Attendant Console along with Microsoft Teams

[Benoit Quillet]

To have all the full features of telephony, we must also have the attendant console.
Do you know a third party solution with Microsoft teams using Teams API?

Cherry on the cake also for visually impaired and the blind operator ...

[#2]

Hi @Benoit Quillet,

Landis Technologies offer their Attendant Pro product also for Microsoft Teams.

https://windowspbx.blogspot.com/2017/09/landis-technologies-announces-microsoft.html

https://www.landiscomputer.com/attendantpro/

They offer also the opportunity to test the functionality with a Trial.

Maybe @Matt Landis can jump in and provide more details.

Another solution you can check out is:

https://www.enghouseinteractive.com/touchpoint-attendant/

Edit: I missed the "Teams API" link. As Linus pointed out the Teams Calls API (Microsoft Graph Calling API) is still in Beta. So it will probably require another Ignite to see more in this space :)

Regards,

Paul

[#3]

All Attendant Console creators that are waiting for the same API so currently there is no native Teams compatible but there is some that allows attendants to be moved to Teams and running Teams client together with their software, but calls will be handled by a Skype server. The latest date I heard for the API is during H2 2019 or early 2020, but there is no official date.

[#4]

@Benoit Quillet 

Microsoft has mentioned at Ignite that the ISV (3rd party software vendors, specialists) will be taken on the role to make the Attendant Console. The are however still waiting for Client-Side API's to become available. Please vote on the UserVoice of Matt Landis (from Landis Computers) created for this item. https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/38534776-full-teams-client-api...

[#5]

Hi,

During the Ignite session about Calling API Microsoft showed a number of third-party applications that been in the TAP for Calling API to create Contact Center and Attendant applications. I've been working with some of them and there is some minor issues in the API but it works for most companies at least for start to test. One thing that is an problem is forwarding calls to another PSTN-number, but that should work soon.

The API is in limited preview currently, if you contact any of the application providers they might be able to include you in their preview but I know that most of them have a long queue with customers that want to start testing. 

For the list of third-party applications check my tweet here:

https://twitter.com/LCansby/status/1192547653860679680

[#6]

@Paul Lange 

Both of these packages require Skype client to be installed as well?

I assume there is still nothing that can be used natively with Teams?

I do not understand how Microsoft released  Teams without this functionality?

[#7]

Hi @RICKPALA 

different vendors use different approaches. Some require a SfB client some require a SfB backend.

All have in common that they need to work around the situation that the APIs are not GA. 

I would recommend that you get in contact with them and evaluate their solution.

Regards,

Paul

[#8]

So without getting into the weeds on the pending API's and how they impact 3rd party providers of Contact Center & Attendant Console solutions (not to mention the recently announced Genesys/MSFT partnership), I'm curious as to what the most popular Attendant Console features NOT AVAILABLE in Teams are?
Based on my experience with production Teams Hosted Direct Routing Customers I understand the following;
Attendant related features AVAILABLE TODAY in TEAMS;
1- Ability to see users status/presence to help determine if they are available to accept a call.
2- Ability to TR straight to Vmail.
3- Ability to Consult before Transferring (Consultative Transfer).
4- Groups and Favorites (from Teams SoftPhone client).
5- Park and/or Hold.
6- Group IM's (ex. WHO WANTS THIS CALL?).
7- 3 Way Calls
NOT AVAILABLE;
a. Groups and Favs from Physical endpoints (Native Teams YeaLink or Poly phones).
b. Sidecar support for physical endpoints.
Thx

[#9]

@gary woods a single consolidated view which includes users calendars. As long as Teams doesn't have this my users won't use it.

[#10]

@Casper Frank-Stender Competella Communication Suite is integrated through the Graph Communications API and provides amongst other the calendar consolidated view as well as a Teams presence. Competella Communication Suite is located in Azure and offered as a public SaaS cloud to end-customers.