What Is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing?
With the shift to remote and flexible working, the modern workforce is here to stay. Although many businesses have already started the digital transformation, telephony is often the tool that gets overlooked. But now there are no more excuses. Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is here to streamline and centralise all your communication, for a fully agile workplace.
In this guide we dig into the world of Microsoft Teams Direct Routing and all the benefits it will bring to your business.
Let’s get started.
Why your communication needs a modern twist
The world has changed. Customers’ needs have changed. Employees work approach have changed. And so, business must change too.
You might have opened the office up again, but the remote workforce is here to stay. Therefore, business operations must be flexible and agile to adapt with the change of locations. You must make sure that collaboration and communication stay reliable and most importantly secure. This is the reality in the office, but it is especially the reality when remote working is the norm.
Teams who used to see each other in the office every day, could fully do with a traditional phone system. One that was bolted to their office desk and only got picked up in business hours. But what do we do now, when we are not bound to a specific desk?
Today we operate in a fast paced and mostly digital environment. The old solutions just won’t do anymore.
Why they won’t?
Today we use hot desking and sit at a new desk every day. We might work from our home office twice a week. The local coffee shop might be our most productive office. Or we might even be working from a beach house across the country.
Modern workers wants flexibility, and they want the equipment that gives them the freedom to work from wherever, whenever.
That is why they need to be able to communicate from anywhere, and they need to be able to use the devices they already have with them on the go.
This makes on-premises phone system a huge challenge for businesses.
What tools do we use throughout our workday?
Mobiles, laptops, and tablets. They work together and the seamless integration and transition between the tools make them perfect for the modern business place. So why not give your employees the ability to use their existing devices to perform all the jobs they need to do?
The answer is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing.
What is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing?
Microsoft Direct Routing allows for you to make and receive external phone calls on any device that you have directly from within Teams.
Yes, you read that right!
It means that Microsoft Teams can now be your ‘normal’ phone system. Always there, always on.
Are you on the go? It’s there via your mobile App.
Are you hot desking? You can take phone calls from your laptop right within Teams.
Working from the beach? Not a problem. Your tablet is now your phone while remote working.
It will not only give you the option of taking phone calls from your existing Teams chat connections. It will also work as your normal phone for all external phone numbers.
How can it do that?
Direct Routing provides a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) connection to all Microsoft Teams users. Where business telephone calls traditionally were delivered via a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) phone system located on the business premises. Direct Routing will give your business a whole new sense of flexibility and convenience.
By replacing your business traditional PBX phone system with Microsoft Teams Direct Routing, you will get the full PBX voice calling capabilities, from the easy-to-use Teams software.
Better yet.
Teams Direct Routing will allow you to cut down on costs, as you no longer will need all the associated equipment a traditional phone system requires. Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is fully Cloud-based, which makes it possible for you to access your ‘business phone’ wherever you are.
How does Microsoft Teams Direct Routing work?
Direct routing will connect you to the PSTN via your telephony partner. The provider offers all the necessary Cloud infrastructure, to route the incoming and outgoing calls right from Microsoft Teams.
Direct Routing will offer you and your workforce flexibility and the ability to truly work from anywhere, without clunky desk phones tying you to a desk. All this for a lower cost than what you have now.
Many business have already migrated to Microsoft 365 during the pandemic.
Why does this matter?
It makes the shift even easier for your team. They will already be familiar with the Teams software and interface making the transition trouble-free.
The key benefits of Microsoft Teams Direct Routing
The list of benefits that Microsoft Teams Direct Routing will give your business goes on and on. It is a big part of the digital transformation, and it will make your IT set up more streamlined and consistent. Although the digital transformation is already here, and many businesses are currently going through it, telephony is often the thing that gets overlooked.
Shifting to Microsoft Teams Direct Routing, however, will give you the unified communications any workforce is dreaming off.
So, here is some of the key benefits your business can expect from making the shift.
Centralisation
Your business can leverage from the already well-known Microsoft software, and use this for streamlined communication throughout the organisation. It means having just one tool for all the communication you have and centralised IT support.
No matter how large your organisation is, Direct Routing can be implemented easily in all locations, and simplify employee training.
Simplicity
You can avoid have multiple suppliers, and centralise all your communication under just one fully managed service provider. It makes support for your business simple and less time consuming. Worried about your existing numbers? Not a problem. All numbers can be ported to the Cloud solution, making the shift simple and easy.
Agility
As everything will be Cloud based, it makes it simple to add, remove or modify any users as your workforce change. You won’t have the trouble of on-premises PBX equipment and won’t need technicians to come on site for costly operations, any time an issue occurs.
Have you thought about changing to hot desking or more flexibility in your office environment? With Teams Direct Routing, your locations will no longer matter. It gives you the possibility of being agile and work from anywhere.
Consistency
Training of employees will be a much simpler job, as they get the consistency in their work tools. You will now have the same interface for both your internal and your external communication.
It is a consistent experience for your employees, and your customers will never know the difference.
Microsoft provides you with all the tools a modern workplace needs from video conferencing, to chats, file sharing and emails. The last think missing is external phone calls, and with Direct Routing that option is finally here.
Reduced Costs
Finally, and very importantly, Direct Routing will allow your business to save on costs.
Traditional telephony hardware is expensive to purchase, to install and to maintain.
When everything is Cloud based, maintaining can be done remotely. That means you won’t have to pay for engineers to come on site. Cloud based telephony is a time saver, and you will only pay for the resources you actually use. Finally, you can up- or downscale whenever it is needed, to make sure that you pay for what you need and use, and nothing more.
Want to hear more about Teams Direct Routing?
The remote a flexible workforce is already here, and businesses must adapt and take part in the digital transformation by adapting more agile business processes. A modern communication strategy will take you a step in the right direction, and being Cloud based has made the transition easier than ever.
Want to hear more? Fill out the form, and we will call you back to discuss how Microsoft Teams Direct Routing can benefit your business.
Want to hear more about Teams Direct Routing?
Want to hear more? Fill out the form, and we will call you back to discuss how Microsoft Teams Direct Routing can benefit your business.