It’s no secret that education and technology go hand in hand. Digital transformation has expanded the borders of the traditional classroom into the virtual realm. It requires software that supports that expansion, providing confusion-free communication and collaboration.
Enter Microsoft Teams for education. While not initially an education-specific platform, Teams has rapidly become a cornerstone in the education sector. But is it the perfect fit? We’ll find out together in this blog post. We’ll discuss:
- How Teams transformed the way schools communicate
- The limitations in using Teams as your only means of communication
- How TeamMate can overcome these limitations and build a system that fits you like a glove.
Microsoft Teams for Education: How It Can Help
The Teams platform has many features that simplify communication and collaboration for educators, students, and administrators. Features like:
- Virtual Classrooms. Teams facilitates online learning with features like video conferencing and screen sharing. This versatility allows educators to conduct classes and engage with students regardless of physical location.
- Simple Document Sharing. With Teams, document sharing becomes effortless. Educators can share resources, assignments, and study materials, building a digital repository for themselves, students, and other educators, making information more accessible.
- Instant Messaging. The chat feature allows for real-time communication, eliminating delays in information exchange. This immediacy is crucial in an educational setting where timely feedback and updates are essential between staff members and between educators and students.
However, Microsoft Teams for education settings does have its limitations.
It falls short in executing more complex cloud phone functionalities. For instance, intricate call routing, detailed call analytics, and advanced telephony features may be outside Teams’ wheelhouse.
It doesn’t make use of your current hardware. Your administrators may use Teams at their desks. But your teachers, armed with only an in-class telephone, can’t check Teams as easily. Especially if they’re walking around the room answering questions. This can result in communication gaps that could cost you, and your teachers, a lot of valuable time.
It doesn’t offer extensive IT support. If there’s an issue with Teams calling, support from Microsoft is quite limited. You’re forced to either hunt for an answer on your own through a vast knowledgebase or wait for an answer on a community forum. And if you call, on-hold times can be quite high.
Thankfully, TeamMate’s here to bridge the gaps. Our experts work with you and your communications provider to create a truly unified communication experience tailored to the needs of your staff and students, an experience unique to you.
Transforming Learning Environments with TeamMate’s PBX Integration
With the right TeamMate by your side, connecting with faculty and students becomes a treat – not a chore. A TeamMate integration means:
1. You Get to Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds
When you use TeamMate with a cloud PBX provider, you can make the most of both your Teams platform and your classroom phones. Administrators can make and take calls from Teams and educators can use their in-class phones to quickly connect with Teams users thanks TeamMate.
Let’s say a teacher needs to report an issue or seek information. All they must do is pick up the phone in the classroom to make a call, and they reach the Teams users in the administrative office. This integration between Teams and your current PBX ensures smooth communication no matter your device or platform.
2. Communication Discounts
Using traditional means of connecting your phone system to Teams can cost you an arm and a leg. But with TeamMate, we’ve done all the financial heavy lifting for you. Thanks to our partnership with Teams, you can connect your Temas platform to your PBX at a significant discount.
Now, instead of funneling even more money you don’t have into your communications, you can enjoy a fully integrated platform at half the cost – with no extra fees for upgrades and maintenance!
3. More Extensive IT Support
When your PBX goes on the fritz or you have questions about your integration, you often have to handle it yourself. And that can be quite time-consuming. But if you choose to use a TeamMate integration, you’ll not only have their experts at your beck and call, but you’ll have local support via your cloud PBX vendor!
Imagine problems solved in minutes, not days, and questions answered by real humans on your first call – no hold music or wait times required! That’s what you’ll get with a TeamMate PBX integration.
Want to Learn More about How TeamMate Can Simplify Your Education Communication?
Then, we invite you to download our FREE case study! Dive deeper into the success story of Nord Anglia Education (NAE) and how Chicago Business VoIP, in collaboration with TeamMate, simplified their communication and improved collaboration without compromising student privacy.
Got questions or concerns? Interested in seeing TeamMate in action? Well, you can try it for FREE! Just reach out, and we’ll get you started.
