The Covid era has taught us many things, both negative and positive: that a pandemic can disrupt modern life as we know it, destroy businesses and bring tourism to its knees without a warning – but it’s also opened many business owners’ eyes to the possibilities of working remotely, adopting the cloud and not being tied to a traditional office, as well as the type of fantastic opportunities that this presents for growth.
While millions of businesses, both great and small, around the globe have pivoted and embraced Zoom as their go-to meeting point during the pandemic, not everyone has become acutely aware of the benefits of using an all-in-one suite like Microsoft 365.
Mastering the suite in a flash
In essence, Microsoft 365 takes all the traditional elements of the ‘actual’ work space, then simplifies, organises and ‘virtualises’ them, so they can be operated on one device, no matter where the user may be. Ideal for those working remotely, Microsoft 365 de-clutters your desktop from too many apps and a confusing array of communication tools (Where did that client message me again?), while enabling easier communication with work colleagues, and quick access to emails and appointments from a variety of platforms (intelligent inbox), while ensuring security is always at optimum grade to mitigate possible cyber threats.
The benefits, in a nutshell
- Up-to-the-minute security with built-in protection
- Workers can use common productivity apps while accessing more effective collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams (chat and video meetings)
- Simplified central-destination cloud file storage compatible with popular Microsoft apps such as Excel and Word.
- Allows for remote workers and office workers alike to connect easily, and conveniently stay updated on projects, job status and deadlines
- Ease of use for on-boarding (and disengaging) new employees/freelancers to a business, project or task
- In-built chat and instant messaging system acts as a hub for collaboration and allows for more streamlined teamwork ability in a single cloud destination
- Flexibility allows for easy data sharing, and the ability to take the office with you while travelling, locked down or permanently working from home
- Gives you the choice on how you connect and share
- Can be accessed offline (ideal for South African SMEs affected by load-shedding).
Apart from the above ‘pros’, adoption of Microsoft 365 enables businesses already using Microsoft cloud services for features such as messaging, storage and file sharing, to easily migrate, while unlocking even greater features, simplicity and flexibility.
Is it suited to my current set-up?
Yes. The adoption of Microsoft 365 is ideal for companies already using platforms such as Zoho and Google, as it can seamlessly be integrated without the fuss of adapting to possible non-compatible software that may outdate quickly or cause migration issues for users. It’s also the perfect tool for SMEs (consisting of, for example, 10 to 15 users) that are expanding at a rapid rate, due to its versatility and flexibility with users on the go.
In short, Microsoft 365 is easily adaptable to solve a variety of business problems, and can be used effectively to address local issues affecting South African set-ups (such as auditing compliance and navigating the POPI Act).
Let us guide you
Using the expertise of a managed IT services company such as Castlerock, with our hands-on, solutions-driven approach and vast experience in dealing with partners such as Microsoft, will ensure that your queries relating to 365 are answered and specific business needs are catered to comprehensively. This, of course, while allowing you to reap the full spectrum of benefits that the suite offers (cost-effective, fully integrated real-time teamwork without the need for expensive add-ons) – and giving you and your colleagues peace of mind for a seamless, individually tailored transition into the workplace of now.