Improve the customer experience with a certified Microsoft Teams contact center integration
Integrating your contact center with Microsoft Teams
A lot of companies use custom-built call center software or various tools to meet the needs of their customer support and sales departments. Although these tools may provide certain features however, agents must utilize them in various ways, which affects their ability to deliver an exceptional user experience (CX). Integration of contact center capabilities into Microsoft Teams has become a standard requirement for all global companies.
Does Microsoft Teams have call center? Microsoft Teams is one of the most powerful tools available in the current communication ecosystem. But, it’s missing some options that could create a complete solution that can be used for UCaaS or CCaaS management. The great thing is that the Microsoft Teams contact centers can make up the voids in Your Teams ecosystem, providing you with the full environment you require to improve productivity, performance and customer experience. Microsoft Teams integration for contact centers creates a central point for agents to interact with customers as well as collaborate with colleagues within your business. It is integrated together with Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) solutions to provide the ability to call, instant messaging presence, and one-click transfer and all through one user interface.
The secret to success with an integrated Teams contact center is selecting the right service to help you make your tech-driven dream into a reality.
Table of Contents
Does Microsoft Teams have call center?
Does Microsoft Teams have call center? Microsoft Teams itself doesn’t have a built-in, dedicated call center solution. However, Microsoft provides tools and functionalities within Teams that can be leveraged to create a call center-like environment or integrate with third-party call center solutions.
What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is an online tool for team collaboration and communication that is included in the Microsoft Office 365 Suite. Although it’s most commonly used to facilitate video conferencing for remote teams, it’s not the only thing it’s capable of.
Teams can help you:
- Create channels that are dedicated to specific projects or teams.
- Record video and audio meetings.
- Share your screen easily with colleagues for more comprehensive explanations.
- Search quickly through archives with its command field.
What is contact center integration for Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams supports customer interaction work streams as a hub for customers’ internal and external connections through its various communication channels such as video chat, chat and phone calls. For some companies, Microsoft Teams’ cloud voice capabilities, such as auto attendants and call queues, will meet the needs of their customers.
For companies that require solutions that integrate business tools and workflows that can help improve customer experience Contact center integration in Microsoft Teams allows Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solution providers to integrate their services with Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Integration models for solution providers
Microsoft provides three options to connect and utilize Contact Centers in conjunction with Teams.
1. The connect model
This model makes use of Session Border Controllers (SBCs) along with Direct Routing to connect the contact center into Teams, the infrastructure for calling. This approach makes use of Teams Graph APIs and Microsoft Graph cloud communication APIs that enable capabilities, such as the following:
- agent presence visibility
- Transfers and group call support
- multi-tenant session start protocol trucking
2. The extend model
The extended model provides companies with additional capabilities to use Contact Centers within Teams and utilizes Team’s Teams phone system to make all calls to the contact center. This integration model utilizes teams’ Teams clients platform as well as Teams graph APIs, and cloud communications APIs that allow contact center companies to use Teams to facilitate internal and external communications, as well as to develop workflows.
A few of the benefits that this integration offers include the following:
- Analytics, workflow management and roles-based experiences for agents
- chat-based and collaborative experiences;
- Teams client calls for all call control as well as
- The app is based on Teams and allows agents to experience the agent experience both on mobile and the web.
3. The power model
In this model of integration, Microsoft allows service providers to develop an Azure-based voice app by using Microsoft’s Teams phone infrastructure, as well as client platforms. The advantages included in the model used for the integration of Teams-contact centers comprise of:
- Omnichannel communication is possible with teams. Teams SDK;
- Teams collaboration tools for agents and customer communications; and
- direct control of conversations and integration with other users in Teams conversations.
The best method of integration is contingent upon the contact center chosen by a vendor, the features that the platform offers and if the vendor is a participant in the Microsoft certification program for contact centers. Each vendor of contact centers has its particular preferred model of integration.
Microsoft Teams contact center certified partners
| Solution Provider | Solution website |
| 8×8 | https://www.8×8.com/8/8×8-contact-center-for-microsoft-teams |
| Anywhere365 | https://anywhere365.io/direct-routing-contact-center-for-microsoft-teams/ |
| Cisco | https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/contact-center/webex-contact-center/index.html |
| Competella | https://www.competella.com/microsoft-teams-skype-for-business |
| ComputerTalk | https://www.computer-talk.com/product/enterprise-contact-center/ice-contact-center-for-teams |
| ContactCenter4All | www.contactcenter4all.com |
| Content Guru | https://www.contentguru.com/microsoft-teams-integration/ |
| Enghouse Interactive | http://www.enghouseteams.com/ |
| Five9 | https://www.five9.com/products/application-integration/uc-integration |
| Genesys | https://www.genesys.com/campaign/get-started-genesys-cloud-microsoft-teams |
| Heedify | https://heedify.io/call-center/ |
| Luware | https://luware.com/en/solutions/ |
| Mida Solutions | https://www.midasolutions.com/c3-cloud-contact-center-for-teams/ |
| NICE inContact | https://www.niceincontact.com/microsoft-teams |
| Puzzel | https://www.puzzel.com/microsoft-teams |
| ROGER365.io | https://www.roger365.io/contact-center-teams |
| Talkdesk | https://www.talkdesk.com/cloud-contact-center/integrations/microsoft-teams/ |
| Tendfor | https://www.tendfor.com |
Solutions currently in the certification process
| Solution Provider | Solution website |
| Bright Pattern | https://www.brightpattern.com/ |
| CentrePal | https://www.centrepal.com/ |
| Cirrus | https://www.cirrusresponse.com/cloud-contact-centre/microsoft-teams/ |
| Evolve IP | https://www.evolveip.net/contact-center |
| FrontStage | https://www.frontstage.cc |
| Geomant | https://www.geomant.com/buzzeasy-contact-centre-for-microsoft-teams |
| Imagicle | https://www.imagicle.com/en/integration/microsoft-teams/ |
| Intermedia | https://www.intermedia.com/products/contact-center |
| IPDynamics | https://www.ipdynamics.de/en/dynamic-flow/ |
| Landis Technologies | https://landistechnologies.com/microsoft-teams-contact-center/ |
| Netcall | https://www.netcall.com/platform/contact-centre/ |
| Novomind | https://www.novomind.com/en/customer-service-software-call-center/microsoft-teams/ |
| Sikom | http://www.sikom.de/microsoft-teams/ |
| Solgari | https://solgari.com/converse-for-teams/ |
| Telia | https://ace-showcase.com/ |
| Ultatel | https://www.ultatel.com/microsoft-teams-contact-center/ |
| Unexus | https://www.unexus.nl/en/solutions/unexus-connect/ |
| Vonage | https://www.vonage.com/contact-centers/integrations/microsoft-teams/ |
Reasons to Integrate Your Contact Center with Microsoft Teams
- Shared Directory and Presence. Presence indicator indicates the user’s availability as well as status for other members. The status is updated in real-time. Through integrating Your Contact Center with Microsoft Teams contacts center users are able to be aware of the presence of their colleagues, even if they’re not logged in to Microsoft Teams, and vice-versa.
- Seamless Support Transfers. Do you need to connect a customer with an expert fast? Through an integrated call center as well as Microsoft Teams solution, an agent is able to quickly find an expert who happens to be registered in Microsoft Teams, establish availability and then swiftly transfer the client directly to the expert via Microsoft Teams. To the client, it’s an effortless experience.
- Trusted, High-Quality Voice Service. Leverage carrier-grade voice services that are delivered via an internet connection that is secure with Microsoft’s Direct Routing solution. Make use of the Teams telephone system for all calls to contact centers and experience with call control. The customer service experience you provide will be superior than before.
- Better Analytics, Better Outcomes. Improved Results Enhance customer experience and achieve more efficient outcomes throughout your contact center through expanding the availability of information and insights. Companion Application Wallboard is now available inside Microsoft Teams to allow contact center managers quick and simple access to vital information. This data can later be exported in Power BI for additional analysis.
- Better Agent-to-Agent Collaboration. Superior service when the agent’s team is more aligned. Collaboration within Teams allows agents to use their Teams collaborative tools which are widely employed within a business, to enhance agent-to-agent efficiency and also to expand to communication with customers. This means screen sharing as well as video call, delivery of files as well as other widely-used Tools for collaboration that help and help build trust. In addition this is because the Teams platform provides a more efficient agent experience, which results in an improved customer experience.
- Teams as Primary Calling Endpoint. Desk phones as a primary calling point is becoming less of a possibility. Changes have resulted in the “new normal,” employees have realized that they are able to work from any location. A laptop or mobile phone is now a corporate phone. The ability to connect to Team’s integrated Contact Center allows agents to be available wherever they are, allowing them to be the most efficient and responsive to the needs of customers.
- Endless Possibilities. Flexible Teams APIs for graphs as well as Cloud Communication APIs allow organizations to build native voice applications for Azure by using Team’s Teams call infrastructure as well as the client-server platform, to provide innovative, intelligent solutions for the collaboration of agents and customers. The aim of Microsoft Team’s extensibility strategy to stimulate developer creativity and improve the productivity of customers.
Benefits of a Unified CCaaS Solution with Teams Integration
- Visibility into Coworker’s Presence Status: CCaaS agents can see the status of each employee within the company and can communicate with the expert in charge (SME) whenever they are required.
- Flexible Work From Home Deployment Options: Agents of CCaaS can work using the most appropriate endpoint for their needs, which could include the softphone (Evolve Contact Suite or Microsoft Teams) as well as the mobile number, physically-based device (SIP and Microsoft Teams), etc.
- Seamless Customer Experience: CCaaS agents can collaborate with anyone in the company to obtain the information they require, and they can immediately call or transfer a SME or Supervisor.
- Leadership Empowered: CCaaS supervisors can remotely monitor live conversations or “whisper” in their Agent’s ears to offer immediate coaching.
- Expanded Labor Pool: Leadership has the flexibility to hire employees who are able to work from anywhere.
- Ability to Transfer Calls and Send Notifications: CCaaS agents are able to transfer calls to colleagues who do not belong to the contact center. They also have the ability to alternatively notify them when the need arises.
- Consistent User Experience: A Consistent User Experience user’s experience is consistent across all platforms, and all agents are authenticated and defined through Microsoft Active Directory, like other employees of the organization.
- Improved Meetings Experience: Based on Gartner, CCaaS advisers working remotely during the epidemic have experienced superior connection quality to meetings with platforms such as Microsoft Teams than using CCaaS platforms.
