Microsoft Copilot for SMEs has many well-touted benefits. From automating a wide range of daily tasks to supporting an organisation in the building and scaling of their business, this software holds a myriad of benefits for growing companies. It also integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, enabling busy teams to get off the ground immediately.
The key to true success with Microsoft Copilot, however, is learning how to utilise it to the best of your abilities as an organisation.
In this article, we discuss how small and medium-sized enterprises in Ireland can use this transformative tool to take their business to new heights.
Billed as “your everyday AI companion”, Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant built into Microsoft 365 applications like Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams. It assists businesses by automating routine tasks, creating content, summarising information and offering intelligent suggestions based on their data.
From email generation and code writing to building PowerPoint slideshows from basic text descriptions, Copilot has countless strings to its bow. As such, the platform has become invaluable to SMEs all over the world, empowering teams to work more efficiently and freeing them up to place their personal focus on high-value tasks.
Now that we know what Microsoft Copilot does, it’s time to examine how to use it in everyday scenarios within your organisation.
Designed to help businesses automate everyday tasks, Copilot functions in this capacity in several ways, including:
The software enhances productivity by generating content, suggesting improvements, and automating workflows, providing a level of AI-powered assistance that empowers employees to work more efficiently and allows businesses to focus on strategic growth.
Most importantly, it seamlessly weaves into the tools teams already use, further establishing it as a powerful way to drive smarter, faster and more collaborative work.
When productivity among the team is enhanced, it seems only natural for business efficiency to follow suit. This is where Microsoft Copilot once again comes to the fore, significantly improving the capabilities of an organisation by automating time-consuming tasks across a number of Microsoft 365 apps.
It allows users to perform a range of tasks as discussed above, using simple natural language commands. In Excel, for instance, Copilot can create complex formulas and visualisations in seconds. Similarly, in Teams, it provides real-time meeting notes, key takeaways and next steps. This not only reduces the need for manual note-taking and follow-up but also produces clear metrics for businesses to adhere to.
This ability to analyse data and provide insights with the click of a mouse is hugely beneficial to team members with less technical proficiency, enabling them to quickly and clearly understand complex data.
One of the biggest selling points of Copilot from a business point of view is that it operates within Microsoft’s secure cloud environment, respecting data permissions and privacy and ensuring businesses remain compliant while leveraging AI.
One of the most attractive qualities of Microsoft Copilot is its ability to facilitate seamless collaboration. It achieves this by integrating across Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Word, Excel and Outlook, enabling team members to work more efficiently together.
The app has many noteworthy features that workplaces around the globe now rely on every day. In Teams, for example, Copilot can summarise meetings, identify key decisions and assign action items, ensuring everyone stays in the loop even if they can’t attend. It also facilitates quicker communication through email collaboration, by drafting responses and highlighting critical messages.
The automation of collaborative tasks, such as generating shared documents, presentations and reports based on collective inputs, is also a huge advantage of the platform as it reduces the need for manual coordination.
Essentially, it is this simplification of information sharing that helps teams to stay focused and connected.
Before businesses can reap all the benefits, they must prepare for the integration of Copilot ahead of time. To do this, company leadership should consider the following steps:
Before considering the implementation of Microsoft Copilot, it’s vital to ensure that your organisation has the necessary Microsoft 365 licenses and that your IT infrastructure can support Copilot’s integration.
Ensuring that your sensitive data is organised and secured before adopting Copilot is another vital step in the process. Think about tasks like setting appropriate permissions and ensuring data compliance standards are met. Each of these actions and more will enable Copilot to easily and effectively access relevant information.
For countless reasons, from efficiency to compliance, it’s vital to educate your team on the use of Copilot, both ahead of and during integration. Organising training sessions in advance of implementation is a great way to help employees truly understand Copilot’s capabilities and to give them a better grasp on how to integrate it seamlessly into their daily tasks.
Collaborating with a reputable IT service provider is a surefire way to facilitate a smooth Copilot implementation. These professionals offer tailored support at every stage of the process and ensure that the app aligns with your business objectives. This is precisely where the services of Arbelos come in!
For SMEs looking to stay competitive in the evolving digital landscape, embracing tools like Microsoft Copilot is not just advantageous; it’s essential.
At Arbelos, we’re acutely aware of how transformative this app can be for businesses, and for almost 20 years, we have been dedicated to supporting Irish businesses as they embrace this new technology to advance their organisations.
As a leading Irish managed IT service provider, we have extensive expertise in Microsoft 365 solutions, including Copilot integration, and we pride ourselves on offering comprehensive services to enhance the productivity and efficiency of your business.
For more information on how we can assist your business with Microsoft Copilot, contact us today.
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