Vonage can be smoothly integrated with Microsoft Teams, allowing businesses to preserve their existing phone lines and other devices. Using current IT investments with Vonage Direct Routing, users can also control the communications solution with an integrated calling and collaboration experience.
About Vonage
Vonage Business Communications, formerly Vonage Business Cloud, is an all-in-one solution that combines text messaging, voice, video conferencing, team collaboration, and more into a single user experience. In 2004, Vonage Holdings Corp. became one of the first firms to offer cloud Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) cell service to the consumer market. Vonage provides enterprises of all sizes with unified communications (UCaaS) services.
The company offers contact center solutions and business phone services, and many developers are using its application program interfaces (APIs) to design communication networks for their businesses. It announced a significant integration for Microsoft Teams in March 2021, targeting the new requirements of dispersed workplaces.
How Does the Vonage Integration for Microsoft Teams work?
The Vonage integration for Microsoft Teams allows users to place and receive VoIP calls directly through the Teams interface. Users must first install the Vonage app for Teams to use the integration. Once the app is installed, users can log in with their Vonage account credentials and start placing and receiving calls.
Users can set calls to individual contacts or Teams channels. When placing a call to a team, all channel members will be able to see the call in progress and join if they wish. The integration allows users to view their call history and receive voicemail messages directly within the Teams interface.
Key Features of Vonage for Teams
Here are the key features of Vonage for Teams that can help your business stay connected and thrive:
Click-to-Dial
Click-to-Dial is a browser-based plugin that lets users dial any number automatically with only one click. It is beneficial to employees that use web-based business applications like CRM systems alongside Teams. The Vonage phone will immediately ring when the user clicks a phone number on the computer screen, and the user will hear “Please wait” followed by a ringing. At the same time, the party is dialed utilizing auto-dials as soon as you answer.
Voicemail Transcription
Voicemail transcription services allow businesses to transcribe voicemails into text, making it easy to manage communications and connect with customers. Plus, transcribed voicemails can be stored in the cloud, making it possible to find and retrieve them from any device.
Call Presence
Call Presence allows VoIP phone users to see the “status” of other devices on their phone display. If Presence is enabled, users can see if another extension is on a call, if a call is ringing to that extension, or if they are on hold. Thanks to the integration, users can view Vonage presence updates from Teams.
Visual Voicemail
The Vonage Visual Voicemail add-on converts voicemails to text and sends users an email with the transcript. The message’s content is written and readable on any device accessing email. Its automatic system transcribes and sends users an email when they receive a voicemail on their extension. The transcription, phone number, and audio files of the recorded message are included in the email’s body.
Benefits for Vonage and Microsoft customers
Vonage offers a range of benefits that can help to improve communication within an organization. Some of which include:
Integration with contact centers and up to 10 leading CRMs
VBC’s seamless integration with contact centers and corporate applications, such as Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce, will benefit Microsoft Teams users. This seamless integration eliminates the need to switch between applications and screens, giving employees one-stop access to customer data, boosting productivity, and improving customer interactions while safeguarding IT expenditures.
Collaboration between SMS and MMS
VBC for Teams allows sending and receiving SMS and MMS both outside and internally in North America in response to customer demand for improved omnichannel communication solutions. This works on various operating systems and devices, allowing employees and clients to connect more effectively using a single communication medium to transmit and receive text, images, and video.
Improved calling capabilities
It includes all of the features and capabilities of the VBC unified communications solution and the enterprise-grade quality and reliability that employees need to succeed in today’s small world. It also enables businesses to interact and work efficiently with clients worldwide by allowing them to use local numbers in over 100 countries.
Pricing
Vonage and Teams provide various pricing options to its customers, making it easy to find the perfect plan for your needs.
Vonage
Vonage has three plans; Select, Professional, and Ultimate.
● The Select plan costs £9.00 per month for each user.
● The Professional plan costs £12.50 per month for each user.
● The Ultimate plan costs £16.50 per month for each user.
Teams
Microsoft Teams has a Free plan with no fee and requires no commitment. Its features include 5 GB of cloud storage per user, unlimited chat with coworkers and customers, file sharing, tasks, polling, unlimited group meetings for up to 60 minutes, 100 participants per meeting, and data encryption for discussions and chats, calls, and files. Apart from this, businesses can explore the following paid plans that include Teams:
● The Microsoft Teams Essentials plan costs $4.00 monthly per user.
● The Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan costs $6.00 monthly per user.
● The Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan costs $12.50 monthly per user.
The Bottom Line
Vonage for Microsoft Teams provides a way to make and receive calls within Teams. This integration can be an excellent option for organizations that already use Teams for chat-based collaboration and want to add calling capabilities via the Vonage Business Communication system. The service is easy to use and integrates well with the other features of Teams.
