Pros and Cons of Microsoft Teams Direct Routing

If your business uses Microsoft Teams to stay connected, there’s a chance you also use Teams’ direct routing option. Or, if you’re planning to start using Microsoft Teams in the workplace, you may have heard of direct routing and are now considering implementing it.

So, what exactly is direct routing, and is it the best choice for your business? Let’s look at how direct routing works with Microsoft Teams and whether it would suit your business requirements, as well as explore some of its pros and cons.

What is direct routing on Microsoft Teams?

Direct routing is a method through which your business can use Microsoft Teams to stay in contact throughout the day. It allows you to use your own provider to send messages, make phone calls, and more. It’s one of the options Microsoft Teams offers when it comes to providers – the other is operator connect, which means that Microsoft offers you a list of providers to choose from when communicating via Teams.

The Pros and Cons of Direct Routing

Microsoft Teams direct routing has a number of pros and cons. Exploring them will help you to discover whether this option is right for your business.

Pros:

There is a wide range of benefits that your business will experience when you choose direct routing. For example:

• Direct routing allows you to keep your current phone provider – some businesses find that this is preferable to having to choose from a list of operators provided by Microsoft, as you may have already established a good working relationship with your provider. This means that, if any issues arise or you have questions, it’s easy to get in touch with them and resolve any problems quickly. In other words, direct routing lets you access many of the benefits of Microsoft Teams while keeping some of what you like about your current communications setup. 
• Direct routing also means you can migrate to a new communication system at your own pace, in a simplified way. You and your employees won’t suddenly find yourselves overwhelmed with new communication tools you need to learn to use – everything can fit around your schedule. 
• It is highly flexible. For example, you may be able to implement customized communication strategies, so the system can be tailored to fit your business needs. Plus, direct routing can be easily scaled up, which makes it a great choice if you’re planning to expand your business.

Cons:

If you’re considering direct routing for Microsoft Teams, it’s important to be aware of the potential disadvantages you may encounter when you choose this option such as:

• Direct routing can be quite complex to set up, so if you’re running a smaller business, you might want to consider another option, such as operator connect. 
• If you’re in the process of setting up your business, you’ll need to find a phone provider yourself. This can be time-consuming, whereas if you choose to go with operator connect, you’ll have a list of options from Microsoft. You might find this helpful if you’re not sure where to start with looking for a provider.