves communication solid mobile applications for remote and mobile workforce
  • Strong MS Teams integration

The Takeaway

The best UCaaS and collaboration platform for your business depends on requirements, geography, integrations, budget, and stability needs. However, choosing the right one is not as easy as it seems. At Technology Navigation, we will give you the guidance you need to make the right choice. So, reach out to us here to get started!