Blog

As we head into 2025, more and more companies are realizing the power of Microsoft Teams, not just as a chat tool but as a complete communication hub—especially when it comes to integrating voice features. But why is this trend so important, and what makes these voice integrations such a big deal for your business?

In this post, we’ll dive into the why behind MS Teams voice integrations and how they’re shaping the future of business communication. Along the way, you’ll also discover how adopting these advanced features can set your business up for success.

3 Emerging Trends in Microsoft Teams Integrations

As more organizations embrace MS Teams as their primary communication platform, more integration options are opening up. And with those options come trends. Here’s a look at a few unified communication trends you should keep an eye on:

1. AI-Driven Call Features

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making waves in unified communication systems. With AI-driven call features, MS Teams can handle repetitive tasks that would normally take up valuable human resources. This includes automatic call routing, AI-assisted customer service bots, and speech recognition for voice commands. Implementing AI-driven call features provide businesses like yours with more efficient ways to manage communications while improving the user experience.

2. Advanced Reporting Tools for MS Teams

Data is king, and MS Teams integrations are making it easier than ever to gather, analyze, and report on communication performance. With advanced reporting tools for MS Teams, businesses can access detailed insights into call data, user behavior, and system performance. These analytics enable organizations to make more informed decisions, track KPIs, fine-tune business processes and improve overall productivity.

3. Contact Center Integrations

Many companies are adopting MS Teams not just as a business phone system, but also as the foundation for their call centers. Integrating voice with Teams offers call queues, intelligent call routing, internal and external messaging capabilities, and more, which means call center managers can run their operations more efficiently with unified communication systems. This trend is especially popular among SMBs looking for cost-effective solutions that still provide enterprise-grade functionality to their call center agents.

Why Integrating Voice with MS Teams Is Right for Your Business

If you’re still relying on separate phone systems for meetings and phone calls, it’s time to consider integrating voice into your MS Teams platform. Here’s why:

• Adaptability: By integrating voice with MS Teams, you get the flexibility to maintain your existing phone systems while tapping into Teams’ advanced features. No need to overhaul your whole system—just plug and play to get the best of both worlds.

• Innovation: MS Teams voice integrations bring innovation to your business. From AI-driven call features that route calls efficiently to automatic transcription that helps track key conversation points, these features take your communication to the next level.

• Cost-Effectiveness: Voice integration with MS Teams is often more cost-effective than maintaining a separate phone system. By consolidating communication (internal video calls, team collaboration, etc.) into one platform, businesses can cut down on expenses and reduce the complexity of managing multiple systems.

And FirstComm’s team can help you get started.

The Impact of Voice + Teams in The Real World

Now that we’ve covered the emerging trends, let’s look at some typical places where Microsoft Teams integrations are making a significant impact:

Example 1: Retail Chains Using AI to Manage Customer Inquiries

Imagine a retail chain with multiple locations across the country. They want to improve customer service while keeping costs down. MS Teams for SMBs allows them to manage customer inquiries more efficiently. AI can help route calls to the appropriate department based on keywords, prioritize urgent issues, and even provide automated solutions to common customer questions. This reduces wait times and helps their teams focus on higher-value tasks, leading to better customer experiences.

Example 2: SMBs Using MS Teams Integrations to Stay Agile

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often face budget constraints and resource limitations, which can make managing communication tools a challenge. However, with MS Teams integrations, SMBs can leverage powerful features—such as voice, video, and chat—all from one platform. This eliminates the need for multiple, expensive systems and helps employees on smaller teams stay connected no matter where they are.

By integrating MS Teams with cloud-based apps like project management tools and CRMs, SMBs can create a centralized hub with unified communication systems, ensuring that everyone on the team stays aligned and informed.

Example 3: Healthcare Providers Streamlining Patient Communication

Healthcare providers are increasingly adopting Microsoft Teams to improve communication with patients, staff, and other healthcare professionals. By integrating voice with Microsoft Teams, hospitals can easily route patient calls to the appropriate department, reducing wait times and improving patient satisfaction—all while remaining compliant.

In a healthcare setting, advanced reporting tools can help monitor call volumes, response times, and patient feedback, providing valuable insights to improve service. AI-powered features can also help employees triage calls, ensuring that patients are connected to the right provider quickly.

Stay Ahead with FirstComm’s MS Teams Integrations

Many businesses hesitate to integrate MS Teams for SMBs with voice because they’re unsure how to make the switch. The good news? FirstComm is here to help. With our deep experience in combining unified communication systems with Teams, we can guide you through the process of integrating voice into your Microsoft Teams environment quickly and efficiently through:

• Effortless Deployment and Onboarding: FirstComm makes the transition to MS Teams voice integrations simple. Our team works closely with you to ensure smooth deployment and high-touch onboarding, setting your business up for long-term success.

• Geo-Redundancy and Failover Assurance: Don’t worry about dropped connections. We use advanced geo-redundant systems to ensure that if one route goes down, calls are seamlessly rerouted so your communication stays uninterrupted.

• Voice, Network, and Device Optimization: Our powerful network and wide range of supported devices ensure you can use everything from faxes to security systems, all integrated into your MS Teams platform.

• Quick and Easy Number Porting: With FirstComm, porting your existing phone numbers into MS Teams is simple and hassle-free. Focus on your business while we handle the technical details.

Make sure your Microsoft Teams integration is a success with FirstComm. Contact FirstComm today for a consultation about how our solutions can help your business or request a demonstration so you can see them in action. Either way, we’d be happy to provide you with more details about our Teams integrations.