Turning Microsoft Teams into a cloud-based telephone switchboard

Compounded by the pandemic and the rise of remote work, recent months have seen a surge in the use of modern cloud collaboration tools as many companies have realized that traditional communication channels are limited and obsolete. Indeed, with work becoming increasingly smart, the need to be able to communicate anywhere and seamlessly switch between devices while continuing conversations in real time is critical. So it should come as no surprise that Microsoft 365 turns out to be one of the most widely used unified collaboration platforms in the world with more than 270 million active users in the last year alone. Impressive numbers that confirm to us that all companies regardless of industry, size and geographical area aim for efficient collaboration and communication. While it is true, however, that most of the apps on Microsoft 365 are already well known, the subject changes when we talk about the possibility of using Microsoft Teams as a cloud-based switchboard.

Cloud telephone system: what is it?

A cloud-based phone system is a way to further improve internal and external communication in the company, instead of using traditional on-premise systems.

In fact, due to its entirely virtual nature and operating via the Internet, this type of PBX allows users to make and receive incoming and outgoing calls without a landline, from any Internet-enabled device via special client.

The advantages of a virtual telephone system

There are several reasons why an SMB should consider using a virtual phone service instead of traditional hardware phones. Some of the main ones are:

Increased business agility

Whether the company is growing or downsizing, cloud-based PBXs adapt to daily needs without having to make hardware-side investments. In fact, virtual phone systems are designed to be easily modified to meet evolving needs, as well as being able to be integrated with other cloud applications.This type of PBX is ideal for companies that are spread across multiple locations or have remote and mobile employees since they allow them to connect from anywhere in the world using any brand of smartphone, tablet and laptop and the same office number.

Cost savings

Abandoning on-premise solutions can eliminate hardware investments and reduce ongoing maintenance expenses. Cloud telephony, in fact, is charged as a monthly subscription based on usage, allowing companies to pay only for what they use, instead of overprovisioning the infrastructure to prepare for future peaks.

Business Continuity

In the event of natural disasters or major events that could disrupt business operations, the cloud PBX system would not be affected because the hosting is in different locations. Therefore, even if the office is out of service, calls can be forwarded to other phones or computers through the cloud.

Better collaboration

With a range of features, collaboration among teams is simplified, making the virtual switchboard especially useful for geographically dispersed teams that need to communicate frequently throughout the day, or for remote workers.

Smart work is now part of the new normal and as such requires companies to adapt with more agile processes and new digital initiatives including providing their employees with a modern, flexible and unified communication strategy.

contattaci

Paola Ghezzi

Marketing Manager

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