300 million people. That’s almost equal to the population of 334 million in the United States. The next closest population is Indonesia, with 273 million, followed by Pakistan, Brazil, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia and Mexico.
One thing is clear. Three hundred million Microsoft Teams users are a powerful force. That’s 300 million people connected, communicating and collaborating.
That has consequences that no one can fully grasp.
Because when 300 million people instantly connect, collaborate, and communicate, all sorts of exciting and valuable things can happen.
Today, Microsoft Teams has emerged as the centre of gravity, the heavyweight champion, if you will, of the UCC universe.
Just this month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that Teams usage is at an all-time high, with 300 million monthly active users.
And Microsoft isn’t slowing. They continue to release Teams enhancements, new versions and more updates, including AI-powered features.
It’s no small feat for a company to achieve such dominant market penetration while simultaneously running the entire Teams platform and improving the user experience with enhancements. There are few contenders to rival Microsoft at the moment. And one way or another, all of us are inextricably drawn into Microsoft’s orbit.
Choose Your Platform Carefully. It Could Define You
So, when selecting the right contact centre platform for Microsoft Teams, choose carefully. Because it’s not unlike the U2 song “Cedars of Lebanon,” when Bono sings, “Choose your enemies carefully ’cause they will define you…”
And though a contact centre platform isn’t ‘your enemy,’ per se, it could comprehensively define your infrastructure, the strength of your compliance, customer experience, reputation, and profitability.
You need to be on the right side of that decision lest there be unwelcome outcomes.
Because businesses rely on contact centre platforms to handle customer interactions, it’s crucial to choose one that integrates seamlessly with Teams while providing the best compliance recording capabilities.
Not All Contact Centre Platforms Are Created Equal
With 300 million Teams users, companies are in constant motion to keep up with relevant corporate or regulatory policies that affect the Teams environment.
And not all contact centre platforms for Teams offer the same compliance recording functionality and quality. Consider the following when evaluating and selecting the right Teams platform:
Official Microsoft Certification
Choosing a certified platform can help you avoid potential issues with integration, functionality, or support. This means that the platform has been tested and verified by Microsoft to work with Teams and meet its security, reliability, performance, and compatibility standards.
One Dashboard for the Many
The platform should handle voice and video calls and other channels like SMS, chat, and WhatsApp. This creates a seamless customer experience across multiple touchpoints and can capture and record all relevant interactions for compliance purposes.
Integrated Teams App: The Good Feeling of a Familiar UI
Make sure there’s a native Teams app that agents can use to access all contact centre features and functions within the Teams interface. This helps agents work more efficiently without app switching or learning new user interfaces. It also ensures that all communications are recorded through the Teams app without gaps or errors.
CRM integration Opens the Door to Personalised Service
The platform should integrate with existing CRMs to leverage customer data and provide personalised service. Automatically populate customer information on the operator’s screen when they receive a call or log call details and recordings in the CRM system for future reference.
Data Everywhere. Integrate Business Intelligence Integration
Make sure that it easily integrates with existing business intelligence (BI) tools. This helps analyse and visualise contact centre data to gain insights into your performance, trends, patterns, and opportunities. Monitor key metrics such as call volume, duration, quality, satisfaction and conversion rates.
The Company Directory Is Rich: Import and Sync Contacts
Your company directory shouldn’t be overlooked. With the right contact centre platform, you import and synchronise contacts from your company directory directly in Teams or Azure Active Directory (AAD).
Inclusiveness Reigns
Is the solution inclusive? Is there a version for visually impaired agents? Your platform should be accessible and inclusive for agents with different abilities and needs. Some platforms offer a web version suitable for visually impaired operators who use screen readers or magnifiers.
Are There Any Limits? Because Limitless Is Good
You need a platform without limits on the number of users or service queues. That way, you scale up or down according to your business needs. It can also help avoid additional costs associated with exceeding or changing your limits.
Route Me Along the Journey with Advanced Algorithms
Don’t make me wait. So sayeth today’s customer. Make me wait, and you’ll pay dearly in lost business, lost revenue, reputational damage.
So, make sure the platform allows you to set up customised rules for routing calls to the most appropriate operators or groups based on their skills and availability.
Hello, Is There an IVR In the House?
Consider Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menus to greet, guide, and assist callers with various options and actions. Use IVR to provide information, collect feedback, route calls, or enable self-service. Customise IVR and improve customer satisfaction and reduce call handling time.
A Supervisor Needs Her Console
The platform needs a dedicated console for managers to monitor and manage contact centre operations. They assign permissions and roles to agents and view real-time and historical data on call activity and performance. They listen to or join live calls, provide coaching or feedback, or intervene in case of escalations. A supervisor console is essential because it improves quality assurance, agent productivity, and customer service.
Beam Me Up. The Legacy of PBX Systems
Legacy systems can be the Achilles heel of organisations, especially when they face the challenge of migrating to the cloud. So before deciding on a platform, make sure it supports the transition from an existing PBX system to a cloud-based one that runs on Teams.
Some platforms offer hybrid solutions to keep some of your PBX functionalities while migrating others to the cloud. Mida Solutions notes:
“Despite 300 million Teams users, when it comes to moving the Unified Communications of a company to the cloud, stakes are high. When transferring enterprise communications in a cloud platform, can it be Teams or Zoom, there is much to gain: you start enjoying the advantages of the new UC&C system. But complete migration it’s hard to imagine, even for the most structured companies. We totally understand businesses wanting to proceed with a gradual migration to the cloud, keeping some services on a legacy UC system. Our knowledge on both scenarios allows us to assist and guide enterprises in their shift to the cloud, either it is a total or a partial migration.” – Michele Bernardinello, Business Developer Manager, Mida Solutions
The Power of Choice: On-Prem or Cloud – Have It Your Way
Some platforms offer on-prem and cloud deployments. Others only offer one. Choose the deployment model that best suits your business needs, budget, security, and compliance requirements.
Let’s Talk Price
Price isn’t everything. But it can be. So, be sure to evaluate how the solution provider sets forth pricing. Select a vendor that offers a transparent and flexible pricing model that aligns with your usage and needs. When comparing prices, don’t forget about licensing fees, maintenance fees, or additional features.
Always On 24/7. No Matter What
Downtime, data loss, customer dissatisfaction – words that evoke the road to ruin in contact centres. You need a platform that’s always available and operational, even when there are failures or disruptions. Select solutions with redundancy mechanisms that automatically switch to backup servers or data centres in case of an outage.
It’s No Small Thing. It’s a Big Deal Really
Three hundred million people can’t all be wrong. So, don’t let your contact centre Teams users down. The stakes are just too high. Make the right decision. Because that, in the end, will define you.
