Replace Expensive Legacy Software with Microsoft Office 365 Features You Already Have

Collaboration is more important — and easier — than ever, thanks to tools for sharing documents, instant communication and workflow tracking. However, too many collaboration tools can often be counterproductive. Many companies purchase Microsoft Office 365, but retain competing legacy collaboration tools. In fact, BCM One has found that many of our clients who have Microsoft Office 365 are only using it for email, nothing else.

There’s no need to use legacy collaboration tools when you purchase Microsoft Office 365. In fact, doing so can be detrimental. That’s because you’re just not going to get the same level of seamless integration with several different tools from several different vendors as you are from the single suite you’re already paying for. Certainly, you might be able to get all your tools to play nice together and allow for seamless, synchronous collaboration. But how much work is that going to take? And why bother when you’re already paying for all the power Microsoft Office 365 comes with?

The complications are one thing, but there’s also the cost. Many of our customers are continuing to pay for multiple applications and tools performing the exact same functions provided by Microsoft Office 365. So you’re paying for two applications to perform the same function, and only one of which integrates into a total collaboration suite you can use across your entire organization.

There are many attractive features in Microsoft Office 365 that virtually any organization can leverage, but let’s focus on three. Are you taking advantage of these or still relying on a competing product? What are you paying for those?

• Microsoft Teams: Team chats are central to collaboration in the 21st century. Content and chat history is available across the entire team or privately, as needed. Integration into the entire Microsoft Office 365 suite allows for easy and seamless sharing of all assets. A fully integrated calendar feature automatically updates status. Notifications are customized and fully integrated to multiple third-party applications including GitHub and Hootsuite. 
• Complete Document Control: Email is great, but not for making changes to documents. One employee might make changes on one version of a document, leaving several others working on an obsolete version. Microsoft Office 365 syncs all your documents allowing for centralized control across all of your work. In the event that a disgruntled employee wants to wreak havoc, you can remove all their permissions before a problem occurs or revert the entire document back to its previous state as need dictates.
• Skype for Business: Skype for Business is a powerful communication tool offering a number of features. You can centralize your employees’ business phone numbers. Your employees can chat with one another in text when it doesn’t make sense to clog up the team chat or even make a phone call. And, of course, you can also videoconference from one side of the planet to another. Why use another communication and conferencing tool when you’re already paying for one that integrates with the rest of your collaboration suite? Especially when they might not offer the same level of security Skype for Business can provide.

These are just some of the features we find our customers aren’t leveraging to their full effect. There are many more and a nearly infinite number of ways to combine the various tools across the platform. What feature or capability of Microsoft Office 365 is your company not using that it ought to be? How can you make your tools work together to increase efficiency and employee satisfaction in your organization? How many applications and tools are you paying for with another tool,  that Microsoft Office 365 already provides?

BCM One has the advantage of years of experience partnering directly with Microsoft and working with Microsoft applications, including Microsoft Office 365. We can save you money by helping you to ditch redundant services. What’s more, our services aren’t simply a “one and done” survey of your existing needs. We work closely with all of our customers to keep them trained on how to best use Microsoft Office 365, including using new features as they become available.

Check out our latest white paper on how to use Microsoft Office 365 more efficiently.