In the modern digital workplace, using Microsoft Teams to collaborate through messaging and keep remote teams connected has become increasingly common, especially with the rise of working from home.
With the newly introduced integration of Ringcentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams, users can now seamlessly merge the powerful collaboration tools of Teams with the market-leading Cloud PBX, all within the Teams platform. This integration utilizes Direct Routing to bring RingCentral’s enterprise-grade cloud PBX into Microsoft Teams, offering a comprehensive and sophisticated PBX experience to enhance workplace collaboration for all users.
Moreover, Ringcentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams extends RingCentral’s global phone system capabilities to more than 40 countries, and international numbers to over 100 countries. This integration ensures that users can accomplish more with the industry’s leading cloud PBX incorporated directly into Teams, while maintaining Teams at the core of their collaboration experience.
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Features of Ringcentral Cloud PBX
RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams is an integration that allows users to make phone calls globally while maintaining Teams as the primary collaboration tool.
Key Features:
1. Bot-based interface:
The RingCentral app utilizes a conversational interface with a bot that enables you to begin audio and video calls. For instance, using the RingCentral Call command creates a conference call dial-in and access code, while the @RingCentral Meet command creates video meetings.
2. Chrome browser support:
In addition to the Microsoft Teams desktop application, RingCentral capabilities are also available in the web-based edition of Microsoft Teams. You can install RingCentral’s Chrome extension for Microsoft to unlock several new features, including setting RingCentral as the default app, sending SMS messages, viewing your call history, retrieving voice mails, scheduling meetings, and more.
3. One-click meeting access:
The RingCentral app allows you to set up or join meetings without any complex configurations or calendar issues. You can initiate a meeting from almost any location within Teams, and the bot creates a meeting ID that can be accessed from Teams or any other location, including codes for iPhone speed dial and standard telephony.
4. Default calling app replacement:
This feature is incredibly useful for people who use Teams for collaboration and productivity, but rely on RingCentral for primary telephony. Using Teams on the web, you can designate RingCentral as your default call or video conferencing channel, and clicking on the audio or video call option in a chat will open the RingCentral dialer within Teams.
5. Call initiation from channel or chat:
With the RingCentral message extension, you can start a phone call or meeting directly in the conversation. This feature works for one-on-one calls as well as group conversations in a channel.
6. Advanced PBX telephony:
In 2020, RingCentral introduced cloud PBX for Teams, allowing Teams users to access the company’s global phone system capabilities across 100+ countries without leaving the app. This PBX capability offers features like IVR call flows, incoming call routing, automatic call recording, call queue setup, and call reports. This way, users can use Teams as their telephony front end while enjoying RingCentral’s established infrastructure.
10 Benefits of RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams
1. Work any mode, any device, anywhere
RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams enables remote and hybrid work by allowing users to communicate with any device, whether it be mobile, desktop, or web. This easy-to-use platform allows for seamless communication internally and externally, no matter where your team is working.
2. High reliability
RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams boasts an uptime SLA of 99.999%, which means only six minutes of downtime per year. In comparison, Microsoft’s uptime SLA is 99.9%, resulting in nine hours of downtime. This difference can have a significant impact on your business, as the average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute.
3. Intuitive Teams experience
RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams offers a seamless integration that allows you to continue using the familiar Microsoft Teams interface while leveraging RingCentral’s powerful telephony capabilities. You won’t have to worry about any additional downloads or plugins.
4. Advanced PBX features
Access advanced PBX features to boost productivity, including call controls, IVR and call handling, automatic call recording, reports and analytics, call queues, SMS, and fax capabilities.
5. Superior security
RingCentral’s security certifications, including SOC 2, SOC 3, HITRUST, FINRA, HIPAA, C5, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, and GDPR compliance, ensure that your business is protected from security breaches and operates securely according to industry standards.
6. Ready to deploy
Let RingCentral take the complexity out of managing your new technical setup and get it up and running smoothly. With Microsoft-certified session border controllers (SBC), RingCentral can maintain and operate your complete high-availability Teams Direct Routing infrastructure for you.
7. Superior voice quality
Enjoy superior voice quality with RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams. Your voice traffic travels through RingCentral’s cloud network, reducing traffic going to Microsoft’s data centers and improving voice quality.
8. Out-of-the-box integrations
Customize your workflows and have fun with over 250 integrations available in the RingCentral App Gallery, as well as open APIs through the RingCentral developer portal. You and your team can work from your favorite apps such as Salesforce, Google Cloud, Zendesk, and ServiceNow.
9. In-depth analytics
Gain in-depth insights and identify trends, set automated alerts, and access quality of service data with RingCentral’s analytics portal. Complete visibility into all your voice communications in Teams will change the way you strategize your communication approach.
10. Flexibility and Scalability
With RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams, you can enjoy flexibility and scalability to meet your changing needs. As your business and team grows, simply add new users within seconds.
Conclusion
The addition of RingCentral to the Teams app marketplace is highly valuable and crucial. With millions of users worldwide, there is a significant intersection between RingCentral’s and Teams’ user base. The integration between the two systems ensures effortless interoperability, a smooth calling experience, and a centralized interface for call management. Additionally, RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams provides all the standard features of enterprise-level telephony, such as built-in call analytics, PSTN services, and support for over ten languages.