February 25, 2020 by Siobhan Climer and Igor Nayshtut
Collaborative technology is more important today than ever before. The rise of remote and work-from-home positions is only expected to grow; in fact, a report by Zapier at then end of 2019 found that 74% of employees would quit a position for one that offers remote capabilities.
To make remote work a possibility, organizations are turning to collaborative technology tools – that include chat and video conferencing options – to facilitate this workplace-based trend. In response, collaboration platform developers are adding new features that better create the depth of experience in-person work offers.
Cisco Webex Teams is a widely-used collaborative platform, and its developers provide frequent updates to improve the user experience. Read about what’s new in Cisco Webex Teams in the latest update on January 30, 2020.
What’s New In Cisco Webex Teams
Read about the latest features – and some that are upcoming releases – to see how Cisco Webex Teams compares to other collaboration platforms.
Learning To Use Cisco Webex Teams
As with any platform, users have a learning curve as they adjust to new interfaces, icons, and workflows. To help solve this issue, Cisco’s latest update provides a simple on-boarding walk-through tour of Webex Teams, so users know how to perform basic actions (i.e. navigating the app, creating a space, and starting a call).
This feature is available on Windows and Mac OS.
Message Reactions, Optimized Search, And Aesthetic Design
Using emojis or “message reactions” is commonplace today. Cisco Webex Teams helps teams provide immediate feedback. While there are still some limitations (you can only add 2 reactions at a time to each message), the feature is available on both mobile and desktop versions of the application.
Cisco Webex Teams has also simplified search, now enabling users to search through a space’s messages and files through a single-click search feature. For users attempting to quickly locate a shared slide deck or document, this feature is a time-saver.
Visual design is an important component of the user experience. The visual design of the Teams Tab and Notifications elements have been improved to match a user’s workflow more effectively. When users are looking for what’s new in Cisco Webex Teams, this may be the feature they first notice.
These features are available on Windows and MacOS.
Organization Customized For You
Not everyone uses Cisco Webex Teams in the same manner. Now, users can customize how people and spaces are organized with either a ‘list’ or ‘tab’ option. It’s a different way of thinking about spaces and the people with whom you work. Plus, you can now create a favorite spaces list that holds priority at the top of your list and filter results faster.
These features are only available on Android systems.
Pop! Share, Lock, Pause: Calling Gets An Upgrade
Cisco Webex Teams is the perfect tool for organizations where outbound calling is central to growth. Teams now provides Pop-Out calling, so that the call and associated functions are in a pop-out window. That means users can multitask, responding to Webex chat messages or manage email while in the call.
For users that are on the road or that prefer a personal device for calling, Webex Teams has simplified the process for screen sharing. Users no longer have to join a call with audio and video to share a screen. In addition, Webex Teams has added a LOCK symbol to secure calls to help users verify the security of the call.
When joining a conference call, users often need to enter numbers in response to the automated system. Now users can add a pause to the dial string to delay the system prompting – ideal for users who are switching back and forth between a call invite and a phone number pad.
These features are available on Windows and Mac OS.
Better Meeting Technology
Similar to the Pop-Out feature in calling, Webex Teams has added a Pop-Out meeting tools as well. Not all users or companies desire video calling or everyone to be immediately available by audio. This helps users choose their level of engagement with a meeting and multitask during meeting downtime.
Cisco Webex Teams is also now integrated with local calendars on iPhones, iPads, and Androids. Administrators must enable Cisco Webex Hybrid Calendar Service for users to view local calendars in Webex.
These features are available on Windows and Mac OS.
Need help ensuring you’re are using Cisco Webex Teams to its full capacity? Ready to switch to a more secure, resilient collaboration tools? Talk with Mindsight’s collaboration experts today to make sure you are optimizing collaboration technology.
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Contact us today to discuss what’s new in Cisco Webex Teams.
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About The Authors
Igor Nayshtut is the Collaboration Practice Manager at Mindsight. With over 20 years of experience in information technology, specifically around Unified Communications, Igor has helped organizations understand the complexities around collaboration. Igor’s expertise lies in strategically designing collaboration and UC systems that improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and help businesses meet their objectives.
Siobhan Climer, Mindsight’s Technology Writer, writes about technology trends in education, healthcare, and business. With over a decade of experience communicating complex concepts around everything from cybersecurity to neuroscience, Siobhan is an expert at breaking down technical and scientific principles so that everyone takes away valuable insights. When she’s not writing tech, she’s reading and writing fantasy, hiking, and exploring the world with her twin daughters. Find her on twitter @techtalksio.
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