4 Signs That Your Organization Might Not Be Ready for Copilot for Microsoft 365

Before investing in Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses, it’s crucial to assess whether your organization is prepared to maximize this investment.

In this post, we’ll discuss four signs that indicate a lack of readiness and provide questions to help you evaluate your situation before diving into Copilot for Microsoft 365. My goal is to encourage strategic thinking before taking action.

While there is no doubt that Copilot and generative AI represents the future of work, to successfully rollout this technology you need careful planning, preparation, and change management. Without these, you risk frustrating users and landing poor ROI.

1. Ineffective Information Management, Governance, and User Adoption

  • Are users oversharing content?
  • Do you have SharePoint or Teams sites that are no longer used but haven’t been decommissioned?
  • Are there sites or Teams without owners?
  • Are your end users confused about “what to use when” in Microsoft 365?

These issues suggest that users aren’t leveraging SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive effectively, lading to unnecessary information exposure and storage capacity issues. Furthermore, when Copilot searches your environment for data, it will include all stored content, making it essential to manage your data properly.

To optimize Copilot’s use and enhance user experiences, review your tenant to understand current practices. For instance, if users are oversharing, adjust the default sharing settings in SharePoint. Small configuration changes, combined with user training and change management, can significantly improve outcomes.

Need guidance? Change Champions can conduct a quick assessment of your tenant to identify risks. Contact us to learn more.

2. Not Utilizing the “Free” Copilot Today

  • Are your users using ChatGPT at work?
  • Have you informed users that they can start using Copilot with their current Microsoft 365 license at no additional cost?
  • Have you shared best practices for using AI, including prompts, dos and don’ts, and limitations?

You don’t need a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license to start using Copilot. Encourage users to try Copilot in Edge, Bing, and Windows, which are likely included in your current license. This can help users become familiar with the tool and potentially replace other consumer products like ChatGPT.

3. Lack of Adoption of Microsoft 365

  • Are users still working on network drives or other on-premise solutions?
  • Have they explored apps beyond Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel?
  • Have they embraced newer apps like Loop, Whiteboard, and Planner?

Many users in large organizations haven’t fully realized the benefits of Microsoft 365. Some continue to use a mix of network drives and cloud storage, while others haven’t tried newer apps. Copilot for Microsoft 365 relies on cloud usage and app integration to deliver ROI.

To address this, ensure users are on the latest versions of Microsoft 365 apps, their data is in the cloud, and they are proficient with OneDrive and Teams/SharePoint. Introduce them to other apps that integrate with Copilot for tasks like meeting preparation and email summarization.

Need help with awareness and training campaigns? Change Champions specializes in scalable programs to educate users on core Microsoft 365 apps. Book a free consultation with us to learn more.

4. You are Missing a Rollout Plan for the New Licenses

  • Will you start with a small subset of users? Who should be included?
  • Do you know which areas or use cases will benefit most from this technology?
  • Do you have a communication plan to highlight the benefits?
  • What is your training plan for users and new hires?
  • How will you measure success?

Effective planning and execution are key to successful technology rollouts. Engage a change management expert with Microsoft 365 experience to help with activities such as:

  • Enlisting business sponsors to support the change
  • Identifying learning personas and use cases to tailor training and communication
  • Documenting plans to ensure all users are informed and skilled
  • Measuring impact and demonstrating ROI through various metrics

In summary, while Copilot for Microsoft 365 offers significant value, its ROI depends on your organization’s readiness. Consider the questions in this article and reach out to us for assistance if needed.

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