More Than a Chat App: Five Powerful Microsoft Teams Uses

Do you think you’ve have Microsoft Teams all figured out? Are you logging in every day, watching that little icon change from yellow to green, sending messages to your colleagues, and jumping on Teams calls?

It’s true – Microsoft Teams is a fantastic tool for communication, but it can be so much more than that. It’s a powerful and dynamic platform that can host and facilitate almost all of your business functions, from collaborative proposal writing, to automated task management, to conference calls and live events. Check out our top Microsoft Teams uses – so far!

1. Project and Task Management

Project management at Regroove starts and ends in Teams. As soon as a lead is marked “Closed-Won,” we initiate our full project management process. We create Teams for every client account and use the different channels for out loud conversations about the projects and initiatives we’re working on for that client. We link the OneNote app to each project channel, so we can draft and review agendas, meeting notes, and solution wireframes. Our project managers assign individual and group tasks through apps like Planner and collectively monitor deliverables. This ensures the entire service delivery team has real-time access to the latest tasks and developments for each project. We follow this same practice for our internal departments. While Microsoft does have a project management tool (Microsoft Project), we find everything we need and more through Microsoft Teams (and we can train your team to master project management through Teams too!). 

2. Teams Phone

Teams Phone allows you to replace traditional, bulky, and often outdated phone systems, particularly if your workforce has shifted to a remote or hybrid environment. You can even retain your existing business numbers and provide a single phone line for your team members, whether they are in the office, at home, or on the road. We’ve helped many clients make the switch. Teams Phone integrates seamlessly into your existing Microsoft Teams environment – it’s as simple as clicking on the icon and dialing. As long as you use Microsoft Teams on a device that has a microphone and a speaker, you can use Teams Phone for your business. There are also excellent hardware devices for an enhanced Teams Phone experience, such as headsets (and yes, we can help you source the best hardware options). 

3. Teams Live Events

Microsoft Teams can also take you out of your internal business environment and connect you with your clients, constituents, and stakeholders. Microsoft Teams Live Events can host live events for up to 20,000 viewers and is a great platform for public council meetings, town halls, conferences, workshops, and more. Best part – it’s probably already integrated into your current Teams environment. Check out our blog here to see how to start your first Teams Live event. 

4. Teams File Management and Collaboration

In Microsoft Teams, you can take a project from initiation to completion without having to navigate away from Teams. Your team can upload draft documents, tag relevant team members for review, collaborate in real-time, and discuss questions or changes related to the document. For a detailed example of how your team can participate in a full collaborative project from start to finish in Teams, read our blog here (and hint! If you have a marketing or writing team, you are definitely going to want to share this with them!).  

5. Customize Microsoft Teams However You Want!

Our final favourite use might sound like a bit of a cop out – but it’s true! You can truly customize your Microsoft Teams environment so that is specific to your team, the kind of work you do, and the tools you use on a daily basis. For example, at Regroove, we add tabs to the tops of our Teams channels, and we always include Planner and OneNote (we can’t live without them). But you can add so many more customizations, including Microsoft and third-party applications and automations. Our technical consultant shows you how you can add different apps to your chats, navigation bar, and Teams channel here. 

Conclusion: Our Top Microsoft Teams Uses

We mean it when we say that you can run most of your daily business operations through Microsoft Teams. From engaging with clients to collaborating on complex projects to presenting at conferences – Microsoft Teams uses are powerful and constantly evolving to better serve users. If you would like to learn more about how you can get the most out of Microsoft Teams, fill out the form below and our team will be in touch!