Often, I get asked what is Teams Voice. My goal of this post is to provide a high-level overview of the features, including benefits and challenges of Microsoft Teams Voice, a cloud-based telephony solution that integrates with Microsoft Teams.

Scenario 1 – Hybrid Work

• Hybrid work is defined as the ability of a user to be logged into multiple devices simultaneously allowing users to place and receive calls from any device.
• Users can move calls and meetings to any active device. For example, a user can take a call on their physical phone and transfer it to their mobile device.
• Users also have the ability to change audio devices easily from within and outside of a call by accessing the audio settings menu to utilize a preferred output or input device.
• When logged in on multiple devices, all devices will ring simultaneously. This can cause challenges for users as after a call has been answered, the other device(s) may ring for an additional tone. This can be controlled by editing notification settings within the appropriate application on the secondary device. For example, a user may alter their notifications to suppress notifications on their mobile device while they are active on their desktop.

Scenario 2 – Call Queues

• Microsoft Teams has four (4) types of call queues. Depending on the expected behavior, call queues can be programed with the following routing methods:
  • Attendant Routing: This method rings all agents in the queue at the same time, and the first agent to pick up the call gets the call.
  • Serial Routing: Calls are routed to agents one by one in the order specified in the people list.
  • Round Robin: Each agent in the queue gets calls in turn, ensuring an even distribution of calls among agents.
  • Longest Idle: Calls are routed to the agent who has been idle the longest, helping to balance the workload.
• Microsoft has released some leading practices for call queue design to alleviate some known challenges. Below are some of the common queue design challenges:
  • In an Attendant Routing queue, if a call is answered by an agent, other phones may continue to ring for several seconds, causing some users to believe there are issues or disconnects even though the call was answered by a member of their team.
  • If conferencing is enabled on the queue, the answering party (employee) hears hold music before being connected to the caller and able to say “Hello.” This is more present with desk phones/physical phones.

Scenario 3 – Physical Devices

• Microsoft Teams does not manufacture devices, they rely on certified third-party providers, such as Cisco, Audio Codes, Yealink and many others.
• Physical phones run the Teams Android application instead of being true SIP devices. This allows for additional features such as browsing a calendar, single touch join to meetings, or switching a call from another device.  This additional operating system requires a device management policy within Intune and the Teams Admin Center to ensure that they remain up to date.
• Following Zero Trust for Devices leading practices through Intune, all phones require a first-time sign-in and can require users to sign back into the phones (locally on the phone, using the device login web page, or using a QR code (coming soon)).

• If physical phone problems exist, Microsoft Support will often ask for parallel support ticket with the device manufacturer.
• Some troubleshooting information is accessible within the Teams Admin Center. If more detailed troubleshooting is required, it may require a support ticket through Microsoft.
  

Scenario 4 – Other Items

• Microsoft Teams has built in user-initiated recording. Compliance recording (automatically recording all calls or meetings) requires a 3rd party call recording solution.
• Microsoft Teams is not a Contact Center. Items such as skills-based routing, wrap up codes, call back or visibility into calls on hold are limited or not available.
• Microsoft Teams call quality is reliant on a stable internet connection, regions with poor connectivity may experience inconsistencies with inbound and outbound calls.
• Users utilizing the desktop or mobile application are encouraged to utilize “dial by name”. Extension programming requires additional effort.