As you may have heard, Office 365 is now available on every major mobile device. The benefits of this move are obvious, but the Office 365 and SharePoint adoption challenges are less so. If you’ve been considering adopting Office 365 but aren’t sure if it’s the right move for your company, here are some takeaways to help you make the right decision.
Encourage adoption with hybrid and POC strategies
Build your hybrid strategy from the start, and factor in the potential for a hybrid model that mixes both on-premise and cloud-based services. Hybrid configurations allow you to save money on hardware and software by using on-premise solutions, but still have access to the full range of online services. If you choose this model, be aware that you’ll need to hire staff to manage the integration of your various resources.
Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach
Before you make the jump to Office 365, you should consider your current hybrid setup. You may want to continue using on-premise software, or you may want to bring some of your current apps over. The best way to find out is to try out different configurations and see what works best for your company.
For businesses wanting to embrace a new technology or product, adoption issues are nothing new. The idea in this situation is to be aware of any obstacles you may be up against and attempt to overcome them using a hybrid or POC technique.
Encourage collaboration by making it easy to customize
When you move to a cloud-based solution, you’ll lose some of the efficiency that comes with being on the same platform. The best way to keep your apps competitive is to customize them to work best with the cloud-based services you choose. This means that you need to take into account not only which cloud-based resources you’ll use, but also which services you’ll use them with. This might require adding in-house resources to an existing cloud-based collaboration service.
Make your switch as seamless as possible
If you’re making the big move to Office 365, you may be worried that your company’s entire network will be shut down. Don’t worry, though. All you need to do is to make sure that your existing infrastructure is ready to go. Be sure that your existing tools and applications are up-to-date and functioning properly. At a minimum, make sure that you have the most recent patches and security updates for your server and client software.
The new Office 365 is more than just a revamp
When you first look at the new Office 365, you might be disappointed that it doesn’t look or function any differently from the previous version. After all, this is just a revamp of the software, not a completely new release. But make no mistake, the new version of Office is much, much more than a revamp. It’s a substantial upgrade that includes new features such as OneDrive for Business, an improved mobile app, and an updated consumer experience. It’s also got a new name, the first being “Office 365”.
Summary
Adoption challenges are nothing new for businesses looking to adopt a new technology or product. The key here is to know what challenges you might be facing, and work towards solving them through a hybrid or POC strategy.
To succeed with Office 365, you need to encourage the adoption of hybrid and POC strategies. Make sure that you create a culture where employees are comfortable using a hybrid model and can transition to a cloud-based solution easily. If you’ve been considering adopting Office 365 but aren’t sure if it’s the right move for your company, here are some takeaways to help you make the right decision.
