Microsoft Teams Buyers Guide

Categories : Collaboration, Unified Communications, Voice

Bluewave | September 23, 2024

by Our UCaaS expert, Heather Pearson

Microsoft Teams Buyers Guide

Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration tool, but it’s important to ensure it’s the right fit for your external business communication needs. This buyer’s guide will help you evaluate key factors, while providing some direction on when Teams might be the right or wrong choice for your phone system, as well as the multiple options for a hybrid approach to deliver calling into Teams for your users.

This is a condensed summary. Read the full blog here.

Summary Table: Key Evaluation Factors

Evaluation Criteria	Considerations	Our Guidance
Business Goals	Is the goal to simplify the user experience by reducing app stack or to completely consolidate management into one platform?	Teams is a good option if consolidation is a priority but evaluate if simplifying comes at the cost of missing crucial voice features. A hybrid environment can deliver a Native Teams calling experience without sacrificing needed features.
Global Coverage	Does your business need support for local numbers and calling in multiple countries?	Teams’ global coverage is improving but still limited in some regions. If you operate globally, ensure all regions are supported or consider working with Direct Routing or Operator Connect vendor who can provide the coverage necessary.
Feature Requirements	Do you need advanced features like SMS, efax, CRM integration, compliant call recording, Contact Center, or enhanced call reporting?	Teams lacks some of these out-of-the-box. For these features, consider using a Direct Routing or Operator Connect vendor who can bridge these gaps or a UCaaS solution that integrate with Teams.
Device Compatibility	Business still heavily reliant on physical phones? Desire to use existing VoIP phones? Is there a need to support analog devices or integrate with paging systems?	Teams certified phones can be expensive when compared with standard VoIP phones, and compatibility with legacy devices can be tricky. Direct Routing or Operator Connect vendors can provide expertise to support these devices and UCaaS providers often offer more seamless integration.
Technical Expertise	Do you have in-house Microsoft Phone System expertise? Can your local admins execute PowerShell scripts? Are they familiar with Power BI?	Teams requires significant technical knowledge for setup and maintenance. If this is lacking, opt for one of the many Direct Routing and Operator Connect providers who offer powerful management portals for Microsoft Teams or for a UCaaS solution.
Reliability and Downtime Tolerance	Is your business willing to risk a single point of failure in Teams? Do you need robust failover options?	Teams can introduce a single point of failure. Direct Routing and Operator Connect vendors or UCaaS providers offer better failover options, critical for voice communications.
Support and Administration	Can your team handle frequent changes or troubleshooting with Microsoft’s slow support system?	Many Direct Routing or Operator Connect vendors offer value-add Day-2 support and MACD services and portals that simplify Teams administration. Traditional UCaaS solutions offer more traditional and intuitive admin portals.
Cost of Ownership	Ensure you evaluate the total cost for not only enabling Teams calling but any additional features required.	A comprehensive Teams solution, supplemented with 3^rd party solutions can get expensive when factoring in extra features and the hardware for those who have those dependencies. UCaaS providers often offer more features natively at lower costs.

Our Opinion

When Teams is a Good Fit

Simplifying the Communication Stack: If you’re already using Teams heavily for collaboration (chat, meetings), plan to eliminate or greatly reduce reliance on physical phones, and have minimal voice feature needs, Teams can be a good all-in-one platform.
Low Voice Complexity: Teams works well if your business has straightforward voice requirements, minimal device integrations, and is comfortable with its global limitations. In either case, we strongly recommend voice enabling Teams with a value-add Operator Connect or Direct Routing voice calling provider.

When Teams Might Not Be the Best Choice

Feature-Heavy Needs: If your business relies on SMS, efax, advanced call center features, reporting, CRM integration, or specific device support, Teams likely won’t meet your needs natively. In this case, opt for a value-add Direct Routing, Operator Connect Teams calling provider, or a UCaaS provider.
Frequent Changes and Quick Support: If you expect frequent updates to call flows or need fast issue resolution, Teams’ slower admin tools and support process can be frustrating. A value-add Direct Routing or Operator Connect Teams calling partner could alleviate many of these challenges, and UCaaS solutions are better equipped for local admins handling changes in dynamic environments.

Recommended Next Steps

Assess Business Needs: Start by listing your business goals and voice feature requirements.
Explore Global Coverage: Ensure Teams offers coverage where your business operates or look at Direct Routing or Operator Connect Teams calling partners that provide wider global coverage.
Understand Costs: Carefully evaluate the total cost of ownership, including any third-party tools you might need for Teams.
Consider Hybrid Options: You don’t have to go all-in with Teams. Many businesses successfully use Direct Routing or UCaaS providers that integrate with Teams, providing a balance of both worlds.

When you’re ready to get the right voice and collaboration solution for your organization, you’re ready for Bluewave. Get in touch!