Nathan Hill-Haimes, Investor & Co-Founder at Amvia, looks at what Microsoft Teams Calling is, how governments use it and its advantages over traditional telephony
Governments depend on collaborative tools to improve their efforts in the workplace and provide meaningful, quality services for their constituents. Microsoft Teams Calling offers a range of functionality that could empower governments to work more effectively. From in-house networks to call centre environments, it has enabled governments to collaborate across departments much more securely.
What is Microsoft Teams Calling?
Microsoft Teams Calling is a cloud-based service that enables companies, organisations and governments to communicate remotely, while travelling or when using hot-desking in offices.
As it’s cloud-based, it can be an incredibly useful tool for staff to communicate internally and across departments. Teams Calling allows users to make external calls too, so there is no loss of functionality when using Microsoft Teams Calling.
There is no need to waste time with installations or budget for new hardware when using Microsoft Teams Calling because it is entirely cloud-based. It is also directly integrated into Microsoft 365 and Office 365, which allows for a range of functionality from a familiar interface.
How can the government use Teams Calling?
Governments are often under a great deal of pressure and scrutiny to reach their constituents effectively. This has proved to be even more true with the global COVID-19 pandemic straining governments across the globe. Governments are often in contact with their constituents over issues with taxes, local services, healthcare or transport – and they usually want a quick resolution.
As a result of this, the way that people interact with government employees is changing. Phone calls and emails are still prevalent, but as more people move online with the rise of FTTP (fibre-to-the-premises) broadband, live chat and video calls are growing in popularity.
Microsoft Teams Calling uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), which is a form of IP telephony that offers a huge range of benefits. From higher call quality to improved scalability, VoIP is an excellent framework for governments to use. Better yet, it is a more cost-effective approach to telephony – so it saves governments money in the process.
Microsoft Teams Calling has been integrated into call centres for governments to address these issues and offer a more effective way to contact the government. Agents working in government call centres have more collaborative capabilities, which allows them to get useful information from other departments and resolve issues quickly.
There is an easier framework in place for staff to contact superiors with expert knowledge, so when complex issues develop, they can be effectively handled. In essence, Microsoft Teams makes it easier for governments to address issues and concerns for their constituents.
So if someone is calling a government call centre in relation to housing, they will be connected to the right individual. Experts in that given field can be deployed to remedy the issue immediately. This allows governments to offer a more streamlined solution to some of the most common problems and queries, as well as more complex ones.
What are the Advantages of Teams Calling for Government?
There are a host of advantages that Microsoft Teams Calling offers governments, from creating a more streamlined form of communication to lowering costs. Below, we have outlined some of the advantages that Teams Calling can offer governments.
- Unified communication across departments
- Increased productivity
- Simple, streamlined administration
- Lower costs and overheads compared to traditional telephony
- Greater functionality and cloud-based services
Is Microsoft Teams secure for governments?
Without effective collaboration across departments, governments would struggle to provide a meaningful service to their constituents. Microsoft Teams Calling has allowed governments to work together and provide a much more responsive experience for callers. Moreover, all of this is provided in a safe environment, ensuring that Microsoft Teams is a secure platform for the government. Some of its security features include:
- Two-factor authentication
- Advanced threat protection
- Safe links and attachments
- Data loss prevention
- Discovery
From providing a more efficient and secure service through FTTP and VoIP calling, to indexing and automating data pools effortlessly, Microsoft Teams Calling has made it easier for governments to handle issues on a day-to-day basis.
