Returning to the office probably feels great for many temporary home workers who believe that their office desk set-up can’t be replicated. Getting back to the full office set-up is perfect for the right now, but we are facing uncertain times and contingency plans are necessary. It is now more important than ever to have a full remote working solution in place so, if the need arises again, your business is a step ahead and ready to quickly deploy a remote working set-up.

Microsoft 365 offers what we like to call the complete remote working solution – If you’re looking for a seamless migration to the cloud, advanced enterprise-grade security and a host of productivity tools, Microsoft 365 is a solution like no other. Security should be considered carefully when it comes to a remote working solution. Microsoft 365 comes with multi-factor authentication (MFA), as well as the built-in features you receive with Windows 10, to give you peace of mind that your business is secure

Almost every business handles sensitive data; 365 provides tailored security solutions like email encryption and data loss prevention, so you won’t have to worry if your remote workers accidentally share something in the wrong place. Everything is securely kept within the digital walls of your organisation.

In the wake of COVID-19 lockdown, it’s important to learn the lessons that were harshly taught as we were forced to work remotely. If businesses are ushered back into their homes in mass again, already having remote collaboration tools in place allows you to pick up business as usual immediately. Apps like Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive, part of the 365 suite, give your staff ample opportunity to work together seamlessly and perhaps even more productively than in the office.

Microsoft are constantly improving Microsoft 365 as a solution to enable users work more efficiently; should you want to check-in on your departments and employees, Teams now has breakout rooms where your staff can brainstorm ideas together in smaller groups. 

Putting your business a step ahead in times like these involves implementing cloud services that can fully upgrade the way your staff have previously been working from home. Microsoft Azure is the backbone of Microsoft 365, providing the solid, reliable cloud infrastructure that boosts the performance and security of 365. Azure enables you to run other applications on the same cloud infrastructure as 365, meaning better integration and a smoother experience.

Within Azure you can also leverage Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD): your comprehensive desktop in the cloud. WVD offers the same desktop experience for employees as when they were in the office, allowing them to work remotely with little change adoption; all wrapped in the protective bubble of Microsoft security. With WVD, you can monitor your organisation’s activity live, and provide remote staff with the latest cloud solutions and upgrades. WVD rules out the need for any additional physical infrastructure, delivering a desktop set-up without the need for technical expertise.

Are you getting the complete remote working solution out of your Microsoft plan? Maybe you’re looking to implement a remote working solution in the wake of the lockdown or you’re planning for the future? We can support you in leveraging the benefits of a complete cloud solution to make your business more resilient in the face of uncertainty and offer more flexibility for your team.

The working world as we know it has changed. Few employees now work full-time at an office desk, instead operating more flexibly; from home or on the go. For businesses whose employees are splitting their time between office and remote working, the need for a more flexible communication system has arisen. Microsoft 365 Business Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for small and medium sized businesses, to enable seamless flexible working. It enables users to make, receive, and transfer calls to and from landlines and mobile phones in Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft identified a feature gap within its incredibly popular collaboration hub Teams; calling functionality. The ability for Teams users to phone and receive calls at the click of a mouse was the missing piece of the puzzle. But exactly why is Business Voice the answer?

Business Voice can easily be added on to Microsoft 365’s Business Basic and Standard SKUs (formerly Office 365 Business) and is now sold as an add-on to these, available to business with 300 users or less.

Business Voice is so simple; it’s not another application to learn or login to, it is simply the (until now) redundant ‘Calls’ tab within Microsoft Teams. No need to go through heavy set-up or manual install; once added on to an existing plan, Business Voice completes Teams to offer an integrated collaboration experience. Little to no training is required for users who already have teams and Business Voice is already synced to your Outlook contacts.

Business Voice enables users to keep their work phone number when away from their desks. When the lockdown first occurred in March, many customer-facing employees resorted to giving out personal numbers, just so they could keep in contact. Business Voice helps employees remain professional and still be reached at all working hours.

Remote working is now essential for most businesses due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  Business Voice enables small businesses to stay connected through their single existing phone number across their computer, mobile device, and also desk phone. Users have a consistent experience across devices with the Microsoft Teams app. Transitioning to remote working may seem daunting to some office-based companies, but with Teams and Business Voice, business-as-usual is easy to achieve.  

For those responsible for managing Microsoft accounts for your business, they can enjoy simplified setup, billing (you purchase it through your Microsoft partner at a fixed cost), and management; it uses the same interface used to manage Microsoft 365. You can add users and phone numbers in seconds and enjoy the benefits of a cloud-based phone system without having to run a PBX.

Changing phone systems is not a decision you may be able to make overnight. If you are tied into an existing contract for a PBX or a trunk (a phone minutes deal) there is a simple solution; we can use Calls2Teams to connect your current configuration up to Teams in as little as few minutes.

Call us for advice on how you can implement Business Voice to light up Microsoft Teams for your business. We can support you in the simple set-up and adoption process and help you get the most out of your Microsoft solution.