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 | Does Office 365 need you more than your need it? Microsoft’s marketing would have you believe you can't live without Office 365. But is this purely hype? Whilst it's the company’s fastest selling product, shifting at a $1.5 billion run rate, it's disappointed not to have sold more. |
| | Since its launch in 2011, Microsoft’s Office 365 cloud solution has enjoyed an impressive take-up – but nowhere near the level company bosses had hoped for. In an attempt to generate more demand, Microsoft is trying to impress upon consumers the need to convert to this product. But is your need for it as great as their desire to hit sales targets?
Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Turner, makes no attempt to disguise his company’s ambition for the product. “No other company in the world has 20,000 cloud partners,” he said, referring to the number of business partners who are actively selling Office 365. “Some people would say, ‘Hey we should celebrate that, that’s great!’ Dude, this is Microsoft. We’re a company for partners, built by partners, with partners. I want all 600,000-plus selling and transacting in the cloud.” | |
twisting the consumer's arm Whilst it is indeed Microsoft’s fastest selling product at present, the number of business customers currently using this or any other of its cloud-based solutions falls well below its targets. The firm is doing all it can to coerce us into making the move. Small Business Server 2011 is due to be discontinued, with Windows 2012 Essentials, which, it just so happens, integrates with Office 365, named as its successor. | It’s hard to deny that cloud computing is set to play a greater part in all of our futures and, at some point, your company is going to have to consider whether making the move. |
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much to consider
It’s hard to deny that cloud computing is set to play a greater part in all of our futures and, at some point, your company is going to have to consider whether making the move. But there are a number of factors to take into account when determining the suitability of Office 365 to your business.
Firstly, is your business going to feel comfortable working in a public cloud, or do you require a private solution? If you’re leaning towards the latter, there are a number of cloud solutions you’ll want to explore, along with associated data security options.
You also need to think about how your staff operate - will remote workers be well-served by Office 365? Are your internet connections fast enough?
The point is that this is not a decision you can make in haste. So before helping Microsoft hit their numbers, find out all there is to know about Office 365 and its alternatives. Talk to our staff about your options – we’ll be happy to advise you on the right solution for your business. |
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