Is Microsoft Office 365 Still Worth It in 2021?
When your business is looking for solutions, it’s not smart to just randomly pick one that sounds good.
Nor is picking the first one that comes up from your search.
The thing is, picking a solution for the challenges your business faces on a daily basis is very important. When you choose a suite or app to use for your business, you make sure your whole business revolves around that app or suite. You teach your workers how to use the apps, you teach them best practices, and you create processes with those tools in mind.
So when you do realize that it’s not the right tool for you after a few months, you are basically wasting essential hours spent on making sure the tool becomes usable for your business.
So you need to pick the right one the first time around. This not only saves you the trouble of not having to re-train team members when you need to change, but it will also create a strong and stable work environment where your workers can be as productive and efficient as they can.
So how does Microsoft 365 fit in on all of this?
What Is Microsoft 365?
Microsoft Office 365, or Microsoft 365, refers to a suite of productivity, collaboration, and communication applications that integrates into Microsoft’s already popular online applications. All these apps (from the regular Office apps like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint to the Microsoft 365 ones) are cloud-based.
We are all familiar with Microsoft’s office tools. You’ve probably written your thesis in Word, made a presentation on Powerpoint, or tried to track your money through Excel. These already powerful applications are even made better with Microsoft 365 tools and apps. Businesses of all sizes are finding it easy to work with Microsoft 365 as their partner.
But how good is Microsoft 365? Is it really all that people try to sell it to be? Is it still worth getting in 2021? Let’s list down the top features and benefits of Microsoft 365.
Top Features and Benefits of Microsoft 365
Your business is up and running 24/7
While your official office hours might just be from 8 to 5, your business will be up and running 24/7. This is because Microsoft 365 runs and stores data on the cloud. This means all your necessary apps, documents, and other data is available for you at anytime and anywhere. Also, because your data and applications are on the cloud, this also means your business will still be able to operate even if your business becomes a victim of fire or flood.
Another thing worth noting is that even if your employee is outside of the office, they can still gain access to the suite as long as they are using a secured device. This makes Microsoft 365 a perfect partner for organizations that allow remote work.
Easy and Wide Integrations
If your office is using Microsoft Office and other Microsoft programs, getting Microsoft 365 will not disrupt your current systems and protocols in place. With seamless integration, Microsoft 365 can help you create a robust work ecosystem centered on Microsoft Office. Not sure how Microsoft 365 can help your employees work better? Sign up for a trial account so you can test and integrate to your heart’s content.
Collaboration Galore
In the modern workplace, collaboration is key in producing quality output. With the help of Microsoft 365, workers can easily collaborate on documents and projects in real-time. You can set rules so users can get access to documents, contacts, email, and calendars. By providing the correct access restrictions (and using the native Microsoft 365 apps), workers can easily edit, track, and collaborate through the cloud. Now that remote work is being widely accepted, having a tool that can accommodate “working together” across distances is really important.
Clear Communication Channels
People communicate differently. Some people want face-to-face talk, some choose email, and others prefer a chat-like communication platform. Whatever your preference is on communication, Microsoft 365 has something for you and your team. You can use Skype for a quick chat or call, Microsoft Outlook for email correspondence, and Microsoft Teams for just about any type of communication. With Microsoft Teams, team members can easily communicate, collaborate, and connect with each other.
Enterprise Level Security Right In Your Own Office
It’s not rare to hear some people still thinking that the cloud is not secure. They can’t be any farther from the truth. For example, when you use Microsoft 365 you have Microsoft handling the security and dependability of their service. This means all the data you are storing on the cloud is within Microsoft’s highly secured data banks. Here are a couple of security features built-in within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
- Mobile Device Management – This feature from Microsoft 365 allows your IT team or managed IT team to properly install, monitor, and manage Microsoft on your employees’ mobile devices to protect important information. This means that if an employee loses their phone or it gets stolen, you can easily delete all the data remotely.
- Encrypted emails – Keep prying eyes away from your business emails. Only the intended recipients will be able to read your emails.
- Advanced Threat Analysis – A unique and powerful feature that analyzes your system to look for possible threats. This includes scanning emails for phishing links and malicious attachments, checking for any brute force entries into your network, and many more. Advanced threat analysis removes any issues with
- Data loss prevention – Afraid of losing important business and/or customer data? Microsoft has a Data Loss Prevention policy that allows you to fully monitor and protect sensitive data from leaving your organization.
Predictable Monthly Spend
Nobody wants a surprise bill at the end of the month. Sadly, a lot of businesses fall victim to this with the tools they use. With Microsoft 365, you know exactly how much you are going to pay right from the start of the month. This is all thanks to Microsoft 365’s tiered per user payment structure, businesses can get a good idea of how much they will pay and they can easily adjust this by adding or removing licenses as needed. This is extremely helpful for businesses who are watching their budget as they slowly adjust to the new normal.
Microsoft 365 is A Solid Choice in 2021
Microsoft 365 is still an excellent choice for businesses of all shapes and sizes in 2021. Only a few apps can compare to its flexibility, reliability, security, and affordability. However, you need a good IT partner who can help you set it up properly and to ensure your organization observes best practices to maximize Microsoft 365’s features.
IT Network Solutions Group is a leading name in providing expert IT services in Florida. We have a team of IT specialists and engineers with years of experience in setting up, managing, and troubleshooting Microsoft 365 ecosystems. Contact us today and ask us about how Microsoft 365 can help your business reach the next level with help of Microsoft 365.
