Today’s workplace is rapidly changing as more and more enterprise leaders realize the importance of enhancing formerly complex processes like video/audio conferencing, endpoint management, and other workplace collaboration tools. The aim, to improve the state of remote work, and Microsoft remains at the forefront of innovation in workplace collaboration, striving to meet the demands of a growing mobile workforce who rely on these tools to connect a scattered workforce.
The software developer’s approach – to revolutionize the way we collaborate through a set of robust cloud-based tools like Microsoft Teams, which received a face-lift at yesterday’s Ignite event. The tech giant announced a new partnership with Cisco that enables Webex video devices to connect with Microsoft Teams and vice versa. This may be an attempt at bridging the gap between the countless team collaboration apps that remain fragmented.
Microsoft-Cisco Offering Available in 2020
Microsoft and Cisco teaming up makes sense, especially as a growing number of software companies push to differentiate offerings while focusing on enhancing CX and the future of work.
Cisco will first introduce the Microsoft third-party certified offering, which enables Webex Room devices and SIP video conferencing devices to join Microsoft Teams meetings. According to a blog post written by Sri Srinivasan, Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Team Collaboration Group at Cisco:
“These capabilities will be supported on the latest generations of meeting room devices that can run via embedded web technologies”
Srinivasan added, they will support more vendors in the future, but for now – they want to simplify the user experience for two key audiences, Webex and Teams users. He added, ‘we hope to accelerate interoperability options for our customers as they adopt Cisco Webex Teams and Webex Meetings solutions within their organizations.’
Teams Expert Reacts to Teams-Webex News
There are a lot of solid business strategies involved in the new partnership, which should be beneficial for both who see it as an opportunity to mutually improve CX for the millions of enterprise users who depend on their offerings. For me, the announcement marks the beginning of mega UC brands realizing the value of working together to extend productivity and agility to customers.
Enough with what I think, Callum Hardie is an actual expert on Microsoft Teams, as a Service Delivery Specialist at Exactive. He shared his initial reaction to the news from Microsoft Ignite.
“I am very excited about the announcement as it is a real signal of intent for native integration with other solutions opening up a whole world of opportunity and collaboration. I cant wait to see what else could be released this week”
Hardie added, he hopes Microsoft releases a set of calling APIs to accommodate the ‘many’ organizations waiting on the advanced features.
Beefing Up Teams All-Around
According to a recent TechCrunch report, Microsoft Teams is getting several extra features. MS Teams users will soon gain access to secure private channels, multi-window chats, meetings, pinned channels, and task integration. Microsoft Teams will also support Zoom Meetings, and the MS Teams Phone System is getting emergency calls.
They didn’t forget about IT professionals who have to consider day-to-day management, Microsoft plans to update management features that ensure security within Teams and launch a Teams client for Linux. All this demonstrates just how Microsoft plans to continue its dominance in the collaboration space. Stick around for more Ignite news this week – we’re bringing you the latest from Microsoft Ignite 2019.
