Microsoft 365: The power of partnership

How to realise the full potential of your investment.

Back in 2014, being an IT professional was a little easier. Infrastructure was simpler (and on-premises), cyber attacks mostly targeted big corporates, and cloud services were only just starting to gain traction.

Fast forward 10 years, and the tech landscape has evolved enormously. Most businesses have adopted a cloud-first strategy, and IT teams are striving to do more with less — focusing on delivering innovative projects that allow their companies to stay ahead of the competition.

Products such as Microsoft 365 — formerly Office 365 — have supported this endeavour by making enterprise infrastructure available to everyone. But there’s a problem. Most businesses aren’t realising the full potential of this investment and are therefore falling short of their objectives.

Going it alone

When you lack the right guidance and support for your Microsoft 365 journey, you’ll face challenges that stop you achieving your business goals. Consider the following:

• Limited resources — Microsoft’s portfolio is huge and growing daily. Staying ahead and transforming it into tangible benefits for your business is a full-time job — and all of this before even considering how best to implement it.
• Getting it wrong — As with most things, the devil’s in the detail. It’s unrealistic to expect your busy IT teams to deliver projects that they’ve never done before — and may never do again — to tight timescales and while following best practice.
• Evolving cyber threats — Microsoft 365 comes with a myriad of security features. With defence at the heart of every IT decision, and the consequences of making a mistake greater than ever, your business needs to assess if it truly has the skills to implement these security features effectively.
• Poor ROI — Businesses unknowingly waste money every year. By having too many licences or underutilising comprehensive ones, you may be falling short of potential gains.

So, how do you counter these setbacks?

Maximising your investment

Microsoft 365 has become something of a commodity, with businesses understandably prioritising procurement of the software at the lowest price possible without accounting for the points above. Yet this is a false economy; choosing a partner on price alone can significantly reduce your investment’s return.

With that in mind, what should you consider when deciding who to buy from? Let’s explore:

• Strategy – A good partner will have a clear, simple, tried and tested roadmap to drive your user adoption rates, maximise your investment, and achieve success.
• Expertise – Value should be added at every stage of the engagement, not just at the point of sale. By providing expert delivery and excellent support when you need it most, a good partner can help you get a long term return on your investment.
• Trust – Partners should be reputable, referenceable, and have a demonstrable commitment to security. Those who routinely undertake independent testing and auditing (eg, certification to Cyber Essentials Plus or the ISO 27001 standard) can provide this level of assurance.
• Culture – Partners should be more than just a reseller. To optimise your solutions, it’s imperative you choose a company that understands your goals, empathises with your challenges, and aligns with your values.
• Synergy – Business transformation projects often require several technical solutions. Partners who can deliver across multiple disciplines (eg, Modern Work, Cyber Security, and Business Communications) inevitably provide a more streamlined procurement and delivery process.

Picking the right partner

It’s essential to choose wisely when it comes to realising the full potential of your IT investment. By selecting a trusted partner with broad expertise who can guide you at every stage, you can sidestep the common challenges businesses face when they go it alone.

We’re here to help. As a Microsoft Solutions partner to three designations (Modern Work, Security, Infrastructure and Azure), our proven expertise meets their demanding performance, skilling, and customer service criteria. To find out how we can support you in maximising your Microsoft 365 investment, contact one of our specialists on 03330 11 22 55 today.