Meetings are great and all, but they can be so much better
Approximately 83% of employees spend a third of their workweek in meetings. That’s a third of our time spent noting down actions, contributing opinions, fixing our hair in the tiny camera in the corner. Above all, we’re trying to be efficient and engaged – we want to collaborate.
Through Service Suite, Gamma’s partner community have the chance to extend their Microsoft Teams portfolio. Partners and their customers can gain greater value from Teams through features designed to enrich that experience.
Keeping employees engaged through a high-quality voice and calling experience can be achieved through market-leading hardware.
Headsets, handsets and meeting room devices provided by HP-Poly and Yealink are fit for such a purpose. As leaders in providing UCaaS solutions, your customers are assured of having a refined meeting experience that boosts engagement for all participants.
Staying engaged
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again; the way we work has changed dramatically. 41% of UK workers now operate remotely, with 28% happy to balance time between home and the office. This shift has introduced a brand-new challenge to how meetings are conducted.
The challenge now is creating a more inclusive environment for everyone. High-resolution video and clear, crisp audio are now integral to creating that environment. Businesses need to bridge that gap between virtual and physical spaces to keep employees engaged, wherever they are.
97% of executives see a lack of engagement in that virtual environment as a critical challenge to overcome. When remote employees aren’t engaging, they aren’t collaborating. That lack of collaboration only leads to negative outcomes and further issues in the long-term.
Again, it’s why hardware for these meetings are so important. It’s why Service Suite offers our partners the chance to provide their customers with the means to improve that meeting experience.
The sound of disruption
When that meeting environment isn’t set up properly, audio issues are sure to follow. At 51%, the most common complaint around audio in these hybrid meetings is background noise. Throw in echo, typical audio interruption and the poor quality of audio itself, and you have yourself a meeting that’s going nowhere.
Anyone joining remotely may struggle to hear what’s being said in the room, leading them to feel disengaged and out of the loop. We’ve already mentioned how a lack of engagement disrupts collaboration, not to mention that feeling of feeling undervalued and curtailing efficiency.
There’s a good reason why 87% of professionals feel stressed when meeting room technology lets them down. Again, that need for cutting-edge hardware is one that must be met.
Headsets and handsets
Collaboration can always be taken further. That market-leading hardware from Yealink and HP-Poly includes both headsets and handsets. Their expertise in noise cancellation, audio quality and meeting specific business needs is certainly on show here.
Yealink’s MP E2 handset series is powered by Android 13, and presents a faster, more modern way to collaborate. Built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi allows headphone connectivity, with a varied size in non-touch/touch screens providing a clear and consistent user interface. That nostalgic dial pad look is also quite a nice touch.
Much like Yealink’s MP E2 range, HP-Poly’s own handset solutions are suited for differing needs and wants. From entry-level to more sophisticated desk phones, these handsets come with touchscreens and Poly legendary audio quality for an optimal user experience. Again, built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi makes compatibility with a premium headset as easy and seamless as ever.
In fact, that’s a good segue into headsets.
Gamma aren’t experts in ear health, but we still appreciate a headset that allows us to communicate effectively. We specialise in communication, not otorhinolaryngology.
When choosing a headset for those critical conversations, 100% of businesses said voice quality was the most important factor, followed by comfort (99%) and noise cancellation (98%).
The wired and Bluetooth headsets produced by Yealink meet all those criteria. An innovative noise reduction system means employees can be immersed in their calls, with a lightweight design maximising comfort during prolonged usage. With up to 35 hours wireless talk time on some models, those employees stay constantly connected.
It’s a similar story with HP-Poly’s own headsets. Bluetooth, USB-A and USB-C compatibility means employees can take calls on their own terms, with a noise-cancelling boom keeping out any unnecessary background noises. Considering that Bluetooth range stretches to up to 50m, calls can literally be taken on the go.
What really sets these headset ranges apart are that they’re plug-and-play devices. Once they’re out of the box, these headsets are ready to sync automatically with Teams – they’re built to be used straight away. No extra faff around setting up and configuring these devices.
After all, the whole idea of Service Suite is to improve that Teams experience. Do your customers really have the time to work out how to use their headphones?
Teams Meeting Rooms Devices
Moving calls into a smart, engagement-focused meeting room gives all participants the chance to speak. Intelligent devices from Yealink and HP-Poly are all optimised for Microsoft Teams, with AI features built to maximise engagement and participant inclusivity.
These devices have been selected to cover multiple needs, experience and capabilities. That way, your customers can choose the right solution for their specific demands.
Yealink’s MeetingBar range act as an all-in-one video conferencing bar for small and medium-sized rooms. A dual-eye camera system provides a higher quality image with auto framing and speaker tracking functionalities. Added noise-proof technology keeps audio at a high quality, guaranteeing clear communication and seamless collaboration.
Meeting room devices from HP-Poly offer exquisite video quality, with a DirectorAI smart camera tracking and framing speakers. AI-powered acoustic fencing and noise-blocking abilities provides clearcut audio and minimal disruption, alongside intelligent noise reduction. Simple set up and use means that enriched hybrid meeting experience is at hand.
Whether your customers are building a new meeting space, or upgrading an existing one, partners can provide both with meeting room hardware through Service Suite.
Hardware built to last
When it comes to meetings and calls, it’s all about quality, comfort and engagement. As we take our work further and further away from the office, those optimised, plug-and-play devices become more and more important. Without that kind of hardware, those calls and meetings just won’t be the same.
Gamma’s Service Suite offering takes Teams further, and our partners have the perfect opportunity to give their customers a more complete Teams experience. The hardware those customers can procure will boost engagement, maintain high quality audio, and deliver the right outcomes. With no minimum or maximum orders, that complete Teams experience has no bounds.
Service Suite for Microsoft Teams is built to last – and so is the hardware.