Microsoft Teams a cornerstone of modern workplace. The self-proclaimed “hub for teamwork”, Teams lives up to our expectations and then some when it comes to communication, collaboration and productivity platforms. Here’s what I would say are the top three benefits that Teams brings to my day on a regular basis:
- Less email! Instead of sifting through days if not weeks of corporate jargon and diverging email threads, my colleagues and I can connect on Teams chat often have a greater understanding of the situation quickly and casually without relying on a formal email chain.
- Not only can we communicate efficiently, but from our same chat screen we can launch into a collaborative space by sharing and co-authoring presentations and other files in a way that works for everyone. This can happen in a meeting context by working on a virtual whiteboard together, exporting attendance reports or even allow participants to scroll through slides (should you allow it) while you present.
- Less email! Only partly joking, but it really is so great it deserves to be said twice. In all seriousness, my favorite thing about Microsoft Teams is how well the Microsoft ecosystem integrates and is largely available in Teams. Pinning apps like Power BI, To Do and OneNote have been big time-savers. I’m aways on Teams anyways, so now I can just open my reports or To Dos directly from the app and get going that much faster.
Not a Microsoft customer? Try Teams Essentials
If you’re already using Microsoft products, obviously Teams is a no-brainer. However, it previously might not have been as valuable to those using other email services or meeting solutions, since adopting Teams meant migrating everything over. Great news for you—Microsoft released a new license addressing this exact scenario.
Using a Gmail account?
Gmail users will find Teams Essentials and the Teams app a great way to improve productivity and provide a familiar feel throughout the work environment, offering a professional meeting experience that’s recognizable for customers and partners. There are also tons of app integrations available in Teams, so you can keep your favorites close by.
Not quite ready to jump into the cloud?
That’s OK! Keep your on-prem environment and allow workers to collaborate in the cloud without any of the migration we all love?. Real-time, discreet and powerful communication while on the go, without any hassle. Although, fair warning, you’ll be hooked and just want to know more. We’re used to it; it’s what we’re here for.
Not sure about the Microsoft ecosystem or if it’s right for your business?
Microsoft offers a strong lineup of productivity and collaboration tools that can meet the needs of any business, but it’s nevertheless understandable for some people to be on the fence. Monthly plan options are available and represent a great way to try out Microsoft Teams Essentials for yourself. This can be especially helpful for resellers to see what all the hype is about, but also for admins or department heads to test and see what the user experience is like for chat, calling, meetings, sharing files and collaborating with colleagues.
Offering Teams Essentials to clients
So what’s in it for managed service providers (MSPs)? Why should an MSP offer Teams Essentials to clients? A couple quick reasons…
More options for clients
As Microsoft specialists, its easy to get comfortable and even say no to managing environments that aren’t in our wheelhouse. But what if you could have clients keep their environment as is and offer ONLY the collaboration piece? You stay in your comfort zone, there’s little risk for your customers, you still get to offer your unique managed services the way that made you successful, and end-users benefit from improved efficiency. That’s what we call a win-win.
Access to new clientele
Customer acquisition is costly and time consuming. What if there was a way to cross-sell to existing clients by bundling complementary services, increasing your revenue per seat? This is what Microsoft has in mind with the Teams Essentials offer. Using the opening line of internal collaboration, which then evolves into collaboration with external parties. Incorporate email, add in some apps, then back-end security, CRM and on and on. While this licence might not be padding anyone’s bank account, it is opening doors to untapped revenue and helping to plant seeds that will bear fruit down the line.
Ready to give Teams Essentials a try?
The way I see it, Microsoft Teams Essentials is the best tool we didn’t know we always needed. Low risk, low barrier to entry, low price, high potential. What’s not to love!?
Working with an expert partner like Sherweb can be extremely beneficial if you aren’t sure where to start. Not only do we have a Microsoft Teams deployment guide available for MSPs, but we also have a phenomenal team with tons of experience and knowledge to share. Don’t be shy to reach out! A brainstorm session can help to get you situated and hopefully spark some great ideas for you to present to your customers. For more benefits of working with Sherweb, explore our Partner Guide.
