The cloud is a buzzword in business, no matter what your industry. Many businesses have been using only cloud based collaboration and communication tools for years. But you might still be trying to decide if this is the right time to move your business tools to the cloud. Here’s a rundown of cloud-based business communications solutions and things to consider.

The holiday season is a great time to evaluate your business communication strategy. Employees will work both remotely and in-person to balance their work and family commitments. The first week of November is World Communications week, meant to educate and bridge gaps in communication between individuals, organizations, and even nations.

It can be daunting looking at all the different business communication systems on the market. In the digital age, is it best to switch over to cloud based phone system or stick with a traditional PBX phone system for your small business? Here is a comparison of the two systems and what each will do for your business communications.

Everyone knows at this point that cybersecurity and the efficiency of business information technology can make or break any business. Network outages can spell nightmares for business operations, and cyber attacks are more devastating to small businesses than ever.

Are you considering Microsoft Teams for communication? You'd be among many businesses considering the switch. After all, it's a useful and popular tool for companies to communicate and collaborate effectively in the digital age.

Are you interested in learning more about Microsoft 365 Business Voice? Are you wondering if Microsoft 365 Business Voice would be a good investment for your business? Well, you're in the right place.

When is Skype for business ending? Skype for business is ending on July 31, 2021. For the next few weeks, it will continue running to allow customers time to transition to Microsoft Teams, but immediately following July 31st, the platform will no longer be supported by Microsoft. After acquiring Skype for business, Microsoft began working on a more comprehensive communication option which became what it is known by today, Microsoft Teams. Are you ready for the transition? To help you out with the process, we have put together some tips to make the transition as seamless as possible.

Odyssey Elevate is an easy-to-use cloud based unified communications system that helps employees to be more productive and collaborative. The solution is ideal for any size business and scales quickly and easily. Odyssey Elevate is ideal for any workforce that requires the ability to work anywhere while maintaining the same features that once required the user to be in the office.

When selecting a communications platform for your business, comparing your options side-by-side is important. Cloud-based business communications solutions like Zoom and Microsoft Teams will have many features in common. However, what's the difference between Microsoft Teams and Zoom? Zoom Is a Newer Platform Zoom is a much newer company, while Microsoft has been around for a long time. Since Zoom is a newer organization founded in 2020, it is more prone to bugs in cybersecurity than more established companies. The platform experienced security issues when unauthorized individuals began joining private calls. This issue was eventually resolved, but it raises the question of whether Zoom's overall security features can measure up to hackers. Unlike Zoom, Microsoft has been around for a very long time. As an established company, it has fewer reported security issues. Teams is a newer platform for Microsoft, but it is built on a strong foundation from years of development. Complexity and Range of Collaboration Tools Zoom offers a platform that is easy to use for any skill level and gives you basic functionality from video conferencing, screen sharing, and recording. If you are looking for the most basic communication system, then Zoom may be the better fit for you. Zoom is only used for video meetings and does not integrate as seamlessly as Teams with other systems. Therefore, you will need additional tools for activities like SMS chat functions and project management. However, this makes Zoom simpler to learn for those who only want the basics. Teams as a Dynamic Alternative to Zoom When comparing Zoom vs Microsoft Teams, there's no question of which platform offers more integration. As an extension of Microsoft 365, MS Teams can integrate seamlessly and offer an all-inclusive communication channel. Join or plan a video conference, schedule meetings with attendees via your calendar, and chat with your members before and after the meeting. Although most email hosting providers offer Zoom integrations, Teams is a more dynamic system overall. Hundreds of apps can integrate with Teams, which can simplify your project management and collaboration. You can also save all your files into Teams so you do not need to go elsewhere to upload them. You can also retrieve conversations stored within the platform for future reference. How is Microsoft Teams Like Zoom? Microsoft Teams and Zoom overlap quite a bit in the features they offer. Both Zoom and Microsoft Teams offer collaboration features such as: Screensharing functions Breakout rooms Document sharing Voice calling Whiteboard tools In-call chat features Along with these video conferencing tools, both platforms offer security features to help prevent unauthorized access to meetings. Both use multi-factor authentication (MFA) and waiting rooms to verify participants before they can join a call. How to Choose a Video Conferencing Solution It's wise to partner with a managed communications provider with experience in your industry. They should be well-versed in your industry, so you can meet data security requirements and get the most out of your cloud-based communications software. If you're ready to invest in efficient and convenient unified communications, click the button below to speak to an experienced managed communications expert.