Here’s the situation right now. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has indeed spurred many organisations to adopt virtual communication and collaboration tools, such as Micorosft Teams and Zoom. Microsoft Teams in particular offers considerable benefits to the more than 500,000 organisations that use the app including small-medium enterprises! In fact, did you know that more than 115 million daily active users (up from 75 Million in April!) rely on Microsoft Teams to conduct business, connect with their network, and carry out their responsibilities?
I mean, what’s there not to like? Microsoft Teams is easy to adopt, integrates well with your existing apps, and is scalable to meet your business needs.
So here are 5 easy steps for small businesses to adopt Microsoft Teams:
1. Prepare your network
If you already have Microsoft 365, deploying Microsoft Teams is simple. Make sure your configurations are all up to date if you have a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 domain. This is also the case for organisations that are currently using OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange. For new users, your network will be configured as part of your Microsoft 365 Business plan.
2. Get your Microsoft 365 licenses
Microsoft Teams offers a variety of license options to accommodate all organisations. From the free version that offers the basic features and functionality to an advanced Enterprise plan, you can choose a specific plan that works for your business.
3. Install the apps
Once you select your plan, install your Microsoft Teams clients on desktop or mobile devices. The web browser interface is also available if your teams need to access the app while on the go. It is best to have both the Teams desktop and mobile apps downloaded due to the slight limitations of the web version.
4. Start using Microsoft Teams
With everything in place, you can start making the most of Microsoft Teams. Small businesses and teams can stay connected using Microsoft Teams, including file sharing, virtual meetings, and chats. The following are just some of the many benefits Microsoft Teams offers small business.
Chats: Create chats for one-on-one conversations or groups to stay in touch. You can review a chat history to keep up with important details and save valuable information. Users can also pin their most-used chats, so they are always readily available and easy to access.
Meetings: An obvious usage for Microsoft Teams is video conferencing. Secure communication can take place over HD video. Participants can engage in the conversation through a variety of video conferencing tools, including screen sharing, chat, and more.
Teams: Build teams and channels within the app to stay organised. Set up specific chats and groups for projects, company departments, and teams. Everything for the channel is saved, including chat history, notes, and files.
Files: Quickly send files and promote collaboration through Microsoft Teams. View and edit documents within the app and save files within the cloud to share easily. You can recover files from the cloud, send documents to colleagues or customers, and work on files within your team or department.
5. Train your teams and track usage
Prepare your organisation to make the most of Microsoft Teams with training opportunities. There are a variety of quick-start video tutorials available to walk users through the Microsoft Teams app. Videos demonstrate how to set up meetings, chats, groups, and more. You can also create an organisation-wide team to share learning opportunities, updates, and important information about your Microsoft Teams plan.
From here, you can also choose to deploy Microsoft 365 Business Voice. The cloud-based telephone solution is designed for small to medium-sized businesses and integrates directly within Microsoft Teams. Users can call anyone, anywhere thanks to the add-on that launched in April 2020.
Want to adopt Microsoft Teams for your business? Click the green button below to contact us today!
eVantage Technology is a professional and trusted IT solutions provider, dedicated to providing exceptional service to companies in Singapore and across Asia.
And while we are at this, do remember to upgrade your MS Office Apps because from November 1, 2021, the following versions of Outlook for Windows, as part of Office and Microsoft 365 Apps, will no longer be able to connect with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 services:
Office 2013 version 15.0.4970.9999 and older
Outlook 2016 version 16.0.4599.9999 and older
Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (formerly Office 365 ProPlus) version 1705 and older
Microsoft 365 Apps for business (formerly Office 365 Business) version 1705 and older