As remote and hybrid teams become the norm, digital technologies are transforming how we work, collaborate and connect. If your teams use Microsoft 365, like many do, there’s one question worth asking: Are you making the most of what you’ve got?

It’s 9am and one of your employees can’t log into Excel to update a spreadsheet for an important meeting in the next couple of hours. She’s working from home and the system doesn’t recognise her.

You’re probably familiar with a similar scenario – one that’s plagued business owners since the start of the pandemic when thousands of companies needed to switch from on-premises software solutions to Microsoft 365.

While Microsoft 365 has made it easier for remote workers to connect and collaborate with colleagues through the tech giant’s cloud-based apps, including Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote and Teams, it’s not without its challenges.

“Staff not being able to log in from home is still one of the key problems facing businesses,” says David Mapstone, mid-market account manager at SoftwareONE, which provides a managed service for Microsoft 365. “This is because of important security measures in Microsoft 365 that require users to be authenticated.”

This is even more of a problem with staff who use their own computers instead of a company-issued laptop. David cites an example where an employee was unable to access his company’s system from his home computer for two days because the server didn’t recognise his identity.

“There’s a lot of things that can go wrong with the working-from-home model as you’re not physically plugged in by cable,” he tells Kochie’s Business Builders.

So, are you getting the most out of Microsoft 365?

These kinds of issues are why it’s important for you to not only have the right digital technologies in place, but also a high level of support to get the best out of your investment.

If you’re finding your valuable time and resources are getting sucked up by the same hurdles, it’s worth looking into a managed service to do it for you.

SoftwareONE’s 365Simple services offer a cost-effective option for businesses both big and small to maximise the benefits of Microsoft 365 while making it easy to use.

When you buy Microsoft 365 through SoftwareONE, which includes the Windows licences, security features and the Office Productivity Suite of apps, you also get access to SoftwareONE’s proprietary PyraCloud platform.

PyraCloud provides a single portal to manage and track all your software purchases, allowing you to keep an eye on what you’re spending and identify how to save money.

You can also make sure your users are updating their passwords regularly, monitor upcoming licence renewals and add new licences.

“We allow the customer to access the Microsoft portal directly and add licenses instantly,” says David. “If, for example, you need another user for Microsoft 365, you hop into PyraCloud, go to the subscription management service, select the licence, hit the ‘save’ button and by the time the user gets back to their Office 365 portal, it’s up and running.”

Related video: Get to know the unknown of your Microsoft contracts. Post continues after video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6YjM3fIFI0

Pay for what you actually need

One of the key benefits of using a managed service like 365Simple is that you can choose only the components you need, along with the level of support you want. This can include 24/7 support for your IT team and a dedicated service manager, as well as training on the Office applications for all licensed users.

It’s also cheaper than buying Microsoft 365 directly from Microsoft and you have the option to pay on a monthly basis.

“A lot of our customers love this because it’s easier than outlaying thousands of dollars a year up front,” says David. “There are generally no surprises because you get to the end of a 12-month cycle and then you just need to pay for another 12 months each month.

“With the older direct models, you’d budget something but didn’t realise that over the course of the year you’d added a whole heap of extra users and then had to pay for them upfront in a lump sum for the year.”

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in August last year 40 per cent of Australians were working from home and the organisation’s chief statistician David Gruen says remote working is here to stay.

A managed service like 365Simple can save you time, money and stress – and get that Excel sheet updated in time.

Find out more about SoftwareONE and its 365Simple services by visiting the website.

This article is brought to you by Kochie’s Business Builders in partnership with SoftwareONE.

Feature image: AdobeStock