Business meetings in 2024 are not what they used to be. As hybrid working continues to be a trend, organizations now need to enable high levels of flexibility in scheduling and conducting effective meetings. In the hybrid workplace, meeting experiences have become more complex and fragmented and business leaders know that this is hurting employee communication and collaboration.

Cisco, when combined with Microsoft Teams Rooms, bridges the gap between in-person and remote attendees, empowering teams to collaborate from anywhere.

With capabilities that ensure everyone can be seen, heard, and fully engaged in small, medium, or large meeting spaces, Cisco and Teams Rooms pave the way for intelligent collaboration. Read on to uncover why Cisco is a requisite in modern-day meeting rooms.

The Hybrid Meeting Landscape

In the current business landscape, 98% of business meetings include at least one remote participant. Yet less than 15% of the 87 million meeting spaces in the world are equipped with rich video conferencing technology. As companies struggle to bring employees back into offices, hybrid meeting experiences have to be top-notch. With expectations for seamless and easy-to-use technology constantly increasing, equipping meetings with high-quality audio and video is the need of the hour.

Advanced video conferencing capabilities can pave the way for frictionless collaboration experiences. They help reimagine the hybrid workplace while enabling every participant to be seen and heard – regardless of the location or the device. With AI-powered in-call experiences such as noise removal and camera intelligence capabilities, modern tools enable a high-quality, inclusive, distraction-free meeting experience for users – both in and out of calls.

The Cisco + Microsoft Teams Rooms Imperative

Microsoft Teams video conferencing, when powered by intelligent collaboration devices by Cisco, can completely transform the hybrid meeting landscape. Cisco offers several devices that can be paired with Microsoft Teams Rooms to elevate the meeting room experience.

• Room Bar is a flexible, codec-powered video bar appliance for high-quality video conferencing and content sharing – ideal for small rooms and huddle spaces.
• Room Bar Pro, an AI-boosted, all-in-one video bar solution, offers equitable video capabilities, advanced interoperability, and flexible connectivity for medium spaces.
• Room Kit EQ, an AI-powered collaboration bundle, powers equitable video meetings and enhanced connectivity and is ideal for large meeting spaces.
• Board Pro 55/75, the all-in-one, hybrid room device for video conferencing and digital whiteboarding, is the perfect tool for small and medium-sized spaces.
• Room Kit Pro is a powerful and intelligent collaboration device bundle for video conferencing for large spaces and specialist AV scenarios.

With Cisco and Microsoft Teams Rooms, organizations can provide an exceptional video conferencing experience via embedded device intelligence, hassle-free admin, and engaging design. Familiar Teams layout, breathtaking camera views, and crisp sound help unlock the best meeting experience for hybrid work.

Here are some compelling benefits:

• Easy to deploy and use: Seamless integration between the Cisco devices and Microsoft Teams Rooms allows for a solution that is easy to deploy and use. IT admins can leverage a fully managed solution in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center and uncover unrivalled insights into the meeting room with Cisco Control Hub.
• Native Teams Experience: Microsoft Teams has been a tool of choice for most companies in the world. As employees continue to use and enjoy the platform, Cisco brings the native Teams experience on certified room and desk devices. From augmented camera and audio intelligence to intuitive controls and seamless device management in any workspace – Cisco brings everyone together for world-class collaboration.
• Integrated video capabilities: Cisco’s new meeting room solutions enable seamless and inclusive hybrid meetings that are easy to use and deploy at scale.  The Cisco Room Series, for instance, features a Front Row feature that is an inclusive content layout for Microsoft Teams Rooms. Offering high-quality video, crisp audio, and rich content experiences, the Room Series powers engaging and productive hybrid workflows across various meeting formats.
• Seamless scalability: The tight integration of purpose-built devices is easily scalable as user numbers grow, maintaining a consistent level of digital experiences. The rich set of management tools makes it possible for IT and facilities managers to deliver hybrid work at scale.
• AI-powered collaboration: Cisco’s RoomOS-powered collaboration appliances enable seamless AI-powered collaboration with advanced camera, audio, and speech intelligence capabilities. The Distance Zero concept, for example, brings high-quality, rich context that virtually eliminates the distance between meeting participants while making in-person interaction magical.

• Uninterrupted interoperability: Uninterrupted interoperability between Cisco and Microsoft Teams Rooms means users can join fully featured Microsoft Teams or Webex meetings on the same device – without having to reboot or reconfigure the system.
• Advanced management: Cisco also enables organizations to register their Microsoft Teams Rooms certified devices in Control Hub for advanced cloud management, diagnostics, and analytics. This allows admins to integrate RoomOS APIs with 3rd party room systems and controllers and make informed decisions about workspace investments.

Wrapping Up

Hybrid work is an integral part of the modern business landscape. With employees working from offices and remote locations, there is a need to enable seamless and consistent board and meeting room experiences. Cisco and Microsoft Teams Rooms deliver full functionality for hybrid meetings. From intelligent collaboration to integrated video capabilities – Cisco is a must-have for boosting workforce productivity.

Tempted to make the most of Cisco? As your AV integration partner, Resurgent can help you explore the various tools and implement a solution that best fits your business narrative. Our human-centric approach to audio-video implementation and support ensures that technology feels like an enabler, not a barrier, in effective communication.

From consulting and design to procurement, installation, integration, product training and support – we can single-handedly take care of the entire lifecycle of Cisco implementation.

Contact us today to speak to our implementation experts!