How Heedify Delivers a Truly Integrated Experience with the Unify Integration Model for Microsoft Teams

Seamless integration with Microsoft Teams is no longer a luxury for modern businesses, it's a necessity. For both front-desk attendants and contact center agents, the quality of this integration is crucial. It directly impacts productivity, simplifies complex processes, and defines the customer experience from the very first interaction.

But not all integrations are created equal.Behind the technical terms "Connect," "Extend," and"Unify" lie very different operational realities for your teams. This article decrypts these models and explains why the newest, Unify integration model, represents a quantum leap for any organization using Teams for voice communications.

MicrosoftTeams: The three integration models (Connect, Extend, Unify)

To understand the final user experience, one must return to the technical fundamentals defined by Microsoft.

Connect: The complex telephony project

The Connect integration model involves creating a “sidecar” integration between the Contact-Center-as-a-Service(CPaaS/CCaaS) solution and Teams, typically using Direct Routing to connect an agent’s Direct Inward Dialing. It follows a traditional telephony approach,which includes provisioning new phone numbers and designing call flows. While this method does not provide deep application-level integration, it enables voice connectivity between systems. The setup requires careful planning and configuration, and troubleshooting can take time, making it a solution best suited for organizations prioritizing legacy telephony investments.

Extend (Based on Graph APIs): The provenfunctional model

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The Extend integration model allows a third-party application to use Microsoft Graph APIs to handle calls from Teams. The application can run within the Teams interface as a tab, providing context and avoiding some switching.This model has proven its efficiency and scalability for handling high call volumes.

Because of the underlying architecture, Teams and the third-party application function as separate call handlers. As aresult, when a call comes in, both the Teams client and the attendant console or contact center app ring at the same time. This behavior can require additional coordination for agents and may be more noticeable for receptionists, whose role focuses on answering calls promptly and efficiently.

Unify integration model (Based on Microsoft AzureCommunication Services): The deepest integration

By using Azure Communication Services (ACS) as the backend, it natively controls Teams communication features—voice and video—moving beyond the limitations of the Graph API for voice. On the front end, the agent interface integrates with the Teams SDK,becoming the primary surface for call control.

The impact: The separation between the Teams app and the agent’s workspace is removed. Teams delegates call control to the unified application, creating a seamless, more integrated experience for usersand addressing previous challenges such as handling multiple call interfaces.

Heedify certification for the Unify integration model: The end of compromises

It is in this context that we are proud to announce that Heedify has achieved the Unify integration model  and now is Certified for Microsoft Teams for both our Contact Center solutions.

This certification is not just a technical validation; it is the concrete resolution of fragmentation. Thanks to the Unify integration model, Heedify can now natively interact with the Teams voiceclient.

“Heedify Contact Center for Microsoft Teams is built on the Teams Unify integration model and enables organizations to seamlessly extend their Teams Phone deployment into the contact center,” said Albert Kooiman, General Manager, Partner Engineering and Customer Experiences at Microsoft. “Now Certified for Microsoft Teams, Heedify delivers intelligent routing, AI-driven agent support, and a truly integrated customer engagement experience directly with Teams.”

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The implications are direct and transformative:

• An end to the double ring. Now, when a call comes in, only the Heedify interface rings.
• We intercept and manage the Teams call directly within our unified interface, which becomes the single, streamlined control point.

The experience becomes more streamlined and integrated. Agents can focus on the conversation and the customer without needing to manage multiple tools.

Thebusiness opportunity with Unify

The Unify integration model is more than a technical improvement; it's the foundation for a smarter contact center. By providing a solid, native, and unified technical foundation, it unlocks powerful new capabilitie

• Real-time transcription of customer conversations
• Automated call summarization for agents and CRM systes
• Sentiment analysis to gauge customer satisfaction live.
• ‍Live voice coaching to guide agents toward better outcomes.

Delivering on the promise of intelligence

‍For Heedify users, this seamless flow of information is a game-changer:

• For Agents: They can see the call transcript live, adjust the automated summary for accuracy, and access all customer context without switching apps.
• For Your Business: Call transcripts, adjusted summaries, and interaction data can be automatically synced to your CRM via simplified Power Automate flows, ensuring data accuracy and providing rich insights for every customer interaction. This turns every call into actionable intelligence.

Beyond basic integration, towards intelligent customer relationships

At Heedify, we no longer just connect to Teams; we unify the experience for your entire organization. By eliminating technical compromises, we open new horizons for a more efficient, intelligent,and data-driven customer relationship.

Ready to discover a truly unified future forMicrosoft Teams?

Schedule time with our team now for a demonstration of the power of Heedify, now Unify certified for both Attendant Console and Contact Center, and enhanced by AI.

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