By now, the workforce has grown accustomed to conducting business remotely, and video conferences look to continue indefinitely. Consequently, organizations need to choose the best platform to meet their needs. In many instances, this means weighing Microsoft Teams vs Zoom.
On the surface, Microsoft Teams and Zoom deliver similar feature sets for remote communications and collaboration. Both provide video conferencing, screen and file sharing, room systems, chats, and audio calls. And both offer a free version, although the 100-person and 40-minute limits in Zoom’s free version can prove frustrating.
But beyond the basics, the two platforms differ significantly in areas such as collaboration and security. Examining the options closely will help you choose the most effective solution for your organization. Also, keep in mind that both platforms have developed rapidly in recent months, adding and honing features.
Collaboration in Microsoft Teams vs Zoom
Microsoft Teams offers exceptional video quality, with all the tools you need to conduct meetings over distance. But the features that really push Teams over the top in the Microsoft Teams vs Zoom battle involve integration.
Teams integrates tightly with Microsoft 365. This means that meeting participants enjoy seamless collaboration and calendar support. For instance, colleagues co-authoring a document can move directly from chat to video conference without breaking stride. And participants can easily search meeting minutes, shared documents, message threads and more.
Teams vs Zoom Security
Zoom has infamously struggled with security issues in recent months. The company finally rolled out end-to-end encryption just last month. Meanwhile, Microsoft Teams offers a mature set of security features, including end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication and more.
Microsoft invests heavily in security. That security applies not only to meetings but also to chats, email and shared files. Encryption options ensure that no unauthorized persons, not even Microsoft itself, can access your sensitive data or meetings.
New Microsoft Teams Meeting Features in 2020
Microsoft has had a busy 2020, adding exciting new features to make remote meetings even more effective and user-friendly. Here are just a few of the features available now or in the coming weeks.
- 7×7 gallery view – Video call participants can now view up to 49 attendees at once.
- Together mode options increased – Together mode enhances the meeting experience by showing participants in traditional meeting settings. For instance, if you follow the NBA, you have become familiar with the auditorium view. Additional new scenes include a conference room view and a coffee shop view.
- Breakout rooms – Organizers can split participants into smaller groups for focused discussions. Presenters move from one breakout room to another as needed. And when the time comes to reconvene as a big group, the organizer can close the breakout rooms.
- Larger meeting and chat size – Meeting size has increased to allow up to 300 participants.
- Seamlessly transfer meetings between devices – Now you can start a meeting on your computer and switch to your phone without anyone knowing the difference.
- Webinar features – Create a webinar using event registration and automated reminder emails. Once the event has completed, a detailed reporting dashboard will provide essential data about attendee involvement.
eMazzanti with Microsoft Powers Your Teams
Combine the rich features of Microsoft Teams with the comprehensive services of eMazzanti to move your work groups to a new level. eMazzanti provides a host of services customized to your remote work needs, from data security to network management and cloud services.
Additionally, as an award-winning Microsoft partner, eMazzanti will help you get the most out of the Microsoft Teams experience. Whether you need to migrate some or all your business to the cloud or use Microsoft 365 more effectively, we can help.
