At the beginning of 2022, Microsoft enriched Teams with a series of features adapted to field agents (also known as “front-line employees”), particularly present in the sectors of commerce and distribution, health, hospitality, or in industry.
First announcement, Microsoft has added the walkie-talkie function to more devices.
Teams en talkie-walkie
The walkie-talkie function appeared in Teams in 2020. Unlike conventional walkie-talkies, Teams transmits voice over Wi-Fi and cellular networks. But unlike VoIP or softphony, where you have to dial a number or join a meeting, the function triggers communications by pressing a simple button (Instant Push-to-Talk).
“Walkie-Talkie allows users to connect to their team using the same channels they are a member of. Only users who connect to the Walkie-Talkie in a channel become participants and can communicate with each other by Instant Push-to-Talk, one by one”, Explain Microsoft.
The function, launched two years ago in preview, is now available on iOS (iPhone, iPad) and Android.
It is also integrated into several Zebra Technologies devices that embed Teams, including rugged terminals for harsh conditions and those dedicated to sales environments (“PoS”).
Field uses, a growth driver for UCaaS
Microsoft presents this version as being likely to improve the efficiency of the work of the employees in the field, for example by allowing them to contact the offices of the company more easily, to request days off more simply, or even to better connect with corporate culture by accessing corporate information in Teams.
For Dion Hinchcliffe, an analyst at Constellation Research, “frontline workers” represent a significant market opportunity for collaboration solution providers.
“The dazzling growth of unified communications offers (Microsoft, Zoom, etc.) means that they will soon reach their market limits; [les éditeurs] must therefore look for new segments to target,” he says. “There is no doubt that frontline workers are one of the next great competition grounds for the UCaaS ».
A one-stop shop for training and planning management
Microsoft also intends to allow more direct access to training materials via Teams.
A feature planned later this month will allow a company to assign training sessions from providers like SAP or Saba Cloud (talent management) while remaining in the communication tool. Microsoft has already announced that it will partner with training platforms like OpenSesame (in February).
Finally, again as part of its collaboration with Zebra, Microsoft will connect Teams to Reflexis Workforce Scheduler this month. This integration will allow agents to access schedule information generated by this software, and managers to manage schedules and team changes without leaving Teams.
Teams also already had an in-house tool – Shifts – to specifically manage the schedules of field agents.
Field management beyond Teams
Beyond Teams, Microsoft has initiated other initiatives that show that it wants to appeal to field agents.
An upcoming update to device management software, Endpoint Manager, will allow IT administrators, for example, to trigger an audio alert to help an on-site employee locate a lost device. Microsoft plans to launch this feature by April.
Microsoft also “verticalizes” ranges of cloud offers to better attack specific sectors, some of which precisely use a lot of field agents. In February, for example, the publisher will launch an offer intended for the trade and distribution sector. Microsoft Cloud for Retail will use Artificial Intelligence and retailer data to optimize supply chains and manage customer profiles.
Microsoft had already launched specific offers for industry and health, two other key sectors that employ many field agents.