A school is just like any other business, and every business should have the best tools available to them.
Every type of organisation deserves to be using the best tools for their work, especially tools. It is very important for schools to be able to run at optimal efficiency; and in today’s world of tech-driven work, this means having the right digital solutions implemented. One of the best solutions available is Microsoft 365 – as an business-grade solution that is completely free of charge for educational organisations to use, it seems like a no brainer that all school should be using 365. But what are some of the specific benefits a school can get from it? To understand this, we spoke with TechQuarters, a managed IT services company that has been providing their services since 2010, and are partnered with Microsoft – the following are the top reasons they listed:
- Easy Access to Resources
All the apps in Microsoft 365 are seamlessly integrated, and are linked together through Microsoft OneDrive, and the Microsoft SharePoint – the two cloud storage solutions included in the plan. With 365 being an entirely cloud-based solution, it means that users can access apps, files, contacts, emails and messages, and much more on a flexible basis. In fact, as long as one has a device and an internet connection, they can access resources on Microsoft 365.
- Consolidated IT Spend
Schools have many different expenses that they need to manage as part of their budget. If a school can streamline their IT spend, and make it easier to manage, this can have a huge impact. As a provider of small business IT support London based companies rely on, TechQuarters was able to confirm that Microsoft 365 can simplify IT budgets for businesses by consolidating all their essential software into a single, monthly-billed plan. For schools, who get Microsoft 365 for free, the potential savings are immense.
- Business Continuity
A school is a business just like any other, which means that business continuity is a major consideration. Business continuity refers to the ability for an organisation to operate consistently, without any interruptions; and in todays age of tech-driven business, this type of continuity is reliant on the type of technology an organisation uses. Luckily, with Microsoft 365, schools are getting one of the most reliable solutions on the market.
- Security
Building on the previous point, schools can rest easy when they placing their data with Microsoft 365 cloud storage. This is because the Microsoft Cloud is among the most secure public cloud environments available to businesses. As a provider of IT support for Schools, TechQuarters understands the importance of cybersecurity in an educational context, and confirmed the effectiveness of 365 for this. Microsoft invest about $1 billion a year on cloud security, and the Microsoft 365 for Education plan contains a number of high-level security features – including Azure AD, Microsoft Threat Protection, Information Protection, and Cloud App Security.
- Automated Updates
A major frustration around IT management than all schools will appreciate is the hassle of keeping all of their software and systems up-to-date. This is not just about getting all the latest features, but ensuring that there are no vulnerabilities in the software that is being used. Luckily, with Microsoft 365, updates can be configured to happen automatically by the organisation’s IT admins.
- Better Collaboration
At its core, Microsoft 365 is all about improving productivity. One of the main ways that it does this is by improving collaboration. For example, staff in schools can keep all their shared resources in SharePoint, where it is easy to find, and can be accessed remotely. Furthermore, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Outlook ensure that all the main forms of communication that schools use are consolidated into a single solution.
