10 reasons to switch to Microsoft Office 365
So, you’ve heard about Microsoft Office 365 but aren’t really sure what it is or if you even need it. After all, it can’t be that different to the regular Microsoft Office you’re currently running in your business, can it?
The truth is, as an online productivity suite specifically designed to enhance productivity in both small businesses and large enterprises, it’s very different to traditional MS programmes, and has tons of great features that you will soon wonder how you lived (and worked) without.
Here are 10 good reasons to consider implementing Office 365 in your business:
- It’s cost-effective: Because it’s a hosted, cloud-based IT solution, Office 365 doesn’t require any upfront or long-term investment in specialised equipment or software. In fact it offers simple monthly ‘per user’ billing, which makes it a flexible and affordable tech solution.
- It’s ultra-secure: All Office 365 apps are accessed through a128-bit SSL/TSL encryption. What that means is if an unauthorised person intercepts a transmission, they won’t be able to read it. The programme boasts the latest, frequently updated antivirus signatures, and security measures are applied in accordance with the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing initiative. Messages are protected from malware, and anti-spam filtering and antivirus with multiple virus engines are used.
- It’s reliable: Downtime costs your business money in lost productivity. Microsoft guarantees 99.9% scheduled uptime with Office 365 thanks to its global network of data centres that host customers and provide back-up in the face of potential outages, ensuring minimal service disruption.
- It’s easily integrated into existing workflows: Office 365 works in conjunction with all your existing Microsoft programmes, such as Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. You don’t have to change the programmes you use, nor how you use them (formatting, shortcuts and all!)
- It’s easy to use: You don’t have to know your way around complicated IT systems to use Office 365. It’s designed for businesses that don’t have IT technicians, and as such is easy to navigate, set up and use. An online portal provides step-by-step instructions on creating your account and adding users.
- It’s completely mobile: All users can work anywhere from any device using Office 365. Your Office 365 subscription includes access to Office Web Apps, allowing you to work on your cloud files from any PC logged onto a current browser, even if that PC doesn’t have Office 365. Office Mobile Apps for Android and iOS lets you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneDrive directly from your smartphone or tablet, no matter where you are.
- It comes with free email storage: Each Office 365 user gets 50GB of email storage with Exchange Online for email, calendar, tasks, notes, contacts and attachments. Maximise the space in your mailbox further and use the OneDrive cloud storage to share large files and attachments.
- It has tons of innovative features: Office 365 is designed to streamline workflows between teams, so many of its features are geared towards maximising efficiencies. Like real-time co-authoring in Word, Excel and PowerPoint that allows you to collaborate with colleagues online and see their changes as they do them. Or the Office apps that let you chat, share screens, and conduct audio and video conversations directly with colleagues.
- It allows you to be more responsive: You can now stay connected and collaborate with colleagues, suppliers and customers wherever you are. You can send instant messages inviting colleagues and customers to participate in online meetings where you can review documents or take control of a desktop, and share large files through password-protected portals, even while on the move.
- It gives your business a professional edge: Office 365 sends a clear message that you take your business seriously, and differentiates you from other companies that use free or ad-supported services.
