What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Microsoft Teams is for collaboration purposes and for the voice features.
For collaboration or voice features in my daily work, we allow users in our organization to collaborate from teams, channels, sharing files, or to work on a file together within a team in a channel, in a group chat, or in one-on-one chat. We also utilize a whiteboard for collaboration purposes for communication. From the voice aspect, we utilize DIAC routing to allow PSTN calls from the reception, from the call center, and from end users, enabling connections globally on PSTN with end users or external customers.
My organization also utilizes Microsoft Teams to receive calls on the service number, hitting the auto attendant, which can be utilized as a call center experience where options like press one for support, press two for reception, and press three for sales are available. This call handling setup can be managed with Microsoft Teams, specifically through the auto attendant and call queue.
How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Teams has positively impacted my organization in several ways, particularly in planning and adaptability. It provides multiple documents from Microsoft, aiding administrators, users, and end users in understanding how to utilize Microsoft Teams. Deployment and permission management for Microsoft Teams are easy due to existing policies in SharePoint, Exchange, and the compliance side, making it easier to integrate into the Microsoft ecosystem. Familiar terminology and commandlets further boost efficiency, enabling full management of Microsoft Teams operations.
Improved communication is one specific outcome showing how Microsoft Teams has benefited my organization. The platform promotes real-time collaboration, reducing the lengthy nature of traditional email communications. For example, private messages on Microsoft Teams facilitate swift interactions, enhancing business efficiency. Additionally, Microsoft Teams-to-Microsoft Teams calling saves costs, as it only requires a license rather than PSTN calls. The introduction of Operator Connect has streamlined PSTN services, removing complexities and reducing the need for physical infrastructure.
What is most valuable?
The best feature Microsoft Teams offers is collaboration because it allows you to utilize most of the Microsoft 365 services from Microsoft Teams as a front line. When using Microsoft Teams, you do not need to jump to different Microsoft applications like Excel, PowerPoint, or other files, as you can remain in Microsoft Teams while accessing most of the functionalities from the Microsoft 365 suite.
Staying within Microsoft Teams for all those Microsoft 365 services has significantly impacted my workflow and productivity by eliminating the need to switch between different windows, screens, URLs, or web pages. Most tasks I can perform within Microsoft Teams without needing to open new tabs, which saves time and reduces RAM or CPU utilization by my machine. For instance, if I need to listen to a recording from a Microsoft Teams meeting, I can do so directly within Microsoft Teams. Additionally, when I utilize OneDrive, I experience a smooth interaction, as I can organize my OneDrive while remaining in Microsoft Teams. I also leverage Microsoft Teams bots based on my company requirements, using them within Microsoft Teams as message extensions or tabs across different channels and user groups while managing permissions effectively.
From the administrative perspective, there is a better view available in the form of user reports within Microsoft Teams, allowing easy checking of what features and services are being used in my organization. Focusing on the top five services, features, or activities helps me improve user experience through policy and customization based on those reports and dashboards.
What needs improvement?
Microsoft Teams could be improved, especially regarding contact center solutions which have a growing need for omnichannel capabilities, integrating with external platforms such as social media and email for a unified experience.
Minor improvements might include reintroducing features such as GPU options available in classic Microsoft Teams to address issues in modern Microsoft Teams related to video meetings and content sharing. Furthermore, essential information such as who started or ended recordings should be more accessible in the Microsoft Teams admin center.
I rate it a nine because Microsoft Teams occasionally experiences glitches in the client, leading to missing chat history or other transient issues. The performance issues with the desktop client and the support service complexities contribute to my rating being less than perfect.
I have not identified any other improvements needed for Microsoft Teams.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Teams for the last seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Teams is not fully stable, as there are service interruptions and issues with the client.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Regarding scalability, Microsoft Teams allows scaling based on the number of users without any issues.
How are customer service and support?
The customer support for Microsoft Teams is not perfect, as there are delays and it often takes a long time to receive solutions from their product group team.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Skype for Business, and the reason for switching was that Microsoft stopped supporting it, necessitating a move to Microsoft Teams.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment as people from different locations and countries collaborate in real time, saving time and enhancing data and file management within the Microsoft ecosystem.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing has always been transparent with Microsoft, and the setup costs are vendor-specific, which is also contractual and transparent.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other options before choosing Microsoft Teams.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Teams is fully governed by Microsoft due to its cloud technology, as they have integrated Copilot and are working on AI recap summaries for files, recordings, and transcripts, emphasizing governance and security measures such as data encryption.
The accuracy and reliability of Microsoft Teams' AI capabilities are high, especially for summaries and chat information, making it a reliable resource for information retrieval.
Microsoft Teams is deployed in my organization as a public cloud solution. For our public cloud deployment, we use both AWS and Azure.
For others looking into using Microsoft Teams, I recommend it as it is easy to utilize and implement within organizations that are already using Microsoft products, offering beneficial integrations that enhance overall operational efficiency. I rate Microsoft Teams a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure