Hey Business Leader, there’s more power at your fingertips than ever before—here’s how to harness it.
Modernization looks different for every business, and today’s leaders are eager to understand what that means for their companies and their roles within them. One thing is for certain: AI and automation are at the forefront of this conversation for every leader, but there’s much more than meets the AI, if you will.
Today, we’ll explore the hidden superpowers lying at the intersection of Artificial and Emotional Intelligence for leadership. Moreover, we’ll look at how embracing tech innovation and fostering connections enables leaders to unlock new potential and drive meaningful change.
1. CEOs Growing Interest in AI
2. Implementing Automation in Business
3. Challenges and Solutions in Implementation
4. The Impact of Remote Work and Technology
5. Building a Community and Culture
6. The Role of Business in the Community
7. The Future of Technology and Business
Automation and advanced technologies are no longer confined to IT departments—they’ve become critical tools for scaling businesses and improving efficiency across the board. CEOs now see these tools as drivers of strategic outcomes rather than back-office functions. The ability to analyze data, streamline operations, and make smarter decisions faster has piqued the interest of many top executives.
With these technologies, business leaders have a powerful opportunity to implement continuous improvement across every facet of their operations. From predictive analytics to automating routine tasks, these tools enable companies to adapt quickly in a competitive market, making them crucial parts of a CEO’s toolkit for success.
As advanced technologies become more accessible, many CEOs are asking how they can integrate these innovations into their business models. These tools help leaders make better decisions by analyzing centralized data, transforming it from disparate systems into actionable insights that guide business strategies.
The key to successful implementation lies in understanding both the technology and the business itself. IT leadership must identify gaps and opportunities where these tools can provide value. This is why it is essential for CEOs to maintain a close connection to their IT teams, as this alignment ensures that solutions are tailored to the company’s unique goals.
When business needs are clear, the right technology solutions emerge—whether that’s automating customer service, optimizing supply chains, or enhancing marketing efforts.
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| Advanced technologies aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. They require a deep understanding of specific business processes, and hesitancy in adopting them can hinder progress. This is where expert partnerships become invaluable.
Trusted technology partners can help navigate the complexities of integration, ensuring businesses implement the right solutions for their unique challenges. When leadership lacks clarity, finding the right solution becomes more challenging. Each company’s culture, vision, and processes are different, and the leadership’s ability to articulate these specifics can make or break an implementation. CEOs who invest time in understanding their technological needs set their businesses up for success. For more insights, check out our very own CEO, Sean Ferrel share his take in this episode on the Conscious Curiosity SD Podcast, where he highlights many of the points discussed here such as AI Implementation, Cybersecurity, Community Building and so much more. |
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With the rise of advanced technologies, cybersecurity has become more critical than ever. Cybercriminals are now using sophisticated tools to launch more advanced attacks, often targeting smaller businesses to access larger networks.
Here it's important to understanding that these technologies are not just about efficiency--they are also key elements in protecting their business. Advanced tools can detect and respond to cybersecurity threats faster than any human can, identifying vulnerabilities and fixing issues before they become major problems.
By integrating AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, businesses can protect their data, safeguard their operations, and maintain customer trust. Sign up for our upcoming webinar here to learn more about the how's and why's of AI and Cybersecurity.
The shift to remote work has permanently changed the IT landscape. Remote support has become more efficient and cost-effective, enabling businesses to provide seamless assistance to employees regardless of location. Managed IT services ensure that companies maintain security and compliance standards while supporting a nationwide workforce. Managed IT services provide a proactive approach to compliance audits and monitoring.
They also have access to resources with specialized skill sets. According to ISC2’s 2023 Cyber Workforce Study, 67% of organizations have a shortage of needed cybersecurity staff, and 92% have a skills gap in cybersecurity1. Managed IT services help bridge these gaps, ensuring companies maintain security and compliance standards while supporting a nationwide workforce1.
With remote work on the rise, CEOs must consider how automation and advanced technologies can optimize their IT operations. Companies with a national footprint are better positioned to support their employees and clients across the country, ensuring they remain competitive in an increasingly digital world.
While technology is advancing rapidly, the human aspect of business remains just as important. CEOs must balance technological innovation with emotional intelligence (EQ) to foster a strong sense of community within their organizations. Even as automation increases workplace efficiency, human connection is crucial to building resilient teams.
Creating a sense of safety and community, both internally and externally, strengthens business relationships. Technology can help facilitate this, but it’s the leadership’s understanding of emotional intelligence and human capacity that drives real success. Building a culture of openness, empathy, and collaboration allows businesses to thrive in the digital age.
Furthermore, as businesses adapt to remote and hybrid workforces, the challenges of hiring and managing teams have evolved. While remote work offers flexibility, it also demands that CEOs focus on hiring employees with strong integrity and soft skills, such as curiosity and humility, before honing-in on technical abilities.
This balanced approach ensures that teams are adaptable, innovative, and well-equipped to handle the challenges of a remote environment.
Business leaders are increasingly focused on making a positive impact in their communities. By coming together at conferences, events, and leadership forums, CEOs can address community issues and drive meaningful change.
Involvement in community initiatives not only enhances a company’s reputation but also reinforces its commitment to the well-being of employees, customers, and society. CEOs who take an active role in their communities create businesses that are not only successful but also socially conscious and aligned with the needs of the world around them.
Looking ahead, the future of automation and advanced technologies in business is both exciting as it is filled with responsibility. There’s a valid concern about the impact on jobs, but businesses must also consider how to protect their data and ensure that technology serves the needs of humans, not the other way around.
The key lies in striking a balance between embracing innovation and safeguarding the people and processes that drive business success. In the future, these technologies will continue to create business outcomes, but they will also challenge leaders to stay ahead of the curve.
Leaders who focus on both the technological and emotional aspects of their leadership will be better equipped to navigate this future and lead their companies to new heights. As technology and emotional intelligence converge, modern CEOs have more power at their fingertips than ever before.
By embracing automation, a people-first approach, and fostering connections, today’s business leaders can scale their operations, protect their businesses, and create a lasting, positive impact on their communities.
As businesses increasingly prioritize AI-driven productivity, Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 2 is now here to set the standard for integrating advanced AI into core business functions.
Following its successful initial rollout, Copilot has enabled over 400 million users to optimize how they manage documents, data, and workflows. Wave Two of Microsoft 365 Copilot introduces groundbreaking updates that take this transformation to the next level.
If you’re a business leader looking to advance your organization with the power of AI, this blog will serve as a perfect outline to help you understand how you can do just that with Microsoft’s latest and greatest version of Copilot.
Wave Two represents a significant leap in the capabilities of Copilot, aligning tightly with the strategic needs of organizations seeking to maximize efficiency and harness AI for smarter decision-making. Below are the key advancements:
Overview: Pages introduces a dynamic AI-driven workspace that unifies web content and internal work artifacts into a single, actionable canvas. This reimagined knowledge layer gives users the ability to turn unstructured data into actionable insights, enabling ideation and collaboration at scale.
Leadership Insight: For decision-makers, this feature presents the ability to quickly distill vast amounts of information, making strategic planning more data-driven and responsive.
Key Technical Advantage: Pages integrates across various Microsoft 365 applications, providing a seamless connection between external data (like market analysis) and internal resources (such as project plans), allowing IT leaders to make faster, more informed decisions.
Overview: Microsoft 365 Copilot now embeds deeper into essential tools like Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, enhancing everyday workflows without disrupting user experience.
Leadership Insight: New features such as Python integration in Excel allows organizations to run advanced analytics directly within the platform, while Narrative Builder in PowerPoint leverages AI to create data-driven presentations in a fraction of the time. Additionally, Prioritize My Inbox in Outlook uses AI to manage the flow of communications, filtering and flagging critical messages in real time.
Key Technical Advantage: These updates offer a tighter integration with existing processes, allowing technology leaders to drive operational efficiency by combining Copilot’s AI capabilities with their organization’s unique workflows and data.
Overview: Copilot’s evolution into an enterprise orchestration layer addresses the need for smoother cross-application workflows. Siloed systems are now augmented by Copilot Agents, which automate complex business processes, such as project approvals, reporting, or resource allocation.
Leadership Insight: This orchestration reduces manual tasks and empowers technical teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
Key Technical Advantage: Copilot Agents enable seamless automation across multiple business systems, reducing inefficiencies and freeing up valuable IT resources to focus on innovation.
Microsoft 365 Copilot’s ability to learn and evolve from continuous customer feedback is a key differentiator in the market. Microsoft’s collaboration with nearly 1,000 organizations has led to over 700 product updates and 150 new features. The switch to GPT-4 ensures faster processing times, and improvements in user interaction have significantly enhanced satisfaction rates.
Key Technical Advantage: Copilot’s adaptability allows organizations to continuously refine their AI-driven processes, ensuring alignment with evolving business goals and technology requirements.
As we look toward the future, the integration of AI within business operations will become increasingly sophisticated and pervasive.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is at the forefront of this transformation, offering tools that not only enhance current workflows but also prepare organizations for the evolving landscape of AI-driven work.
The future of AI in business lies in its ability to adapt to specific organizational needs. With these latest Microsoft Copilot updates is designed to integrate business-specific AI models, allowing companies to create highly personalized workflows.
Customization capabilities will ensure that AI tools are not just generic solutions but are tailored to address unique challenges and opportunities within each organization.
AI will play a crucial role in breaking down silos and enhancing collaboration across departments and teams. With tools like Biz Chat, employees can interact with their entire organizational knowledge base, surfacing key insights that drive business strategy and innovation.
This level of connectivity ensures that valuable information is accessible to all, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
The ability to make data-driven decisions quickly and accurately will be a defining feature of successful organizations in the AI era. Microsoft 365 Copilot’s advanced analytics and AI-driven insights enable leaders to distill vast amounts of data into actionable strategies.
Not only will this improve the speed and quality of decision-making but it will also ensure that strategies are grounded in real-time data and trends.
One of the key advantages of using Microsoft 365 Copilot for business workflows is its ability to evolve based on continuous customer feedback. This iterative improvement process ensures that the tool remains aligned with the latest business needs and technological advancements.
As AI technology progresses, Copilot will incorporate new features and capabilities, ensuring that organizations are always equipped with cutting-edge tools.
The shift towards a digital-first approach is inevitable, and AI will be at the heart of this transformation. Microsoft 365 Copilot provides the foundation for this shift, enabling organizations to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and make more strategic, data-informed decisions.
By adopting these AI advancements, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and navigate the complexities of the digital landscape with confidence.
In focusing on the aspects listed above, your organization can leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot to not only meet current demands but also prepare for the future of AI-driven business. This proactive approach ensures long-term success and a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world.
Staying at the forefront of these AI advancements will enable your organization to harness Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 2 to elevate productivity, streamline workflows, and make more strategic, data-informed decisions.
This new and improved version represents the next step in this journey, offering the tools necessary to meet the increasing complexity of today’s digital-first landscape. Embracing these innovations not only positions your company as a leader in AI adoption but also ensures you are equipped to tackle future challenges with agility and confidence.
Investing in these technologies today translates to a future of sustained growth, giving you a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving business environment.
At Managed Solution we take pride in delivering imperative news about all things Microsoft, AI Productivity tools, business innovation, and technology advancements. For more exclusive content and news be sure to subscribe to our newsletter here.
San Diego managed services providers Specializing in Microsoft Technologies
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, technology isn't just an asset—it's the cornerstone of success. For businesses in San Diego, partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) specializing in Microsoft technologies can be transformative.
Let's delve into why collaborating with a local San Diego MSP proficient in Microsoft solutions is pivotal for enhancing productivity, fortifying security, and propelling business growth.
Local Expertise and Rapid Response Times
Managing IT infrastructure demands prompt action and a deep understanding of the local business ecosystem. San Diego MSPs offer the advantage of proximity alongside unparalleled expertise, ensuring swift resolution of issues with minimal disruption to operations.
Tailored Solutions for Diverse Needs
San Diego boasts a diverse business landscape—from burgeoning tech startups to established biotech enterprises—each with unique IT requirements.
An MSP specializing in Microsoft technologies can craft bespoke solutions tailored to the distinct needs of these industries, aligning IT infrastructure seamlessly with overarching business objectives.
Comprehensive Product Suite
Microsoft's suite of offerings—from Azure and Office 365 to Dynamics 365 and SharePoint—comprises robust solutions capable of revolutionizing business operations.
MSPs well-versed in these products can facilitate seamless integration and optimization, enabling businesses to harness their full potential.
Scalability and Flexibility
As businesses evolve, so do their IT needs. Microsoft technologies, renowned for their scalability, can grow in tandem with enterprises.
A proficient MSP ensures seamless scalability, empowering businesses to adapt to market dynamics without the hassle of frequent hardware upgrades or software license changes.
Enhanced Security and Compliance
In an era of escalating cyber threats, security is paramount. Microsoft's formidable security features, complemented by local MSP oversight, provide robust protection for data and IT systems.
Moreover, adherence to industry regulations is streamlined as Microsoft products inherently meet many standards—an aspect efficiently managed and maintained by knowledgeable MSPs.
Certified Microsoft Partnership
Prioritize MSPs with Microsoft certification. This credential underscores their expertise, guaranteeing quality service, access to the latest technology updates, and adept management of your IT infrastructure.
Proactive Support and Maintenance
Opt for MSPs offering proactive support with stringent service level agreements (SLAs). Round-the-clock monitoring services and minimal downtime assurances ensure swift issue identification and resolution, safeguarding uninterrupted business operations.
Strong Customer Focus and Transparent Communication
Exceptional MSPs prioritize customer service and uphold transparent communication channels. Regular network status updates, prompt IT issue resolutions, and transparent pricing devoid of hidden charges are hallmarks of reliable MSP-client relationships.
Choosing the right MSP in San Diego specializing in Microsoft technologies is paramount for unlocking advanced IT solutions that drive efficiency and growth. Such collaborations empower businesses to focus on core competencies while entrusting the intricate realm of IT to seasoned professionals.
Whether enhancing IT infrastructure, fortifying security, or driving innovation through technology, Managed Solution stands as a steadfast ally in navigating the digital landscape.
For businesses poised to elevate their technology strategy, selecting a San Diego managed service provider steeped in Microsoft technologies marks the inaugural step toward transforming IT operations into a strategic business asset.
Here at Managed Solution we’re proud to say that we are able to meet these criterium and more to maximize the success of each and every client we work with.
Click the links below to learn more about our Managed Services and Microsoft Consulting services or click here chat with one of our experts here to begin your Digital Transformation journey with a provider who cares about your goals and has the resources and expertise to deliver.
Managed IT Services - Managed Solution
Microsoft Consulting Services - Managed Solution
Our vision for Microsoft Copilot is to bring the power of generative AI to everyone across work and life. Customers like Visa, BP, Honda, and Pfizer, and partners like Accenture, KPMG, and PwC are already using Copilot to transform the way they work, and 40% of the Fortune 100 participated in the Copilot Early Access Program.
We are updating our Microsoft Copilot product line-up with a new Copilot Pro subscription for individuals; expanding Copilot for Microsoft 365 availability to small and medium-sized businesses; and announcing no seat minimum for commercial plans—making Copilot generally available to individuals, enterprises, and everyone in between.
Read on for all the details.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 enables users to enhance their creativity, productivity, and skills.
First, we are announcing an update to our Copilot product line-up: Copilot Pro—a new Copilot subscription for individuals priced at $20 per individual per month.
Copilot Pro has foundational capabilities in a single experience that runs across your devices and understands your context on the web, on your PC, across your apps, and soon on your phone to bring the right skills to you when you need them. And it has web grounding, so it always has access to the latest information. When you’re signed into Copilot with your Microsoft Entra ID, you get commercial data protection for free—which means chat data isn’t saved, Microsoft has no eyes-on access, and your data isn’t used to train the models.
Copilot Pro provides priority access to the very latest models—starting with OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo. You’ll have access to GPT-4 Turbo during peak times for faster performance and, coming soon, the ability to toggle between models to optimize your experience how you choose. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers can use Copilot in Word, Excel (currently in Preview and English only), PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote on PC, and soon on Mac and iPad. It includes enhanced AI image creation with Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator) for faster, more detailed image quality as well as landscape image format. And Copilot Pro gives you the ability to build your own Copilot GPT—a pre-customized Copilot tailored for a specific topic—in our new Copilot GPT Builder (coming soon) with just a simple set of prompts.
MICROSOFT COPILOT STUDIO
While Copilot Pro is our best experience for individuals, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is our best experience for organizations. Copilot for Microsoft 365 gives you the same priority access to the very latest models. You get Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams—combined with your universe of data in the Microsoft Graph. It has enterprise-grade data protection which means it inherits your existing Microsoft 365 security, privacy, identity, and compliance policies. And it also includes Copilot Studio, so organizations can customize Copilot for Microsoft 365 and build their own custom copilots and plugins as well as manage and secure their customizations and standalone copilots with the right access, data, user controls, and analytics.
Here’s a summary of the updated Copilot product line-up:
THE COPILOT SYSTEM
To empower every organization to become AI-powered, we are making three changes. First, we are removing the 300-seat purchase minimum for Copilot for Microsoft 365 commercial plans. Second, we are removing the Microsoft 365 prerequisite for Copilot—so now, Office 365 E3 and E5 customers are eligible to purchase. We’re also extending Semantic Index for Copilot to Office 365 users with a paid Copilot license. Semantic Index works with the Copilot System and the Microsoft Graph to create a sophisticated map of all the data and content in your organization—enabling Microsoft 365 Copilot to deliver personalized, relevant, and actionable responses. Third, we are excited to announce that Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now generally available for small and medium-sized businesses—from solopreneurs running and launching their first business to 300-person fast-growing startups. If you are using either Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Microsoft 365 Business Premium, you can now purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 for $30 per user per month.1
Small and medium-sized businesses are the heart of every community and the lifeblood of local economies. They have an outsized impact on the world and markets they support—in the United States, this category accounts for 99.9% of business and employs nearly half of the workforce.2
These businesses stand to gain the most from this era of generative AI—and Copilot is uniquely suited to meet their needs. Small and medium-sized business owners report that communicating with customers takes up most of their time (66%), with managing budgets (50%) and administrative tasks (48%) not far behind.3 Copilot for Microsoft 365 can help reduce this daily grind, giving business owners valuable time back to focus on what matters most: growing their business. And with the Microsoft Copilot Copyright Commitment, small business owners can trust that they are working with a reliable partner. Small and medium-sized business customers that have Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium can learn how to purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 via our website or by contacting a partner.
We have been learning alongside small and medium-sized business customers in our Copilot Early Access Program. Here’s what they’re saying about how Copilot for Microsoft 365 is already transforming their work.
“I love that it’s in our environment. It’s able to cross-pollinate and gather information from all of the data we’ve got in Microsoft 365. As a business owner, that’s really important to me because it keeps our people working inside our systems.”
—James Hawley, CEO and Founder at NextPath Career Partners
“I do believe that there isn’t a single job position in the company that won’t benefit in some way from Copilot being available to them.”
—Alex Wood, Senior Cloud Engineer at Floww
“Copilot accurately summarizes the call and meeting notes in minutes. That’s not just faster, it means callers can add more value to the discussion rather than just take notes.”
—Philip Burridge, Director, Operations and Strategy at Morula Health
Commercial customers—including small and medium-sized businesses—can now purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 through our network Cloud Solution Provider partners (CSPs). This means Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available across all our sales channels. CSPs have served as trusted advisors to their customers, unlocking profitability for businesses and expanding their own capabilities. Learn more about Cloud Solution Provider partners.
These announcements come just one month after we announced that we are making Copilot for Microsoft 365 generally available to education customers with Microsoft 365 A3 or A5 faculty, and we’re expanding that to include Office 365 A3 or A5 faculty with no seat minimum. While education licenses are not yet included in the CSP expansion announced today, we will share updates in the coming months. It’s all part of our vision to empower everyone—from individuals to global enterprises—for an AI-powered world.
Learn more about Microsoft Copilot and visit the Copilot for Work site for actionable guidance on how you can start transforming work with Copilot today.
Learn more about how Copilot for Microsoft 365 for small and medium-sized businesses, including next steps licensing and technical requirements, and get familiar with Copilot capabilities.
Visit WorkLab for critical research and insights on how generative AI is transforming work.
Copilot helps you achieve things like never before using the power of AI.
1Copilot for Microsoft 365 may not be available for all markets and languages. To purchase, enterprise customers must have a license for Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 or Office 365 E3 or E5, and business customers must have a license for Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium.
Copilot is currently supported in the following languages: English (US, GB, AU, CA, IN), Spanish (ES, MX), Japanese, French (FR, CA), German, Portuguese (BR), Italian, and Chinese Simplified. We plan to support the following languages (in alphabetical order) over the first half of 2024: Arabic, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (PT), Russian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Ukrainian.
2U.S. Small Business Administration. (2023). Frequently Asked Questions.
3Wakefield Research. (2023). Microsoft study: Small businesses intrigued by AI and the opportunities it brings.
How is your business preparing for AI?
The way we now work—defined by an era of digital transformation—is evolving at such a pace that keeping up has become a challenge for many organizations. Business leaders are recognizing the enormous opportunity that modern work solutions like AI tools present and are now exploring ways to use them to their best advantage.
That means implementing AI in a way that allows employees to be more engaged and productive, focusing on the work that matters most.
AI helps your employees offload time-consuming tasks by jumpstarting the creative process, analyzing trends, and summarizing email threads and key discussion points from meetings. Less time spent on more tedious tasks grants employees the freedom to focus on the work that matters most.
Organizations that made employee engagement a top priority have performed twice as well financially as businesses that deprioritized an engaged workforce (2). And AI is poised to empower employees to be more engaged through opportunities for creativity, skill building, and increased productivity.
Imagine a workforce driven by the powerful combination of irreplaceable human ingenuity and skill with the innovative capabilities of a secure, user-friendly AI system. With the right tools and mindset, any organization can embrace the transformation to an AI-powered workforce.
With all the potential that working with AI holds, it’s critical to remember to take an approach of preparing for AI that prioritizes fairness, transparency, and accountability. Microsoft is a leader in the development and implementation of AI systems, which includes creating guidance on principles and best practices for responsible AI use—and ensuring those principles are at the foundation of Microsoft’s AI technology. Only with responsible AI implementation can your organization unlock the full potential of what’s possible with AI.
Credit: Microsoft
How do you know your organization is prepared for AI?
The platform shift to AI isn’t one that can be made without clear leadership and focused investment. Implementing AI technology can be complex, especially without a well-defined plan in place. It requires a culture of productivity and collaboration, a secure foundation for endpoint management, and the willingness to embrace change in order to outpace it.
What does AI readiness look like? An organization ready to embrace AI understands its potential as a strategic asset, how it can be used to benefit the business, and the ability to guide employees and customers in responsible AI practices.
Assessing your readiness level is the first step toward transforming your organization into one that can outpace the changes and challenges of this new era of working with next-generation technologies like AI.
To help you begin the transformation to an AI-powered organization, we’ve compiled a quiz with questions aimed at evaluating readiness level.
The quiz is in five parts and assesses your organization's:
Choose the answer that sounds most like where your organization currently stands and keep a tally of your answers as you go. At the end of the quiz, you’ll be able to estimate whether your organization is Very Ready, Almost Ready, or Needs More Guidance in preparing for AI to begin the transformation to an AI-powered workforce.
Rate your organization’s openness to change and innovation.
How confident are you that your current technology empowers your employees to be productive?
How fundamental is AI to the success of your business?
Rate your employees’ current willingness to adopt new technologies, including AI
How important is it to provide secure, user-friendly AI systems to your workforce?
How much, if at all, has your organization’s leadership bought into the business value of AI-powered tools?
How strong is your investment in change management and training to support the transition to AI-powered processes and systems?
Does your organization have funding for deploying and implementing a secure, user-friendly AI system?
How confident are you in your organization’s current endpoint management capabilities to enable employees that are preparing for AI to help them do their best work, regardless of where they work and what device they use?
Rate your organization’s current security foundation for enabling AI-powered work from any endpoint.
Your organization has put the work in preparing for AI and true transformation is underway. The Microsoft 365 team is excited to help you move forward. A couple of key notes for Very Ready organizations:
Having that baseline productivity in place will enable your employees to start exploring the benefits of Copilot as soon as possible. You can find a link to get started at the end of this blog.
Your organization is nearly there. Like Very Ready organizations, your Almost Ready business should consider deploying Microsoft 365, if you haven’t already. Help your employees learn their way around Microsoft 365 now so that it's easier for them to adopt the AI integrations down the road.
A couple of notes for Almost Ready organizations:
It sounds like your organization could benefit from personalized guidance on implementing AI tools. For more information on the requirements and benefits of a secure, user-friendly AI system, Microsoft can help!
A couple of notes to get organizations that Need More Guidance started:
An organization that is preparing for AI and ready to unlock all that's possible, has a strong foundation in security, streamlined endpoint management, and an openness to innovation that improves productivity. With Microsoft 365, your organization can achieve those checkpoints with one complete solution.
With Microsoft 365, your organization's technology landscape will be grounded in Zero Trust, ensuring a secure foundation for all of your endpoints, no matter where access is coming from. A Zero Trust security foundation in turn makes endpoint management safer and less complex, so you can efficiently grant employees access to all the tools they need to be more productive than ever.
Microsoft offers decades in future forward technology expertise, and that experience is built into the features that make Microsoft 365 so powerful. Now, with Copilot, your organization can extend the capabilities of Microsoft 365 even further.
Microsoft 365 delivers a secure, productive working experience. With Copilot, it becomes an intuitive, next-generation productivity partner that works alongside your employees, empowering them to collaborate and work more efficiently to become more productive contributors to business outcomes.
Copilot can empower your team to tap into the rich functionality available throughout Microsoft 365, making employees better at what they’re already good at and mastering what they’ve yet to learn. It integrates seamlessly with the apps your teams already use and is designed to unlock their untapped potential.
Ultimately, Copilot elevates the powerful capabilities of Microsoft 365 to enhance your workforce’s productivity, creativity, and skills—benefits your organization can experience when you make the transformation to AI.
Sources: 1 “Will AI Fix Work?” Work Trend Index, May 9, 2023. Microsoft. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/ work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work. 2 “The New Performance Equation in the Age of AI.” Work Trend Index, April 20, 2023. Microsoft. https://www. microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/the-new-performance-equation-in-the-age-of-ai. 3 “A Whole New Way of Working.” Work Trend Index. Microsoft. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/ai[1]a-whole-new-way-of-working.
©2023 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This document is provided “as-is.” Information and views expressed in this document, including URL and other Internet website references, may change without notice.
Companies are constantly on the lookout for creative solutions to optimize their processes, enhance productivity, and foster expansion.
One such transformative avenue is through a Microsoft Azure migration. Azure is a leading cloud computing platform that offers an abundance of tools and benefits for businesses of all sizes.
In today’s blog, we'll explore the myriad of ways in which migrating to Azure empowers businesses to streamline their existing operations and what a successful migration strategy looks like.
While application and data modernization offer numerous advantages, organizations are predominantly driven by the following objectives:
Embracing cloud-native technologies enables organizations to redirect their focus from maintaining legacy infrastructure to fostering innovation. By leveraging the cloud, businesses can streamline operations and dedicate more resources to creative and strategic endeavors.
Implementing a microservices architecture empowers organizations to construct applications that are not only resilient and highly scalable, but also independently deployable and adaptable.
This approach ensures that applications can swiftly evolve to meet changing demands, providing businesses with the agility needed to thrive in dynamic market landscapes.
Azure offers an extensive suite of tools and services. From artificial intelligence and machine learning to data analytics, Azure provides businesses with the necessary resources to stay competitive.
With a Microsoft Azure migration, businesses can harness the power of tools like:
These are just a few of the tools that allow businesses to gain valuable insights from their data, enabling smarter decision-making and strategic planning.
Azure's pay-as-you-go model ensures that businesses pay only for the services they use, making it a cost-effective solution, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, Azure's scalability allows businesses to adapt to changing demands seamlessly.
Whether your business experiences sudden growth or requires additional resources for a specific project, Azure scales up or down according to your needs, ensuring optimal resource utilization and cost efficiency.
Security is paramount in the digital age, and Azure takes this concern seriously. It is estimated by most top cybersecurity firms that a breach will occur as frequently as every 7 seconds by 2024, and the overall cost impact of cybersecurity breaches have exceeded $20 billion (about $62 per person in the US) this year alone and is expected to be much higher in 2024.
Microsoft invests heavily in ensuring the security and compliance of its cloud services. That is why Azure offers robust security features, including:
These critical security features empower organizations to protect their sensitive data and digital assets effectively. By migrating to Azure, businesses can enhance their security posture, build customer trust, and comply with industry regulations effortlessly.
Azure's Lift-and-Shift strategy is a migration approach that involves transferring existing applications, data, and workloads from on-premises or other cloud environments to Microsoft Azure without making significant changes to the underlying code or architecture.
This method enables businesses to quickly transition to Azure's cloud platform, minimizing downtime and disruptions. The benefits of Lift-and-Shift include rapid migration, reduced costs associated with redevelopment, and streamlined deployment.
This strategy is ideal for businesses with tight migration timelines, or those looking for a straightforward, cost-effective way to move their existing infrastructure to the cloud. It suits organizations seeking a quick and efficient migration solution without the complexities of re-engineering their applications, making it a popular choice for various industries and enterprises of different sizes.
With tools like Azure Migrate, businesses can assess their on-premises infrastructure, identify dependencies, and migrate applications and data to Azure with minimal disruption. However, due to the sophisticated nature of Azure and its migration process, many companies benefit from employing a managed IT service provider to ensure a secure, seamless, expert led migration.
credit: Microsoft
Key Benefits:
Azure's Move-and-Improve strategy represents a comprehensive approach to cloud migration, enabling businesses to not only transfer their existing applications and data to Microsoft Azure but also enhance and optimize them for maximum efficiency.
This innovative strategy involves leveraging Azure's vast array of services and tools to modernize applications, making them more agile, scalable, and resilient in the cloud environment.
The key benefits of this strategy include increased operational efficiency, enhanced security, and the ability to innovate rapidly. Businesses with legacy systems, outdated applications, or those seeking to adapt to changing market demands can significantly benefit from Azure's Move-and-Improve strategy.
By combining migration with optimization, businesses can ensure a seamless transition to the cloud while positioning themselves for sustained growth and innovation.
Whether it's building innovative applications, implementing DevOps practices, or adopting serverless computing, Azure provides the foundation for businesses to explore new horizons, drive digital transformation, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.
Microsoft Azure opens the door to a world of possibilities for businesses. The abundance of tools and benefits, coupled with the flexibility to lift-and-shift existing operations and move-and-improve strategies, positions Azure as a game-changer in the business realm.
By embracing Azure, businesses can enhance their efficiency, boost innovation, and pave the way for sustainable growth in the digital age.
If you’re ready to take the next step and learn more about Azure migration, you can chat with one of our experts, you can also save your seat for our upcoming webinar that dives deep into Azure migration to help you learn more about strategies, benefits, and the platform as a whole.
Check out our previous Azure webinars:
While the past 20 months have been challenging for all organizations, I don’t know any that have been hit harder than small businesses. They’ve had to adapt nearly every aspect of how they operate and work with customers, often without access to critical tools and technologies. The world isn’t going back to the “old” way of working, so small businesses need solutions that are designed specifically for their unique needs to thrive in this new normal.
Today we’re excited to introduce Microsoft Teams Essentials. It’s the first standalone offering of Microsoft Teams designed specifically with small businesses in mind. It brings together features small businesses need to serve customers, including unlimited group video calls for up to 30 hours, group chat, file sharing, and calendaring. And at only $4 USD per user per month, it’s the most affordable all-in-one solution in the market today.
With Teams Essentials, small businesses from restaurants to retailers to professional services can easily meet, collaborate, communicate, and serve customers in new ways. Take Bristol Dental Specialists, a United Kingdom-based practice that began using Teams last year. From virtual consultations to collaboration with colleagues, the Bristol team delivers faster, friendlier, and more cost-effective patient care with Teams.
“Communication is so important, and with Teams, we’re working together better than ever to provide patients with a standard of care that sets us apart.”—Rebecca Metcalfe, Senior Treatment Coordinator, Bristol Dental Specialists
The need for affordable communications tools isn’t limited to traditional for-profit small businesses. Nonprofits, religious organizations, schools, and community groups also struggle to connect and collaborate effectively. These organizations and small businesses need to get up and running fast, and Teams Essentials makes it possible with no IT expertise necessary. Teams Essentials enables those with and without a Teams account to participate easily and effectively. While the free version of Microsoft Teams is still available, Teams Essentials offers extended limits like longer meetings and more storage. Let’s take a closer look at how Teams Essentials can support your needs.
Working closely with customers and partners can be a challenge for any business without the right communication tools. Teams Essentials brings existing Teams capabilities together with features specifically designed for small businesses and community groups:
Extended meeting times—With meetings that can last up to 30 hours, there’s no need to worry about your Teams Essentials meeting running over its time limit, whether you’re meeting one-on-one or in a group. Large meeting capacity—With the ability to host up to 300 people at once, Teams Essentials offers the ability to bring everyone into the same virtual room.
Teams Essentials simplifies communications for small businesses and community groups with a single solution for chat and meetings—saving time, and most importantly, keeping meetings and conversations in context. It includes tools to work effectively with anyone, including Office web apps, file sharing, group chats, task management, and more.
Additional cloud storage—Don’t worry about running out of storage or wasting time searching for documents. Easily co-author, view, edit, and store Office 365 files. Teams Essentials offers a total of 10 gigabytes (GB) file storage, which is twice the amount of storage available in the free version of Teams.Costs are top of mind for every business and community. Microsoft Teams Essentials offers the most value at the best price. And with a simplified interface that is easy to learn, it is straightforward and easy for employees to quickly be productive.
Microsoft Teams Essentials is available from a variety of Microsoft Cloud Partners including some of the most recognized names in the industry:
ALSO, Crayon, Ingram, Pax8, Rhipe, TD Synnex, Telefonica (ES), Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone (IT), Wortmann AG.
Customers worldwide can also purchase Teams Essentials direct from Microsoft.
Customers looking to use Microsoft Teams for personal use can get access to these same features and extended meeting limits with a Microsoft 365 Family and Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.
Microsoft is committed to providing small businesses with technologies that power their core needs. That’s why we built Teams Essentials and recently announced expanded security offerings for small and medium businesses with Microsoft Defender for Business, designed to help small businesses protect against ransomware and other cyberthreats. With Teams Essentials, we are excited to take another step in our commitment and enable small businesses to collaborate securely from virtually anywhere.
Be sure to register for one of our upcoming workshops to dive into Microsoft 365 and unleash its full potential to boost your ROI in all of your operational endeavors.
Join us Oct. 25th or November 15th
Cloud computing has emerged as a game-changer for businesses, enabling companies to scale, secure, and streamline their operations more efficiently than ever. Among the cloud giants, Microsoft Azure has risen to prominence as a go-to platform for organizations worldwide. In this blog, we'll delve into what Azure is, to help users and companies looking for cloud opportunities understand how it can benefit them.
Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform and infrastructure. It provides a vast array of cloud services, including computing, analytics, databases, networking, storage, and more through global data centers. It also empowers organizations with the flexibility to build, deploy, and manage applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers globally.
Azure Virtual Machines
Azure offers virtual machines that allow businesses to run applications in the cloud, providing scalable and flexible computing power without the need for physical hardware.
Azure's hybrid cloud solutions enable seamless integration between on-premises and cloud environments. This flexibility allows MSPs to cater to clients with varied infrastructure requirements, ensuring a smooth transition to the cloud.
Single-pane Operations
Microsoft Azure's single-pane operations via the Operation Management Suite (OMS) offer seamless monitoring and management of hybrid environments, including virtual machines, storage, network services, logs, and insights. OMS prioritizes security, providing comprehensive solutions for hybrid infrastructure challenges.
Computational services
Azure Blob Storage
This service enables secure and cost-effective storage of large amounts of unstructured data, ideal for backups, media files, and application data.
Azure SQL Database
A fully managed relational database service, Azure SQL Database offers high-performance, secure, and scalable database solutions for various applications.
Azure AI and Machine Learning
Businesses can leverage Azure’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to gain valuable insights, automate processes, and create intelligent applications.
Azure IoT Hub
For companies delving into the realm of IoT, Azure IoT Hub facilitates seamless communication between IoT applications and devices, enabling real-time monitoring and control.
Azure's elasticity allows businesses to scale resources up or down on-demand. It caters to the dynamic needs of companies without forcing them to invest in expensive hardware. Whether it's handling a sudden surge in web traffic or expanding storage capabilities, Azure provides the necessary scalability to support business growth.
Azure boasts a global network of data centers, ensuring high availability and redundancy (i.e. ensures that accounts meet their durability targets). This infrastructure minimizes downtime and data loss, which is crucial for businesses in the digital age where loss of data can cost millions.
Not to mention that with Azure’s world-wide distribution of data centers, businesses can expand into global markets with more ease. This can greatly advance growth opportunities for a number of businesses and therein lead to greater innovation when competing in new markets.
Security is paramount in the digital age, and Azure prioritizes it. Azure's robust security features include threat detection, identity and access management, encryption, and compliance certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2. With Azure, organizations can rest assured that their data is secure and compliant with industry standards.
With a variety of licensing and pricing models, organizations have the option to leverage Azure’s revenue-boosting productivity enhancements while paying only for the resources they consume. It also provides flexibility in allowing businesses to scale their resources up or down based on demand.
credit: Microsoft
Furthermore, Azure offers an array of tools and services designed to assist businesses in maximizing their cloud expenditure, such as cost management and resource optimization tools. These resources empower organizations to supervise and manage their Azure expenses.
With flexibility and cost-management features, Azure enables companies to optimize their IT budgets, minimizing wastage while providing the resources necessary to meet their specific needs.
Check out this in-depth forum post that demonstrates how Azure is one of the most cost-effective cloud infrastructures.
Microsoft Azure offers powerful analytics and business intelligence tools for data-driven insights. Services like Azure Machine Learning and Power BI enable businesses to analyze data, enhancing decision-making processes. Furthermore, Azure seamlessly integrates with Microsoft products like Dynamics 365 and Office, ensuring a smooth user experience and boosting productivity.
Microsoft Azure offers diverse tools and services aimed at enhancing business collaboration and productivity. Azure Active Directory enables streamlined management of user accounts and access control for cloud applications, enhancing security measures and simplifying user administration.
Additionally, Azure provides a suite of collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. These platforms facilitate real-time collaboration on documents and projects, fostering increased productivity and teamwork among employees.
Azure continuously evolves, offering cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, and IoT. For businesses, this means they can stay ahead of the curve by integrating these innovative technologies into their operations, driving efficiency and competitiveness.
Microsoft Azure is more than just a cloud platform; it's a catalyst for innovation and transformation in the modern business landscape. Businesses have a unique opportunity to leverage Azure's capabilities to meet their dynamic IT needs. Namely, because Azure offers scalability, reliability, security, cost-efficiency, and access to cutting-edge technologies.
As businesses continue to navigate the digital frontier, Azure stands as a powerful ally, helping them achieve their goals and thrive in the digital age. Embracing Azure is not just a choice; it's a strategic imperative for all businesses.
If you're ready to talk more about Microsoft Azure with a qualified expert, send us a contact request here and we'll set up a time to chat with you. For a deeper dive into the platform, join us on October 25th for part two of our free Azure Webinar series.
Chat with an expert about your business’s technology needs.
