150% increase in usage of Teams by frontline workers: Microsoft

New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) Microsoft Teams platform has witnessed a 150 per cent increase in its usage among frontline workers over the last year, the company announced.

Frontline workers in industries such as retail, financial services, healthcare, and government are fast adopting the collaboration and communication app Teams amid hybrid work.

"Those on the frontline need the right digital tools and purpose-built hardware for the specific ways they work. The right digital tools will give them a sense of purpose, the flexibility to adjust to the new day-to-day realities of a hybrid world, and the knowledge to make on-the-ground decisions to improve business outcomes," the company said in a blog post late on Monday.

According to research from Gallup, companies with an engaged workforce have a 10 per cent increase in customer loyalty and 23 per cent higher profitability versus those with a disengaged workforce.

For healthcare organisations, SMS notifications can also be connected to an electronic health record (EHR) system.

Customers and patients can also join their virtual visit from a mobile browser without needing to install an app — making the engagement process even more seamless.

"Waiting room is now in preview. SMS notifications are now generally available for Bookings and in preview for the Microsoft Teams EHR connector," the company said.

Microsoft also announced the general availability of DocuSign as an Approvals partner, coming next month.

This partnership extends Microsoft's electronic signature capabilities already in place in Teams today, allowing the workforce to create and send approval requests right in the flow of work.