The first version of Microsoft Office was released to the public on November 19, 1990, and continues to be the gold standard when it comes to productivity software. This collection of applications has been used by people at home, in school, and in the workplace for more than 25 years now. It is currently being distributed as a cloud subscription service called Office 365.
Office 365 offers several subscription packages aimed at entrepreneurs and large enterprise clients, and some special editions for industries like healthcare and education. Each plan provides a level of flexibility, and consumers can upgrade their package without any disruption of service or data loss.
Even if Office 365 is popular, it is still trying to capture the small- and medium-sized business (SMB) market. Microsoft is promoting their productivity suite toward this demographic with some enticing incentives, like free access to the FastTrack service. Although Office 365 includes offline versions of its apps, most business owners find that it is most valuable in the cloud.
Work from anywhere, anytime
Your employees should always have the option to work remotely, even if your office is a small environment. As long as you have a device with a web browser and a reliable internet connection, Office 365 enables your employees to stay productive no matter where they are.
Allowing your personnel to do their jobs from home or out in the field will make them more productive, since they are working in places where they are comfortable. You can also bring down operational costs by not having some of the workforce reporting to the office every day and using on-site infrastructure. Best of all, your team can tackle urgent tasks even during off hours. The bottom line is that Office 365 will change how your company views a normal day at work, and how things can get done.
Sharing Office applications with colleagues
Another important aspect of Office 365 is how files and documents are shared. If some of your staff work remotely, they must be able to access the right information quickly, without having to dig for the most recent version in a folder full of revisions. The cloud simplifies file sharing and storage by tracking updates and revisions in a single document. Everyone will always have the most recent and accurate data.
The advantage of looking professional
Even if your organization is small, there is no excuse for not appearing professional in front of clients. Office 365 has business-class email templates and other corporate-themed tools you can use to give your marketing and communication materials that extra special shine.
As a bonus, the productivity suite is packed with custom marketing tools that save you money on third-party apps and platforms you’re not yet ready to invest in. As those tools begin to generate new leads, you can interact with them via Office 365’s instant messaging and email services. There are even features for social networking, offering you a broad system for forging new relationships with consumers.
Online storage capacity
Every Office 365 user receives at least 1TB of cloud storage for business files. Since your documents are kept online, they can be retrieved anytime you need them. Beyond the sharing and collaboration features, business owners will have visibility into what everyone is working on and how secure their files are.
Enterprise-grade security
As firms of all industries and sizes migrate to the cloud, it is normal for business owners to be worried about the privacy and security of their sensitive data. Microsoft is addressing these concerns by implementing top-notch administrative, technological, and compliance security measures into Office 365.
Thanks to the Microsoft Trust Center, data centers are kept carefully protected, all data is encrypted, and audits for disaster recovery, security, and full compliance are made easier.
Vodigy Networks specializes in managed IT services for small- to medium-sized businesses in Minnesota. If you need or want to know anything about your Office 365 subscription, give us a call today so we can have our professionals help your company succeed with our superior customer service.
