SMEs all face unique challenges when managing their IT infrastructure, especially in the realm of telephony
The challenges that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face are numerous, including limited resources, a need for simplicity, and the desire for scalable solutions. With those concerns in mind, our resident Gammabox stars Jack Carr, Team Leader Solutions Consultant at Gamma, and Tom Hunter, Solutions Consultant, explored how Microsoft Operator Connect is addressing these challenges for SMEs.
This offering from Microsoft promises a cost-effective and user-friendly solution that meets the needs of these growing businesses.
Simplifying telephony for SMEs
One of the key issues that SMEs face is the complexity of traditional telephony systems, which often require significant upfront investments in hardware and ongoing maintenance that many smaller businesses struggle to manage. Jack Carr highlighted how, when living in a challenge-focused world, “challenges are what design our solutions, and it’s only a solution if it solves the problem.”
This may seem straight-forward, but in Jack’s view, “it can be seen that several major service providers might not necessarily focus on the challenges affecting the main market.” It is, however, something that Gamma sees, who “understand that some of our propositions are designed with strong points to help address those challenges for SMEs.”
Tom Hunter further explained how Microsoft Operator Connect specifically addresses these challenges by simplifying the entire process. These small businesses have “people with multiple hats within these organisations… [who] don’t want a solution that’s going to take countless numbers of people managing it.” With Operator Connect, it can be as simple as saying ‘Hello, can I please be enabled for Operator Connect? Here is a contract for you.’
Tom elaborates further by saying that “it’s just a case of clicking a button to have numbers that they may have on another solution shared onto the admin centre.” With just a couple of clicks on a “great interface”, those numbers can be assigned, and SMEs are now up and running with their Microsoft licences.
This streamlined approach allows SMEs to manage their telephony needs with minimal effort, making it an ideal solution for businesses without dedicated IT teams.
Ease of use and familiar interfaces
One of the standout features of Operator Connect is its seamless integration with Microsoft Teams, a platform already familiar to many users. This integration reduces the learning curve, guaranteeing a smooth transition from traditional systems. Jack posed a common concern regarding the user experience, asking about how simple it would be for end users to pick up if they’re moving away from an old phone system and now using Teams regularly. The prospect of disruption to anyone’s working day is certainly a cause for concern!
Tom then reassured him, saying that “the short answer is no, not at all”, but was honest by highlighting how “people do not like change.” Yet there is good news; the Operator Connect experience is seamless. Tom mentions how “people are using Teams day in, day out… likely using the calls for internal purposes every day.” From an end-user experience perspective, all Operator Connect will do is “provide that functionality, but with a dial pad so they can make and receive internal and external calls.”
This continuity in the user experience is crucial for SMEs, where disruption to daily operations can have a significant impact. The familiarity of the Teams interface, combined with the simplicity of Operator Connect, makes the adoption process much smoother.
Cost-effectiveness and scalability
For SMEs, cost is always a critical factor. Traditional telephony systems often come with high upfront costs and ongoing expenses that can strain a smaller business’s budget. Operator Connect offers a more flexible, operational expenditure (OpEx) model that aligns with the financial realities of SMEs.
Tom emphasised this point, as funds for these businesses are more limited due to being smaller. At the end of the day, nobody wants to use a solution with a lot of professional services involved, as well as ongoing management costs or change costs. All SMEs want is “something that’s simple—per user, per month, as a service solution that’s super easy and cost-effective to implement.”
Jack expanded on this by noting the benefits of the OpEx model, including how an OpEx model is more beneficial than a CapEx model when companies might not have the ability to purchase all the hardware they need. There may be alternative situations where “you need to implement that, and it’s heavily front-loaded rather than spread across the contract level with a per-user, per-month charge.”
This model not only reduces the initial financial burden but also allows businesses to scale their telephony solutions as they grow. As Tom pointed out, “it’s just a case of, do you have an internet connection? Do you have access to Microsoft Teams? Then you can use this solution.”
Levelling the playing field
One of the most significant advantages of Microsoft Operator Connect is that it provides the same functionality to SMEs as it does to larger corporations. This parity ensures that smaller businesses are not left behind as they grow and evolve. Tom summarised this benefit, as ultimately “the functionality is exactly the same in the product itself. It really levels the playing field in terms of business functionality. What one person will have will be exactly the same as what a smaller business will have as well.”
This level of functionality means that SMEs can compete with larger enterprises on a more equal footing, using the same powerful tools and resources.
Supporting business growth
As SMEs expand, their needs evolve. Microsoft Operator Connect is designed to grow with them, offering a scalable solution that can adapt to changing requirements. Jack touched on this aspect, noting how the goal of SMEs is never just to stay as an SME – “they want to grow; they want to have success… they need the right tools and the right infrastructure to support them.”
That can be done on a short-term basis, with SMEs saying that they can use this technology now, but after reaching a certain point, “they’ll have to reassess everything.” However, with Microsoft Teams, it can scale with businesses, and as they grow, “there’s a whole lot of functionality within Teams that can help you do that.” Tom echoed this sentiment, discussing how leveraging a cloud-based application for a business sector where one of their primary goals is growth, “the last thing you want is for anything to take your mind off that.”
And the final word?
Microsoft Operator Connect offers SMEs a powerful, scalable, and cost-effective solution for their telephony needs. By integrating seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, it provides a familiar and user-friendly interface that simplifies adoption and reduces the complexity traditionally associated with telephony systems.
With an OpEx model that aligns with the financial realities of smaller businesses and functionality that levels the playing field with larger enterprises, Operator Connect is a tool that supports growth and ensures that SMEs have the resources they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive market.