AI-driven cloud telephony elevates productivity and workflow precision in modern enterprise communication.
Zach, as a Microsoft Teams MVP and Principal Architect at LoopUp, could you share how your journey has evolved within the world of Microsoft technologies and voice technologies, and how it led you to your current role?
I started my career managing and supporting Cisco phone systems. Since making the move into the Microsoft technology stack, I’ve seen constant enhancements and innovations whilst supporting, managing, consulting, and architecting against the industry leader in voice technologies and UC platforms. This has led me into a role that I love where I can help truly global organizations migrate from their aging Phone Systems to Microsoft Teams Phone. It has driven me to help the wider voice community and as a result for my contributions I was awarded by Microsoft who invited me to join their Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals group of leaders.
AI is increasingly transforming industries, including telecommunications. In your view, how is AI currently impacting the telecommunications sector, particularly with regard to cloud-based communication systems like Microsoft Teams?
Voice can often be forgotten in this world of fast-moving technology. However, AI is so wide reaching that customers are looking for what sort of AI functionality they’ll be able to utilize in their Phone Systems right now. Cloud-based communication systems like Microsoft Teams are front runners in this aspect as they offer some AI capabilities already as part of their Copilot M365 offering.
The integration of telecom call data into enterprise datasets is crucial for AI analysis. What are the implications for enterprises if they fail to include telecom data, and how does this impact the value of AI within those organizations?
AI becomes invaluable if you’re an organization that is doing everything right including valuing your data collection and capturing emails, meetings and CRM data, but are missing out on call data. Without that call data, you’re not providing the full picture to your AI service because you’re missing out on a core communication stream of data for your company. This can cause inaccuracies in your data and skew trends.
Given your experience with transitioning organizations from traditional PBX systems to Microsoft Teams Phone, how do you think AI can enhance productivity when implemented correctly within these platforms?
If you’re using a Phone System and provider that can allow you to utilize AI in the correct way, it can allow your user’s experience of the Phone System to be greatly enhanced. For example, when taking calls, being able to summarize the call before transferring that onto another colleague gives them the information they need to act effectively and efficiently on the call. Also, providing real-time transcriptions that users can refer back to and integrate through the AI agent on the call can massively increase productivity.
With the growing role of AI in enterprise environments, what are the key challenges businesses face when integrating telecom data with AI technologies, and how can they overcome these hurdles?
I believe the challenges of integrating telecom data with AI will be very similar to challenges that we’ve already seen with AI. These challenges — such as security and compliance — can be seen as sensitive information for telecom data. It is important to make sure you have adopted advanced security measures such as encryption and regular audits so that you are compliant with regulations. Scalability is another challenge as telecom data can be fast, complex, and big, so making sure your AI system can handle this increase of data is key.
As cloud-based telephony and AI converge, how do you envision the future of communication systems in large enterprises, and what role will platforms like Microsoft Teams play in shaping this future?
Cloud-based telephony such as Microsoft Teams are already shaping the future of how AI works with your phone system by innovating and offering AI features directly in Microsoft Teams Phone. Its seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 tolls and services enables a truly unified communication experience.
I envision the future of communication will be about creating seamless, intelligent interactions that enhance both employee productivity and customer experience. AI-powered communication hubs, context-aware messaging systems, and automated workflow integration are some of the innovations that will drive this transformation. Microsoft Teams is at the forefront of this evolution, offering features such as AI-driven automation, real-time speech analytics and AI Agent driven contact centers.
AI has the potential to enhance communication workflows. How can enterprises ensure they’re getting the most productivity benefits from AI while also maintaining a high level of security and compliance in their communication systems?
Choosing an AI service that has deep integration with the rest of your technology stack and that you trust would be a good place to start. Something like Copilot for example, if you’re using Microsoft Teams Phone, is good for seamless integration. You should ensure that training and awareness has been covered for your users to confirm they are aware of security and compliance implications when using AI. It is also important to provide them with the correct education around this so they’re safe and not unintentionally breaking compliance.
What role do telecom providers like LoopUp play in ensuring seamless AI integration for businesses using Microsoft Teams, and how does this impact the overall performance of communication systems?
Telecom providers like LoopUp play a big role in making sure customers are correctly informed about the benefits of AI and how to use them safely within their organizations. We take a consultative approach when it comes to newer technologies like this and inform customers of best practices and how they can enhance their current communication workflows and achieve more out of their communication systems.
Many organizations are still operating on outdated PBX systems. What are the most significant advantages of transitioning to cloud-based systems like Microsoft Teams Phone with the addition of AI-enhanced capabilities?
There are so many to choose from but here are 3 that resonate a lot when I’m talking to customers:
● Take advantage of advanced calling features – Microsoft Teams offers many advanced calling features which can enhance how you currently use your phone system and gives users massive productivity boosts.
● Cost Savings – Cloud based systems eliminate the need for expensive on-premises hardware and reduce ongoing management and maintenance costs.
● Scalability and futureproofing – Making sure that your phone system is also able to grow with you as a business, and having the ability and flexibility to add or remove additional users without the need to invest in new infrastructure.
What are some of the most exciting developments you foresee in AI and telecommunications, and how can businesses start preparing for these innovations to stay ahead in the competitive landscape?
AI is only going to grow when it comes to the telecommunications features we’ve already mentioned such as real-time transcription, summarization, and AI agents — these are only the start. As companies like Microsoft see the increased adoption of Copilot against Microsoft Teams Phone, new functionalities will start to be released that will enhance user productivity, streamline workflows and incentivize customers to try out these features. If you haven’t already, look to modernize your phone system and move it to the Cloud to give your business these advantages that will make you well placed to embrace these AI features.
Zach Bennett
Microsoft Teams MVP and Principal Architect at LoopUp
Currently, I am a Microsoft Teams MVP and Principal Architect at LoopUp, a leading Cloud Telephony provider. At LoopUp, we specialize in offering PSTN solutions built around Microsoft Teams and are proud participants in the Operator Connect program. In my day-to-day role, I work closely with global organizations, assisting them in transitioning from their outdated PBX systems to Microsoft Teams Phone. Leveraging Operator Connect or Direct Routing via the LoopUp Cloud Telephony Platform, I help these organizations seamlessly migrate and unlock the full potential of Microsoft Teams for their communication needs.