3 Key Benefits of Microsoft 365 for a Small Business
Microsoft 365, formerly known as Office 365, combines two key aspects which make it the perfect tool for businesses to manage their day-to-day activity and communications. Firstly, it is the most up-to-date version of all of the Microsoft Office tools you know and trust – Excel, Outlook, Word, and more recently Teams, which has been a godsend in these times of remote working.
Secondly, it delivers these programs via the cloud. Now, for those concerned about moving to the cloud, we want to stress that from a day-to-day perspective, the tools mentioned above work just the same – you have them on your PC or laptop, they look, feel and function largely the same as they do in previous versions of Office.
What the cloud offers is the ability to easily extend how you can use the software, securely, from any device you have, the same way as you do with online banking, shopping, or social media. It also removes the need for costly and time intensive upgrades at any point in the future, like you may have experienced previously when versions become unsupported.
As your local IT Provider, Innovec want to make sure that you are using your Microsoft 365 subscription to its fullest potential and benefiting from the increased productivity that it can enable throughout your business.
1. Secure Access via the Cloud
We understand the concerns of migrating your critical business data to a cloud-based software. You want to know that your confidential data and documents are safe. In terms of addressing that concern, consider the measures which not only Microsoft, but most major cloud-software vendors, take to ensure their products are protected, and then compare it with your own security measures. Their entire offering hinges on security and uptime, to the extent that one major security breach would destroy trust in both the products and the brand as a whole.
Even the most secure server we support is more susceptible to physical and cyber threats than Microsoft’s cloud set-up. That is not to say that physical infrastructures are not secure, but nothing is completely secure, and unless you have the budget and resource of a ‘Microsoft’, it’s hard to play in their league in terms of what you can achieve.
Each year, Microsoft invest £1 billion dollars into cloud security, and have an army of professional analysts, and penetration testers working every day to test, break and enhance their own security. In addition to testing and enhancements, the business is also at the forefront of evolving new sustainable and more secure data centres, including the ongoing development of underwater facilities.
2. Work together in real-time
Whether staff are in the office, working from home, hopping on a train or in an airport terminal on the other side of the world (can’t wait to get back to that!), with 365 there is unlimited opportunity for groups to collaborate efforts using secure cloud storage features. Your colleague can share a file in OneDrive, or even Teams chat, where it can be accessed and edited by the right people, in real time. This removes the bugbear of duplicate content on several devices and allows for projects to be turned around more efficiently and at a higher standard.
With a system that is this unified, you can create a cultural shift in your business that revolutionises the way your team work together. It’s easier for them and better for your customers.
3. Access Microsoft 365 from any Device
Another huge benefit is being able to access your Office system via your phone or tablet, giving you almost every single feature of the software in a completely optimised interface.
This way, you can keep informed of Teams conversations, dial into meetings and view or edit all your documents live from your mobile device, from wherever you are. This makes it easy for you to work on the go, knowing that you don’t need to be strapped to your desk or PC, and still have easy access to whatever you need.
Microsoft make it easy to download Office and Outlook on any device with their step-by-step guides. Whatever device you have, choose from the following for you to start enjoying Microsoft 365 today:
- Set up Outlook for Android
- Download other Office Apps including Teams, Word & OneDrive for Android.
- Download Outlook for iOS.
2021: Time to Get to Know Microsoft 365 (…better)
The unforeseen hit of COVID-19 meant companies experienced rapid change within business operations, services and day-to-day productivity, having to quicky embed new behaviour and strategies in all areas of the company. This means your team will have adapted quickly to new communication platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, and perhaps not found the time, or had the training, to explore Microsoft 365 potential.
Innovec will be looking into each Office app to maximise the potential of your every day office tools. By understanding the know-hows of the innovative, modern technology you have implemented and subscribed to, you can add great value to your business and create a structured, seamless and unified framework for your team.
Having migrated 100+ growing businesses to Microsoft 365, ranging from single users, to 300+ employee businesses, we specialise in hassle-free migrations with no downtime to your business. Click here to find out more.
About Innovec
We specialise in supporting IT for growing businesses. We know that all you need is for technology to make things easier for your business and we make this happen.
At a time when your customers expect great service, speed and reliability, you need the valuable people in your business to be engaged and capable of doing what you hired them to do. Not losing time and momentum to avoidable tasks or processes. More importantly than anything else at the moment, you need them to be safe.
Please contact us on 01292 427 420 or email us at info@innovec.co.uk for any assistance in making your business ready to deal with remote working requirements.
We manage your IT. You run your business.