Microsoft is continually updating its Teams platform to bring you better and more useful features. However, staying on top of these regular updates can be challenging – especially if you’re busy. Having an idea of which new features are coming down the line can help you prepare for when these updates arrive at your organisation. It also means that you can you use them productively as soon as they arrive.

Here are five new Microsoft Teams updates that we think will have a particularly big impact on how businesses work.

5 important new Microsoft Teams updates

Here are five Teams updates from summer 2021 that you should consider using:

  1. Webinar follow up

Have you ever run a webinar but struggled to capitalise on sales opportunities because you couldn’t keep track of who attended?

With the latest Microsoft Teams update, it should become a lot easier to follow up with webinar attendees. Microsoft are now offering a new Dynamics 365 integration which means you can automatically segment your post-webinar follow-up messaging, send surveys and continue the conversation.

 

Learn more: Webinar features in Microsoft Teams you should be using

 

  1. New call features

Microsoft announced several new call features in Teams this summer. These include:

    • An attendance dashboard. This shows you who attended the meeting, how they participated and how engaged they were.
    • Spotlighting multiple users. Until now, the main speaker was the only person who would be spotlighted on a Team’s call. However, it is now possible for the call organiser to spotlight multiple speakers so their video streams are prioritised.
    • Chat bubbles. The Teams call chat will now appear as bubbles on top of the video itself – rather than attendees having to open up a separate chat panel. This should make it easier to follow conversations.
    • A laser pointer feature. This clever update means the presenter on a call will now be able to use a kind of ‘laser pointer’ – as if they were giving a presentation in a physical room. That allows them to highlight particularly important statistics or messages on their slideshow.
    • Live transcriptions. Microsoft Teams now gives you the option to generate a live transcription of all speakers throughout the call. This means that attendees can reread the conversation later. It’s also helpful for people who arrived late so they can get up to speed quickly.

 

  1. Several hardware updates

As we begin to work in a more hybrid world, it is going to be helpful to connect different kinds of hardware to Microsoft Teams that facilitate meetings with staff, wherever they are. In the latest Teams update, Microsoft announced a number of important new hardware integrations and improvements including:

    • Intelligent speakers. Microsoft announced integrations with smart meeting room systems by EPOS and Yealink which are able to better identify who is speaking and offer a more natural call experience.
    • Surface Hub updates. Microsoft also announced they will roll out Teams Rooms on Surface Hub. This will improve the experience of running hybrid phone calls with people connecting from home and the office.
    • New cameras, headsets and other kit. Microsoft also announced a number of integrations with hardware vendors offering video call headsets, HD cameras and meeting room audio kit.


Prepare for hybrid:
How to use Teams for hybrid working

 

  1. Support for business workflows

Some of the most exciting new updates announced for Microsoft Teams in summer 2021 relate to improvements in workflow management. Microsoft has introduced a number of features which allow managers to assign tasks which are connected to the Planner and To Do apps. If you work mainly in Teams, you might not notice all updates to your work list in those other apps – so this integration should make it easier to remember all the work you have to do.

Another interesting workflow improvement is around approvals. Rather than sending approvals by email, you can now send Microsoft Teams approval templates (or build your own) right within Teams channels. For example, if you needed to get approval for a customer discount, you can simply use the new approval forms in Microsoft Teams and send it to your manager. They can then give the approval from within the chat channel.

 

  1. Wellbeing

Wellbeing has always been an important part of the Microsoft Teams experience. Perhaps the most important update in terms of wellbeing this summer is the ability to give praise. Managers and colleagues can now send a praise badge to an employee and boost morale.

 

Staying on top of new Microsoft Teams updates

Using an enterprise communication and collaboration platform that is constantly updating is very beneficial. When you use Teams, you know that you will always have the latest tools and security features. Nevertheless, staying on top of this constant change can be a challenge.

At FITTS, we work closely with our customers to understand what they need from Microsoft Teams. We help them to stay on top of updates, prepare for any forthcoming changes and use the app to its full potential. To see how we help clients use Teams more effectively, read our case study with Investec.

If you’d like to use Microsoft Teams more productively, contact us today.