There are several apps on the market that were designed to improve lines of communication for organizations. Slack is one, and Teams from Microsoft is becoming a more well-known option for organizations running Office 365. Each has their own following for one reason or another. There is, however, a feature available for Teams that other similar apps cannot offer – a cloud Phone System.
O365 Phone System for Teams
O365 Phone System provides high quality phone service with less equipment than conventional PBX systems, in most cases utilizing your existing Internet connection. It has a ton of features and is easier (more intuitive) to manage than traditional phone systems. It can be run either on a desk phone handset or as an app on the desktop of your computer – so if you travel, you can have your work phone with you wherever you go.
Accessible Flexibility
While Teams phones can be run exclusively from your computer (like a “softphone”), some people might want desk phone handsets, too. Should your computer install an update, or you install software that requires a reboot, your access to Teams on your computer becomes unavailable during that reboot. In that case, you couldn’t make or receive phone calls, unless you had a desk phone. A desk phone isn’t impacted by a reboot of your computer because it has its own installation of Teams on it. Even though it’s running on Teams in the cloud, it’s not tied to your computer.
You may wonder “what if I lose Internet access? Won’t I then be without phone service, too?” You would be right, but one of many accessibility features of Teams Phone System is the ability to use the Teams App on your smart phone with its data connection. You can either receive Teams calls within the app, or you can choose to forward Teams calls to your cell number as needed. (And by the way, if your internet connection goes down a lot – contact us, because it shouldn’t! We’ve helped others figure out why it’s happening and get in place automatic failover to a redundant connection.)
Affordable, Productive, and Versatile
There are a variety of Teams-approved phones and accessories available. We have done a lot of research and are always testing different models to determine which will work best for businesses. Keep in mind that an O365 Phone System user must have proper licensing.
Teams Phone System is competitive with other hosted VoIP phone system offerings, at about $20 per user, per month. This includes the system capabilities and features as well as a domestic call plan with 3,000 minutes per user each month.
Based on our evaluation for internal use, we’ve determined the benefits of O365 Phone System outweigh traditional phone systems and service. There are reduced costs for equipment and maintenance, and dedicated phone circuits can be eliminated, potentially saving small businesses many thousands of dollars each year). A Teams phone system is easier to manage internally without paying an external provider to make changes to things like menus and ring groups. Organizations will realize increased productivity and versatility due to ongoing feature improvements. Some of our users have found it convenient to have access on their PC to call history, voicemail messages, and missed call notifications.
Are you interested in how O365 Phone Systems for Teams works and can benefit you? We’re happy to help you understand the ins and outs of transitioning your organization! Reach out online or by calling your local office (231-944-1100 or 248-286-1166).
Farmington Hills: (248) 286-1166
