Here at Highstream Solutions, we are proud to partner with key industry technology suppliers such as Microsoft. Combined with the weight of our highly experienced team, utilising and supplying their products to our clients ensures they have easy access to cost-effective and secure IT services, whenever they need it.
One tool which is often an essential element of our client’s IT requirements is Microsoft Teams.
Available as part of Microsoft 365 subscription, Microsoft Teams offers leading messaging, collaboration, file sharing and app platform.
A robust communication platform, Microsoft Teams is still proving indispensable for businesses when employees are working from home – or when organising a remote work call is easier and more cost-effective than meeting in person.
The visual nature of an online video call helps people to express themselves and their thoughts quicker, allowing for more effective means of communication and increasing productivity. We take a look at some of the key features and functionalities of this platform.
At its core
As part of its core set of tools, Teams allows people to virtually meet, collaborate and work securely from anywhere. From hosting one-to-one online meetings, to team- or company-wide video calls, through to large-scale virtual events and conferences for thousands of people, Microsoft Teams has it covered. Meeting attendees can even be split into separate breakout rooms, for smaller brainstorming sessions and networking conversations.
Whether in a video call or not, the instant messaging feature allows staff to share important information and links through secure cloud file sharing and collaboration tools in real time, so your team can seamlessly brainstorm together and back up ideas, streamlining efficiency for your workforce.
Team members can also keep the conversation going in Chats, where individuals can be directly @-mentioned so they can stay organised and collaborate more effectively.
Teams Phone
If video isn’t always called for, Teams Phone provides comprehensive calling solutions, using a cloud-based telephone system to allow seamless communication across any device.
This reliable and secure telephony system is easy to manage, not only allowing users to make and answer calls, but also to merge calls with wider team members, transfer calls between devices, take voicemails and even transcribe calls for easy reference and record-keeping. It’s a compelling replacement option for traditional office or VOIP telephone systems.
To be used for automating external calls to the business, advanced call controls include the ability to create an auto attendant, with a menu system to help the caller speak to the right department and create call queues to field callers to the right person to help with their query.
Teams Rooms
Teams Rooms offers a next-level meeting experience, allowing any space to be turned into a smart meeting room. Applicable for every space and every size, this next-level form of video calling encourages participation and collaboration, making users feel as if they are in one space with their colleagues or other meeting attendants. This can really help to bridge the gap between in-office and remote employees.
With the one-touch meeting, attendees can join meetings and engage with the AI-powered high-quality audio and video equipment, with external noise suppression to help everyone feel as if they were in the same space.
AI processing also can enhance and digitally share physical objects, such as whiteboards, so they appear clear and vibrant on every screen, further enhancing inclusivity and contributions to the meeting.
Another integrated feature, IntelliFrame, supports AI-powered active speaker tracking, multiple video streams, and people recognition, to make everyone feel seen and included in the meeting.
For security and compliance peace of mind, each meeting is calibrated with end-to-end encryption, MFA, and data residency, strengthening security profiles on personal, shared, and room devices. So, you can be sure of a secure meeting attended only by invitees, providing a safe space for the individual, information and data.
If you’re interested in how Microsoft Teams can work for you and your business, speak to our team to see how we can support you to enhance productivity and achieve your strategic objectives.
