The pitfalls of in-house transitions: why enterprises should consider a managed service for Microsoft Teams Rooms

What it takes to transition to Microsoft Teams Rooms in a multinational company

Transforming your meeting rooms into Microsoft Teams Rooms involves several steps and considerations. Here’s a high-level overview:

1. Technology considerations: MTR solutions offer flexibility of purpose and even flexibility of movement throughout a space that traditional meeting rooms don’t. Any type of space and meeting can be optimized with Teams Rooms devices or Teams Rooms solutions.
2. Meeting room uses and layouts: There are different types of meeting room layouts depending on the purpose of the meeting. For example, presentation-focused meetings, co-creation-focused meetings and a combination of both.
3. Deployment: Deploying MTRs involves several phases. Microsoft provides guidance on how to plan, deploy and manage your Teams Rooms.
4. Teams Rooms devices: MTR devices are designed to turn any space into a smart meeting room for inclusive collaboration. These devices are rigorously tested and easy to deploy, manage and secure.

The transformation process requires careful planning and execution. It’s important to consider the specific needs of your organization and its various departments and branches. This includes understanding the types of meetings commonly held, the layout of the meeting rooms and the technology requirements for each room and location.

The risk of in-house transition to Microsoft Teams Rooms

While a transition to MTRs promises numerous benefits, it also presents several challenges, particularly when undertaken in-house without the assistance of an experienced service provider. Let’s shed light on these potential pitfalls.

Inconsistent implementation

One of the primary risks associated with in-house transition is inconsistent implementation across different meeting rooms, different sites and different countries. Microsoft Teams Rooms offer a wide range of features and functionalities that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each meeting room. However, without the expertise of a service provider, achieving a consistent implementation and user experience can be challenging, and inconsistency can lead to user frustration and reduced productivity, undermining the very benefits the transition aims to deliver.

Complex support agreements

Managing multiple vendors for different components of your Teams Rooms can lead to complex support agreements. Each vendor will likely have different Service Level Agreements (SLAs), management tools and support processes. This complexity can make problem and incident management extremely challenging, placing a significant burden on your IT team.

Increased demand for support

As the number of MTRs increases, so too will the demand for planned and reactive support. Your internal IT team may not have the capacity to handle this increased demand, leading to longer response times and potential downtime. This can disrupt meetings and negatively impact productivity.

Security risks

Security is a critical consideration in any digital transformation initiative. Microsoft Teams Rooms should not be treated like typical end-user workstations. Incorrect handling of security profiles, encryption and device configuration can lead to security risks. These risks can expose your organization to data breaches and other cyber threats, with potentially severe consequences.

Lack of proactive monitoring and management

Without a managed service provider, your organization would need to handle all monitoring and management tasks. This includes software updates, problem detection and problem resolution. These tasks can be time-consuming and complex, diverting resources away from other important IT initiatives.

Limited insights

Managed services offer advanced analytics, reporting and lessons at scale. Without these services, your organization may lack the necessary insights to make informed decisions about your Teams Rooms. Insights can help you understand room health, usage and equipment reliability, enabling you to optimize your meeting experiences.

How a service provider can help

Some service providers focus just on implementation, while others provide end-to-end support and even managed services for previously implemented Microsoft Teams Rooms, regardless of who did it. Opting for these services can bring many benefits to your organization:

1. Proactive monitoring and management: Managed services provide proactive monitoring and technical support. They continuously monitor the environment, checking for any faults, updates and break-fix guidance. This can help ensure that your Teams Rooms are always ready and functioning optimally.
2. Software updates and enhanced security: Service providers can leverage their expertise and validation to ensure consistent, timely software updates and security patches for your Teams Rooms hardware, minimizing the burden on your IT staff.
3. Enhanced insights: Managed services offer rich analytics, reporting and lessons at scale across many customers. These insights can help you understand room health, usage and equipment reliability, enabling you to make informed decisions about your Teams Rooms.
4. 24/7 support: Managed services often come with 24/7 support from a team of Microsoft skilled engineers. This can provide peace of mind knowing that help is always available when needed.
5. Reduced complexity: Managed services can simplify the deployment and management of Teams Rooms. They can also help ensure that your devices are secure.

Summary

In the case of multinational enterprises, the aforementioned services can be particularly valuable. However, with multiple departments and branches, managing Microsoft Teams Rooms can be very complex. Managed service providers can significantly help streamline this process, ensuring a consistent employee experience across all your locations.

Learn more about Orange Business MTR services here.