Artificial intelligence has been the buzzword of the last two years, and Microsoft’s Copilot is one of the most advanced tools for businesses and individuals. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now also available to corporate customers. Are you hesitating whether it’s worth buying it? Here are 7 reasons why it’s beneficial even for small businesses.
The app is currently an add-on to the regular Microsoft 365 office toolset. Until recently, it was only available to the largest corporations, but today any business can get it, regardless of size or number of licenses ordered.
For smaller businesses, AI brings time savings, better insight and often financial savings as a result. While large companies can hire specialists to do many things, in smaller ones, employees are often doing multiple things at once and management is up to their necks in day-to-day operations.
AI takes some of that burden off and frees up hands for strategy and business development.
Benefits of AI for smaller businesses
Administrative burden. AI will do a lot of the routine steps, giving your employees more time to do tasks where the human brain is still irreplaceable, like creative work.
Data processing. AI can automatically process a variety of unstructured data and turn it into useful information. For example, it can recognize and categorize invoices, contracts or emails and create clear graphs.
Ideas for growth and savings. Use AI to get data analytics and identify trends and patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. You’ll then see more clearly where to save money, where to invest, how to optimize marketing costs, or which direction to take your offer development.
Process optimization. Similarly, AI can also analyze company processes and suggest improvements. For example, it will identify bottlenecks in the production chain, suggest warehouse optimization or more efficient logistics.
Intelligent chatbot. AI will enable you to offer customers better service and information when they make a purchase, saving your employees’ efforts. This chatbot doesn’t need vacations and is on the job 24/7.
What about Copilot for Microsoft 365?
Copilot is an intelligent assistant that uses the very latest in AI. Microsoft’s essential product has already had several different versions – from integration into Windows 11 itself, to an assistant in the Bing search engine in Edge, to a standalone app as part of the Microsoft 365 office suite.
For small businesses in particular, it could become a vital tool to take them miles further. As a sort of virtual back-office teammate that does a lot of the tedious grunt work for you.
According to a Microsoft survey, 70% of those surveyed are more productive with Copilot. And they were up to 4 times faster to get into the picture if they weren’t in a meeting.
Here are 7 specific examples of why it’s worth getting the app:
Marketing. Copilot will suggest a functioning publishing plan for social networks or an effective presentation for a meeting. It will also create an accompanying image or graphic, so you save on photo banks and avoid the photos everyone uses.
Copywriting. It will also generate content for websites, blogs or product descriptions. It can write texts of different styles from articles to poems or jokes. It will also pitch business emails or help you tweak the appropriate wording in the tone you want.
Overview and excerpts. An assistant who can provide an extract of a long email conversation on request, explain what the document is about, or summarise the content of an online meeting in clear bullet points is priceless. And that’s exactly what Copilot for Microsoft 365 does.
Programming and development. Need to update a website with a new feature or set up automation? Copilot is capable of generating code in a variety of programming languages. It can help you with website development, mobile apps, process automation, and other technical tasks. It will write the code or serve as a help desk.
Data analysis. This AI assistant can also analyze data to find patterns, trends, and opportunities. It will create charts, tables, and statistics so you can get a nice understanding of the data and get out what’s important.
Language localization. If you’re planning to expand into foreign markets, Copilot can help you translate and localize your content. And by the way, it has already learned Czech and other minor languages. An update with support for new languages will reach users in the coming weeks.
Consultation and advice. The tool can provide advice on business strategy, marketing, finance and other areas based on the information you search and your data. It will make it easier for you to make decisions and select optimal solutions.
Our colleagues, who are specialists in this manufacturer’s offerings, will be happy to answer your questions about artificial intelligence and other Microsoft products. We will provide Copilot (or the entire Microsoft 365 ecosystem, if you do not use it yet), set everything up for you, train your employees and, if you wish, manage it for you. Just let us know.
