Microsoft Teams, as one of the leading all-in-one platforms for communication, collaboration, and productivity, has transformed the way we work. More than 300 million people rely on this this solution to keep teams aligned. The only problem? They often struggle to bridge the gaps between Teams, and their existing, essential business tools.
Cisco BroadWorks, and the BroadSoft ecosystem are responsible for powering endless enterprise-grade calling solutions, offering greater functionality than Teams’ own phone offerings. The challenge for business leaders is in figuring out how to connect their current phone technology to all of the beneficial capabilities Microsoft Teams has to offer.
Fortunately, there is a solution for companies, service providers, and resellers alike.
The Issue with Linking Broadsoft and Microsoft Teams
Though Microsoft and Cisco may be competitors in the communication and collaboration space, they’ve both recognized the overlap between their potential customers. In fact, the companies have announced integration options and device accreditation options in the past, to ensure that organizations can access the best of both worlds.
Unfortunately, even with devices that work across both platforms, it’s difficult for companies to access a truly “aligned” Broadsoft and Microsoft Teams experience. Microsoft Teams might be able to run seamlessly on Cisco Room and Desk devices, but companies can’t access a full BroadSoft experience within Teams, without the help of resellers and MSPs.
As standard, Teams doesn’t offer any visibility into Broadsoft itself. This means that users on Teams can’t access Broadsoft directories, and associated functionality, without jumping between different apps and platforms. The only way to address this issue, is with a dedicated application that forms the “glue” between the two platforms, converting them into a single ecosystem.
Bridging the Gap Between BroadSoft and Microsoft Teams
The good news for business leaders, is the flexibility of the Microsoft Teams platform, combined with Microsoft’s commitment to working with third-party vendors, means it is possible to customize the system to suit your needs, and align with other technologies. Here’s how businesses can get started.
Step 1: Identify Your Needs
The first step in bringing BroadSoft and Microsoft Teams together, is determining what you need from your unified ecosystem. For some businesses, the most important feature will be the ability to access Broadsoft directories and presence information within Teams.
For others, it may be important to access more advanced solutions, such as agent dashboards, where teams can monitor workflows, collaborate with teams, and track metrics. Or you may need comprehensive supervisor tools which assist business leaders with assigning tasks to team members and monitoring performance KPIs.
You may even want to access the full benefits of BroadSoft’s contact center solutions within Teams, unlocking better call quality, routing capabilities, and customer management solutions. Whatever your specific needs, ensure you look for a solution that supports straightforward deployment and offers an easy-to-use interface for agents and supervisors.
Step 2: Find the Right Vendor
Few vendors can offer a truly comprehensive solution for connecting BroadSoft and Microsoft Teams, so it’s important to examine your options carefully. For instance, leading solutions provider Kakapo Systems offers one of the most robust and flexible systems for integration.
