Microsoft Teams Rooms: Revolution in Hybrid Meetings

In recent years, Microsoft Teams and hybrid working have been talked about in abundance, regardless of the physical location of employees. Several vendors then offered integrated meeting room solutions. Think Cisco Webex, Google Meet and, consequently, Microsoft Teams Rooms. Basically, they are all working toward one common goal. So where does Teams Rooms make a difference? And what do these functionalities bring?

Firmness feels familiar

Let’s get right to the point. Equipping meeting rooms with software and hardware is an investment. Is the ROI with Teams Rooms worth it? Yes, because the advantage is just that: many employees are already familiar with Microsoft Teams. That makes employee adoption very natural. Microsoft Teams Rooms connects the meeting platform to the cameras, screens and speakers present. Besides making hybrid working a lot easier, there are features that make Teams Rooms nice and interactive and approachable.

Looking for the holy grail?

Companies are constantly searching for their best form, just as top athletes constantly want to surpass themselves. That leads them to veritable quests for technologies, features and solutions that make a difference, but there is no holy grail. More effective communication and collaboration are great steps to take, but Teams Rooms has some interesting features that will take you that little bit further.

There are advanced features that even long-term users of the application overlook. Or simply haven’t touched them yet. While offering significant benefits and “quality of life” changes. Consider:

• Whiteboard integration
• Support for multiple cameras
• Recording & storing meetings
• Space analysis
• Remote management

A whiteboard the way it should be

Previously, the whiteboard option of Teams Rooms was only possible in a Teams meeting context. And that took preparation. Now it is different. With one tap on the new Whiteboard button on the home screen, you can immediately daub the whiteboard. A smooth start, without obstacles.

You also seamlessly switch from local to online collaboration by simply tapping “Start Meeting.” The whiteboard automatically appears on the meeting podium, allowing you to use the board together in real time. No unnecessary switching between gallery or whiteboard view.

Minimizing obstacles increases productivity. Just like entering meetings smoothly.

QR codes

You can do that with a new feature: QR codes as a login option. An employee scans the QR code and is logged into his or her personal Teams account. That makes meetings much more fluid for employees with mobile devices.

Recording and saving meetings

Video recordings you make will be stored in
OneDrive or SharePoint
. That way you can easily listen and watch them back. Even absentees can thus play the meetings at a later time and stay informed. From the settings, you determine which people have access to which files.

With sharing and publishing recordings, you do want to be careful. Recording is allowed, but the names of participants and personal information about them, are private. So it is important that the security settings in SharePoint, for example, are set correctly. Thus, it is possible to choose the retention period of recordings.

Challenges

Security is not the only challenge you face at Teams Rooms. Implementing in your current office setting often involves a number of technical challenges. Some examples include:

• Network bandwidth
• AV-LANs
• Interoperability with existing videoconferencing systems
• Integration with AV systems
• License planning

Inventory and achieve more

Because you are dealing with a lot of software, hardware and networking techniques, a thorough inventory is essential. Then everything will soon work properly, precisely tuned to your physical work environment and digital environment. ALTA-ICT does this inventory for you. This is done with efficiency, effectiveness and scalability in mind. And always with your wishes and requirements in mind.

The future of meeting software

Teams Rooms continues to evolve. AI continues to learn. In the near future, AI will play a larger role in automating processes. Meetings are becoming more immersive through integration with lighting and other smart devices, for example. But interaction between providers’ software is also improving. This does mean that there is more and more involved in preparing and managing your work environment, both physical and digital.

Want to transform your office or work environment into a place where Teams Rooms seamlessly merges with your business processes? Then get in touch with the Microsoft 365 experts at ALTA-ICT.