With hybrid and remote work becoming the norm, anything that impedes productivity needs to be addressed. Spam calls certainly fall into that category, as every call needs to be answered at a business and unfortunately, the majority of them in 2021 are trying to sell you or scam you. Fortunately, Microsoft Teams is doing something about it, as the business communication service has made identifying and ignoring spam calls easier than ever. The product map states that the update should be rolling out sometime this month, so keep an eye out for this new feature to improve your overall productivity. If you’re scratching your head in regards to how a spam call can get through to Microsoft Teams — a popular web conferencing and project management platform — we get it. However, what you might not realize is that Microsoft Teams offers call sending and receiving on the software. Dubbed Microsoft Teams Phone, this offering became exceedingly popular during the pandemic, providing team members with an avenue to access business lines without actually being in the office. To make matters worse, more than the majority of these calls are not only spam, but are actually scams designed to siphon money and personal information from unsuspecting recipients. In fact, 38% of spam calls actually lost money in 2020, and the average cost was around $182 per interaction. Simply put, the spam call problem in the US is more than just an annoyance; it’s a serious problem that needs fixing. And while Microsoft Teams certainly won’t be the nail in the coffin for spam calls, it’s at least a step in the right direction for an increasingly popular platform used by businesses all over the country. From end-to-end encryption to hybrid work features, Microsoft Teams has utilized the considerable resources at its disposal to catch up to the likes of Google Meet and Zoom. In so many words, Microsoft Teams is a great option when it comes to transitioning your business to the new normal, and this new spam call feature could do a lot to help you avoid some of those pesky calls.
