What Most Businesses Overlook in Microsoft 365

What Most Businesses Overlook in Microsoft 365

The Tools Are There. But Most Are Untapped.

Productivity platforms are built to make work easier. And yet, in many businesses, the tools meant to streamline collaboration, automate tasks, and strengthen security end up underused or misconfigured. The result? Missed opportunities hiding in plain sight.

Plenty of organizations check the box by activating email, spinning up Teams channels, and storing files in the cloud. But beneath the surface, the real potential often goes untouched; processes stay manual, communication stays fragmented, and security settings remain on default.

What’s missing isn’t software. It’s the strategy to make it work the way it was designed to. When the right systems are fully aligned with how your team operates, that’s when the real transformation begins.

Missed Opportunities Start with Misalignment

A 2023 Forrester study showed that businesses that fully deployed Microsoft 365 E5 saw a 50% drop in help desk calls and a 15% improvement in ticket resolution times. That level of impact doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through structure and support.

So what’s usually missing?

• Automation that’s built in, but unused
  Power Automate can handle common workflows like approvals, alerts, and document routing. Yet many teams continue managing these processes manually, eating up time and adding risk of error.

• Document collaboration that never gets configured
  SharePoint and OneDrive offer version control, co-authoring, and controlled access. Still, many teams keep emailing attachments or saving duplicates across devices.

• Security settings left on default
  Microsoft 365 includes tools like Defender for Office 365, data loss prevention, and multifactor authentication. But in too many businesses, these tools are never fully activated or customized to the environment.

• Ongoing training and adoption
  Microsoft updates its tools constantly. Without guidance, most users fall back on old habits or avoid using new features altogether.

Each missed opportunity may feel minor. But combined, they result in lost productivity, higher support costs, and unnecessary risk.

The Real Cost of Underutilization

The impact of underusing Microsoft 365 isn’t always visible in a budget. It shows up in time wasted, processes delayed, and risks taken without knowing.

Let’s talk numbers. If a single employee wastes 20 minutes a day navigating disconnected systems or tracking down files, that adds up to over 80 hours per year. Multiply that by dozens—or hundreds—of employees, and the drag on efficiency becomes obvious.

Now consider what happens when tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot are properly implemented. Microsoft found that users save an average of 26 minutes per day automating repetitive tasks with Copilot. That’s more than two hours per week, per employee, recovered for work that actually moves the business forward.

Security is another major cost center. According to a 2023 study published on arXiv, multifactor authentication alone blocks 99 percent of automated attacks. The capability exists in Microsoft 365. But if it’s not turned on and configured correctly, the protection is meaningless.

Without strategy, businesses are paying for tools they don’t fully use and exposing themselves to risks they don’t fully see.

What a Managed IT Partner Does Differently

At OnPar, we help businesses turn Microsoft 365 from a list of apps into an integrated system that supports the way you work. Our role is to simplify the complex, guide your team through smart configurations, and make sure you’re getting maximum return on your investment.

Here’s how we do that:

Structured Collaboration

We organize your Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive setup so departments collaborate efficiently. That means no more wondering where files are, who owns what, or how to access key documents. We standardize naming conventions, permission settings, and folder structures to eliminate confusion and build confidence.

Workflow Automation with ROI

Repetitive tasks shouldn’t slow your team down. We identify the most common manual processes across departments and build automation using Power Automate. From approval flows to employee onboarding steps, we help you get hours back every week.

Security That Fits Your Environment

We configure Microsoft 365’s native security tools based on how your business operates. That includes setting up multifactor authentication, defining conditional access policies, enabling data protection rules, and regularly reviewing logs. Nothing is left to chance.

Continuous Support and Enablement

Tools evolve. So do teams. We provide hands-on support, user training, and update management so your Microsoft 365 environment keeps pace with your business. When Microsoft rolls out new features, we help you understand what matters and implement improvements with confidence.

You Already Have the Platform. Let’s Unlock the Value

Microsoft 365 gives your business the tools to communicate, collaborate, and move forward with purpose. When supported by the right strategy, those tools become a reliable engine for productivity and growth.

Many organizations are sitting on untapped potential. With the right partner, that same platform can drive efficiency, strengthen security, and simplify the way your team works every day.

This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to transform your Microsoft 365 environment into something fully aligned with your business goals. Partner with OnPar and get more from what you already have. Let’s make it work for you.