Microsoft Teams as a tool for making calls?

Recent months have forced many companies to change their modus operandi and transfer communication mostly to online environment. Are you looking for ways how to effectively cooperate remotely as well? We are going to introduce you a possibility of making calls via Microsoft Teams, a platform for team collaboration.

Via this platform, as a part of the Office 365 package, it´s possible to cooperate across multiple teams. Microsoft Teams allows multilevel cooperation, sharing documents and serves also as a communication channel for small project management. Moreover, it offers a possibility to make calls not only within the application but, after implementation of the Direct Routing tool, to any external phone number.

Online meetings in the Microsoft Teams environment

Making calls directly within the Microsoft Teams environment promotes basic functions of the telephone system such as making calls, their receiving, buffering or redirection. The platform offers also call history, voice mail or emergency calls if needed.

Thanks to this platform, you can reach out not only to your colleagues within the company but also to external collaborators or customers who communicate with you via this tool. You can make calls from anywhere and from any device if you´re connected to the Internet.

Making calls like from a regular mobile phone

Via Microsoft Teams´ “Voice over IP“ (VoIP), you can call also on external phone numbers and reach any mobile phone or landline. You can receive external phone calls as well. This service is covered by the Phone System, similar to online calls via the PSTN service in Skype.

Microsoft Teams Direct Routing enables using Microsoft Teams exactly like your regular phone from any device connected to the Internet.

What do you need?

• a suitable Office 365 plan – E1, E3 or E5 (for E1 and E3 it´s necessary to add the Phone System + Audio System licence);
• a virtual version of the analogue phone line SIP-Trunk with sufficient amount of numbers;
• a certified SBC driver (Session Border Controller) and a virtual central switchboard of a telecom operator enabling connection;
• a suitable audio-conference device or headset;
• solution implementation.

Interconnection of Office 365 and Dynamics 365

Office 365 is able to synchronize with Microsoft Dynamics 365, thanks to which you will have all information in one place. When a customer already recorded in the CRM system will call you via Microsoft Teams, a dialogue box will pop-up on the screen with detail information about the customer, for instance, name of the company, name of the customer with his/her picture or notes from previous communication. During the phone call, you can make notes and save them to the CRM system with one click.

In case a customer, who is not in your CRM database yet, is calling, you can easily establish a business case via the dialogue box.

What phone-related benefits does Microsoft Teams offer?

• a modern communication tool providing phone calls also on external numbers as well as receiving incoming calls;
• connection of existing telecom providers and phone numbers with Teams;
• a possibility to communicate via various devices (a mobile phone, landline, tablet, etc.);
• redirection of a phone call to other person in absence;
• call history;
• support of employee mobility during home office or business trips;
• recording of phone calls;
• cheap calls from abroad (prices depend on calculations of individual telecom providers);
• a possibility to synchronize Office 365 with Dynamics 365;
• automatic display of customer´s details directly during the phone call if the contact is already stored in the Dynamics 365 database;
• implementation of the solution into cloud environment as well as on-premise (on company´s servers).

Nowadays, Microsoft offers free Office 365 E1 package for six months. If you don´t have Microsoft Teams yet and you´re interested in the benefits of this platform, go for this opportunity and experience its advantages for yourself.

Microsoft Teams can simplify your remote work and strengthen not only your internal communication but also communication with your customers or external partners. In case you need help with basic configuration of this tool, or you are in the process of digital transformation and you are interested in a CRM system, do not hesitate and contact us. We will be pleased to offer you a free consultation.