Now more than ever, UK businesses are reliant on digital communication or online services, such as email addresses, websites, online banking or purchases.  The surge in digital communication and services, combined with the popularity of mobile devices, means hackers have a huge technology footprint to steal corporate and personal data.

You may have fallen into the trap of thinking 'it won't happen to my business', but if you knew almost half of UK businesses experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the last year, would you feel the same?

Information sourced from UK Gov: Cyber Breaches Survey 2020

One in five of businesses who reported a cyber security breach or attack experienced a material outcome, such as losing money or data. 

For businesses who experienced material outcomes, the average cost is estimated to be £3,230 in the last 12 months.

For medium and large firms, this average cost soars to £5,220.

Phishing scams are on the rise 

Phishing scams are on the rise, and our partner Wandera has seen a notable rise in scams relating to Netflix and HSBC. 

Are you aware of how your corporate devices are being used now that your employees are at home more than ever before?

Video on demand services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Now TV can dramatically drain your data pool, and that additional data can exceed the cost of your mobile plan.  Not to mention the data usage guzzled by online shopping, social networking, gaming and pornography.

You can save yourself the sting of unforeseen and unnecessary costs using a solution called Mobile Device Management (MDM).

MDM enables you to cap and limit non-business data usage, as well as enforce stronger security standards, from just £2 per device per month.  This will save you any awkward conversations and ensure you can say goodbye to bill shock.

If you want to get a grip on your corporate devices, you can learn more here.

The coronavirus pandemic has accentuated that a disaster recovery plan isn’t something that should be left until the last minute; because an incident can affect your business at any time.

If you lose your ability to communicate for an hour, a day, a week…what would that do to your bottom line?

Most organisations tend to place too much emphasis on their data when creating disaster recovery plans, which often means their business communications infrastructure is overlooked.

Yet it is critical that your business is communicating with customers at all times in a service driven world, as the effects of poor customer service can be disastrous for customer retention.

At CMM Telecoms, we’ve invested in technology that allows us to work wherever and whenever we want to – even when faced with unforeseen disruptions from pandemics, floods, heavy snow, power cuts, downed trees and the accidental cutting on a cable in the area.

The checklist below will give you an insight into how easily your business could operate and support your customers when disaster strikes.

Integrating Voice Calling with Microsoft Teams means you'll use a single app for all your communication tools (Outlook calendar, meetings, chats, calls).

How to make inbound and outbound calls in Microsoft Teams 

Go to your chat list, and click New chat  to start a new conversation.

Type the name or names into the To field at the top of your new chat.

Then click Video call  or Audio call  to start a call.

Up to 20 people can be on the same video call. 

How to accept calls in Microsoft Teams 

When someone calls you, you'll get a notification that lets you accept or decline the call.

• Click Accept with audio  to answer with audio only.

• Click Accept with video  to accept the call and enable video as well.

• Click Decline call  to decline the call and go on with your day.

Why are businesses moving from PBX to Microsoft Teams?

A PBX is a company’s phone system and it’s mostly implemented out of hardware on-premises.  

Cloud PBX (when combined with PSTN Calling) is your phone system in the cloud, modern and tightly integrated with Microsoft Teams.  This means users get the voice capabilities they need—make, receive & manage calls; at work, at home, on the road; using phones, PCs and mobile, without the significant hardware investments attached to a traditional PBX system.

How do I know if integrating Voice Calling with Microsoft Teams is the right move for my business?

Integrating Voice Calling with Microsoft Teams is right for your business if...

• Your internal communications are reliant on Teams 
  Using Teams for your external, as well as internal, communications will eliminate the need for a separate PBX system and all the costs that come with it. You'll also benefit from greater integration between all your systems.
  
  
• You have digital gaps in your workforce
  Voice Calling in Microsoft Teams is intuitive and centralised, so your workforce will face just one learning curve, ensuring quick collaboration, regardless of differences in digital skills. 
  
  
• You spend time juggling multiple apps and vendors 
  Integrating Voice Calling in Microsoft Teams means you'll only have to manage one app, from one provider.  And if you choose CMM Telecoms as your provider, you'll also benefit from one dedicated contact for any support you need.

Should I switch from VoIP to Microsoft Teams?

Both VoIP and Voice Calling in Microsoft Teams offer flexibility and eliminate the need for storage space and unnecessary equipment costs.  Integrating Voice Calling in Microsoft Teams, however, can give you the extra bonus of unified colloboration and one learning curve for your team.

Take the example of a threaded chat experience in Teams.  You can group conversations by subject, saving time searching and piecing together communication across different channels, because integrating Voice Calling with Microsoft Teams means you'll use a single app for all your communication tools (Outlook calendar, meetings, chats, calls).  

New additions to your team will be able to catch up quickly, ensuring they can start adding value to discussions.

You'll get the same features you expect from any other professional calling solution, such as call queues and auto-attendant.  You'll also be able to view your call history, listen to voicemails and search for contacts, directly from the Teams app.  

And if you're in a meeting, you can have your voicemail messages transcribed. 

Should I choose a third party calling plan?

Yes, if...

• You want more flexibility than Microsoft's pre-set calling plans can offer 
  Microsoft's pre-set calling plans allow you to make and receive calls in Teams, but there isn't room for negotiation when it comes to flexibility. If you make a reasonable amount of outbound calls and you'd like to take advantage of unlimited UK calls, Direct Routing is the ideal alternative. 
  
  What is direct routing?
  Direct routing allows you to connect your telecom voice trunks directly to Microsoft 365 and Teams, so that your people can make and receive calls.   This means you won't have to commit to a Microsoft pre-set calling plan, allowing you to take advantage of cheaper call rates and more flexibility.
  
  How does direct routing work?
  Direct Routing integrates your Teams system to the PSTN using a Session Border Controller (SBC) and SIP Trunks. A SBC acts as a border between different networks to ensure your data is transferred correctly, and safely, between them. SIP Trunks, on the other hand, act as the essential connection between your business phone system, the internet and the traditional PSTN phone network. 
  
  
• You have limited in-house support, experience or time
  Your business may have limited IT staff or resources, or staff who have little experience using Teams as a PBX or of telecommunications in general.  As a third party provider, we can provide you with essential step by step account management, install Direct Routing and any other equipment you need, whether you want to fill in a knowledge gap, or simply save your own staff time.
  
  
• You have international calling requirements
  Microsoft's pre-set calling plans are currently limited to the UK and Canada while the roll-out takes place, so if you have international calling requirements, Direct Routing will provide you with the availability you need.   

How much does integrating Voice Calling with Teams cost?

• Third-party providers should operate by a tailored approach.  This means an exact price isn't possible, because your quote should be based on a comprehensive review of your current circumstances and requirements.  You can rest assured, however, that choosing Direct Routing over Microsoft's pre-set Calling Plans can lower your recurring price per user per month.  At CMM Telecoms, we will provide you with a free, no obligation quote based on your unique needs so you can see how cost-effective this solution is, before making any commitments. 

Why choose CMM Telecoms?

• Dedicated account management
  Choosing us means you’ll receive a dedicated contact to help you with the process.  We'll provide you with essential step by step account management based on a comprehensive review of your infrastructure, install Direct Routing and provide any other equipment you need.
  
  
• Premium support
  You'll receive premium-style support throughout, saving your own staff time, as you'll be able to depend on an experienced and dedicated UK-based team.
  From setup, to training, to support, we have it covered.