For countless companies (and around 280 million users each month), Microsoft Teams has emerged as the ultimate toolkit for productivity and collaboration. Combining messaging capabilities, with integrated apps, bots, video and voice conferencing and presentation tools, Teams has everything businesses need to synchronise the modern workforce.
However, while Teams, and it’s dedicated app market, might provide organisations with all of the software required to empower employees, business buyers may still need to invest in the right hardware to accompany these tools.
Fortunately, Microsoft has solutions to offer in that regard too, with a comprehensive selection of desk phones, displays, and accompanying devices available from partners. Today, we’re going to explore some of the main reasons companies should consider investing in Teams desktops and displays.
1. Phenomenal Flexibility
First, Microsoft’s partnerships with some of the world’s leading AV brands means business leaders can easily access virtually any tool they might need to facilitate team work in a hybrid and remote landscape. Companies can explore everything from simple entry-level IP desk phones, like the Poly CCX with it’s dedicated screen for managing conversations, to the Yealink DeskVision, for touch-screen interactivity and digital whiteboarding.
Microsoft Teams desk phones and displays give companies the freedom to transform virtually any office space into a fully-featured meeting room, and can scale to accommodate any team size. This ensures business leaders can access the unique tools most likely to support each employee “persona” in their workforce.
Administrators can use video phones like the Crestron Flex to interact with clients and arrange calendars, while business leaders can leverage innovative tools like the Neat Frame for all-in-one collaboration and productivity.
2. Boosted Productivity
While softphones for Teams, and the overall Microsoft Teams app might allow employees to complete many different types of work, many employees will still depend on endpoints for a range of reasons. Administrative professionals often prefer having access to a desk phone which allows them to disconnect crucial calls from the rest of their digital workflow.
Solutions certified for Microsoft Teams allow employees to leverage all the benefits of the collaborative ecosystem, while taking advantage of crucial tools, like speed dialling, call history, and call groups. Companies can even set up displays and desk phones for hot desking scenarios, allowing staff members to quickly leverage the right hardware whenever they need it, by simply signing into a device with their Teams credentials.
The best Microsoft Teams desk phones and displays can also feature innovative features to improve the quality of conversations, such as virtual whiteboard apps, content sharing tools, and high-quality video and audio streams for essential conversations. Plus, many certified tools are built with accessibility in mind, ensuring every employee can make the most out of their collaborative resources.
3. Improved Collaboration
Perhaps one of the main reasons why Microsoft Teams has become such an important tool in the modern workplace, is that it makes it easier for business leaders to align distributed teams. Adding certified desk phones and displays into the mix can help to enhance collaborative experiences even further. For instance, AV tools certified for Microsoft can feature screens which leverage inclusive video layouts to improve connections between office-based and virtual participants.
Camera systems built into desk phones and screens can capture content intelligently, and showcase it alongside valuable context, adding context to a meeting. Many Microsoft Teams displays, and desk phones also come with specialist buttons or screens which allow users to access meetings and calls at the touch of a button, or tap into their calendar without loading up a computer screen.
4. Exceptional Ease of Use
While the transition to new modes of work is causing many employees to rethink their workflows and develop new skills, most team members will want to continue leveraging solutions that feel familiar and simple. Teams desk phones and displays can help to enhance the adoption of new technologies in the workforce, by giving employees access to an environment they already know how to use, within tools they’re comfortable with.
Certified devices for Microsoft Teams are custom-made with ease-of-use in mind, ensuring employees get a predictable, consistent experience every time they launch a meeting. Users can view schedules, join meetings, and more with the touch of a button. Many solutions also come with direct integrations to other crucial Microsoft resources, such as calendars for arranging meetings and Microsoft Viva for managing conferencing spaces.
There are even dedicated desk phones and displays available on the market today that take advantage of innovative tools for user experience. For instance, displays can feature “proximity joining” technology, which allows users to use their personal device to detect nearby rooms and join a meeting instantly. Other solutions may include access to the Cortana voice assistant, so users can start and end meetings with voice controls, rather than touching a shared device.
5. Simplified Security and Management
To be approved for certification from Microsoft, innovative AV devices like desk phones and displays need to undergo stringent testing. Microsoft examines not just the user-friendliness of each device, but also how simple it is to configure, manage, and keep secure. Many approved solutions come with access to automatic updates, which keep systems secure in an evolving workplace.
Back-end solutions for monitoring connected devices built into the Teams ecosystem can also allow managers to keep track of everything from phone and display usage to potential performance issues. Companies can also delegate operations management to experts, allowing them to access proactive insights about hardware, and configure each tool to meet with compliance standards.
Within the Microsoft Teams admin centre, businesses can remotely provision and configure collaboration spaces, or assign devices to new team members without asking them to come into the office. Plus, administrators can view and manage their inventory from one space, tracking licence information, software, and more in a single pane of glass.
