During COVID-19, on-premises operations decreased by 60.63%, with businesses making a global shift to cloud based, modern workplace technology. If you are one those businesses, the chances are you are now pretty familiar with the fundamentals of Microsoft 365, such as SharePoint, Teams and Outlook.
But did you know Microsoft 365 offers far more than just your office basics? You may be aware that the intelligent ecosystem includes 35 powerful apps that can help streamline your processes. But beyond this, it also offers an opportunity to completely overhaul the way you work and your broader office systems.
A change is (Teams) calling
If you’ve invested in making your business mobile and enabling work from home, then the last thing you want is old office hardware tying staff to their desks. Microsoft 365 offers modern telephony solutions allowing your staff to use their computers as landlines from anywhere.
Instead of forwarding calls to mobiles, you can simply replace your existing system. Many small and medium businesses have already embraced Teams Calling. According to Travis Carter, Director, Retrac, those that have made the switch are reaping the benefits.
“Teams Calling is a no brainer for modern workplaces. A significant number of businesses are already using it. Early adopters are saving costs on telephone hardware and employee bills, especially as there’s no limit if you already have a subscription in place. That gives significant cost savings over time,” says Travis.
Teams Calling provides what the old-fashioned phone did and more. If you already have a Microsoft 365 subscription, getting started is easy, simply port your numbers into Teams.
“If you’re going to go mobile and be remote, go all in. Telephony can’t be a phone on the desk anymore. The traditional handset has to go for a modern workplace to be successful. Anything we use, has to be able to be picked up and taken with us. It’s as simple as that,” advises Travis.
Make it moveable
Being a truly modern workplace means no more investing in hardware that goes against the ethos of ‘work anywhere’. Much like desk phones, the old faithful PC’s days are numbered.
When considering the right hardware solutions for your business, approach it with a focus on the outcomes you want to achieve. With a few exceptions, such as specific engineering or design purposes, the PC is not a valuable tool in a modern workplace. Instead, look at laptops and tools that can be easily moved and used in any environment, not just your office.
“You need to provide the right hardware to match how your employees work today. My recommendation would be laptops and docks. This enables staff to hot desk and move around to work from anywhere in your office but whilst also ensuring they can work efficiently and securely from home,” says Travis.
Whilst many businesses implemented a bring your own device (BYOD) policy during lockdown, the preference really is to provide business hardware.
“Yes, there is BYOD, but staff only get the true workplace user experience on dedicated, business provided hardware. Employees are set up and ready to go with zero IT hindrance – wherever they are when they log on,” adds Travis.
Make it secure
As well as providing mobility, providing hardware also ensures that you have the right security features in place, providing you have done due diligence on it of course.
With the rapid uptake of Cloud services and remote working, businesses need to ensure they are applying the right security measures and not relying on employees having the best solutions in place on their own devices.
Every organisation needs to be confident that their data is safe. Best practice management includes configuring your security as part of a Cloud migration.
“Make sure you are not at risk of losing control of your organisational data. Provide devices that are compatible with the approach, make sure it’s secured and monitored and then let them go. Providing a good user experience, that makes the transition between office and elsewhere is worth investing in, especially when the alternative could be far more costly to your organisation,” concludes Travis.
Ready to dive in?
So, what is next for your business? Are you ready to say goodbye to your phones and Desktop PCs? Perhaps you need to strengthen your security posture and configure settings to suit your organisation. Understanding how to mould your IT to meet your business needs now and in the future is challenging.
If you are ready to take the plunge and unlock Microsoft 365’s full, modern workplace potential, Retrac can help. With comprehensive and proactive solutions like Complete Cloud, Retrac will ensure you have a modern, mobile, and secure workforce. Get in contact with the team at Retrac today.