Richard Humphreys |
Gamma, a provider of unified communications (UC) throughout Europe, has recently concluded a series of Microsoft Teams Phone migration workshops for local government professionals in the UK.
The workshops, which took place in Glasgow, Manchester and London, served as a platform for participants to acquire insight and expertise in a variety of technology areas. These collaborations with Microsoft are now happening across Gamma’s European offices. Attendees were guided on how to effectively harness the advantages of Teams Phone and given the opportunity on how to decipher the complexities and streamline messaging. With a strong focus on knowledge sharing and problem solving, the events also gave attendees a chance to collaborate and ask questions.
The challenges faced by local governments when managing legacy telephony estates were at the forefront of the discussions. Participants explored the workings of this complex landscape to find effective strategies that would overcome obstacles and drive forward progress. From budgetary constraints to interoperability issues, every facet of the migration process was scrutinised, allowing attendees to gain a comprehensive understanding of the hurdles they may encounter.
Not only were these workshops about theoretical concepts, but they also provided a platform for real-world scenarios, shedding light on common pitfalls and sharing real-life experiences of organisations that had successfully migrated to Teams Phone and what results they have achieved.
By delving into these case studies, participants received tips on best practices, which they could take forward for their own migration journeys. Led by a diverse range of speakers, the workshops offered an opportunity for those in attendance to engage in discussions from spokespeople from Microsoft and Gamma, with the experts guiding attendees through an interactive learning experience and collective problem solving.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to present part of the Scottish government’s journey in our transformation to Teams telephony,” says Sarah Cooper, senior IT service delivery manager for unified communications within the Scottish government. “There’s a sense of pride in sharing with others the advancements we’ve made, and how our ongoing relationship with Gamma allows us to continue delivering services that align with our strategic and organisational needs.”
Gamma is a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work with an advanced specialisation in Calling for Microsoft Teams. “The power of a community can be incredible,” says Richard McPhee, solutions director at Gamma. “These workshops were a great example of like-minded people coming together to discuss the challenges they faced and take inspiration from each other on how to overcome them.”
The agenda of the workshops covered a broad range of topics, from discovery, through the journey of convergence, the route to Teams Phone migration, and finally the framework for success – all with the aim of equipping participants with the necessary tools to embark on their own Teams Phone migration journey. From the initial planning stage to managing the transition and optimising the new system, every step was addressed.
“Gamma’s commitment to hosting these workshops exemplifies its dedication to empowering IT leaders in not just the local government sector but also in every area of business from startups to small and medium-sized enterprises, channel partners and large enterprises,” says McPhee. “By providing a space for knowledge sharing, problem solving and networking, Gamma has not only elevated the industry but also enabled participants to pave the way for a future where customers’ Teams Phone knowledge helps the process to be seamless and efficient.”
Representatives from Microsoft also provided insight into how a Teams migration can help transform businesses so they can adapt to the modern hybrid work model, highlighting benefits related to employee well-being and the customer experience. There were also updates on evolving calling scenarios and discussions on budget pressures along with a comprehensive update on all the new features across chat and collaboration, meetings, admin, security and applications.
“Public sector organisations have a challenging mandate – ensuring seamless delivery of essential services, whilst ensuring value for money on every investment,” says Gareth Bleasdale, senior go-to-market manager – Microsoft Teams. “As such, we are delighted to be partnering with Gamma through these workshops, delivering the next wave of UC transformation.”
Gamma has plans for future events and workshops to support those interested in migrating to Teams Phone, which now has 80 million users worldwide and has been used for more than one billion one-to-one phone calls.
Find out how Gamma can help small and medium-sized enterprises on their digital transformation journeys on the Gamma website.
This article was originally published in the Summer 2023 issue of Technology Record. To get future issues delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for a free subscription