How MSPs Can Offer Microsoft Copilot to Clients

Channel Insider content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is set to transform how businesses operate using their Microsoft 365 applications. With its general availability to enterprise customers last November, organizations of all sizes are now able to take advantage of its capabilities to streamline their employee workflows and boost productivity. For managed service providers (MSPs), the availability of Microsoft 365 Copilot presents a unique opportunity to enhance their clients’ use of Microsoft 365 and deliver productivity and efficiency gains.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot, formerly known as Bing Chat, is an AI-driven chatbot that is embedded in Microsoft 365 applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, and within Windows 11. As a powerful “AI companion,” it assists users across tasks such as coding, writing, generating images, and answering questions. Its integration into Windows 11 allows users to access it directly from the taskbar or with a simple keyboard shortcut, enhancing its accessibility and utility.

According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, an average employee spends 57% of their time using communication apps. About 25% of the heaviest email users spend 8.8 hours on email every week, while top meeting users spend 7.5 hours a week in meetings. This makes the demand for efficient solutions evident. Microsoft 365 Copilot addresses this need by adding generative AI capabilities to its suite of products.

What is the cost of Microsoft Copilot?

The cost of Microsoft Copilot varies depending on the specific version and subscription plan. Copilot for Microsoft 365, tailored for enterprise customers, is available for $30 per user per month. This version integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 Apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, providing AI assistance across various tasks within these applications.

While Copilot in Windows 11 is available to customers for free, other versions and features of Microsoft Copilot may have additional costs associated with them. Pricing structures and features may evolve as Microsoft continues to develop and refine the platform. A 30-day free trial version of Copilot Studio, a low-code solution for customizing Copilot experiences in Microsoft 365 and building generative AI tools, can be downloaded on the Microsoft website.

Key capabilities of Microsoft Copilot for MSPs and businesses

In the AI-driven assistance space, Microsoft Copilot 365 stands out for its multifaceted capabilities which offer users benefits ranging from AI-powered assistance and app integration to data processing and collaboration.

AI-powered assistance

Copilot assists in various tasks such as coding, writing, generating images, and answering questions to enhance productivity and efficiency across different workflows.

Seamless integration

Copilot seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams to ensure users can access Copilot’s assistance directly within familiar productivity tools to streamline workflow.

Data processing and orchestration

Copilot processes and orchestrates data within Microsoft 365, ensuring that all data processing occurs securely within the Microsoft ecosystem for enterprise-grade security, privacy, and compliance in handling sensitive information.

Customization and training

Users can customize training in the AI platform with internal data to provide more accurate and relevant assistance tailored to specific organizational workflows and processes.

Enhanced collaboration

Copilot facilitates collaboration by providing AI-guided assistance across various communication channels such as emails, chats, documents, and meetings to enhance teamwork and communication efficiency.

Future-ready technology

Businesses can leverage the tool’s evolving capabilities to help them optimize operations and processes as they scale, staying ahead in a rapidly changing technological landscape. 

Broad compatibility

Several companies offer AI-powered tools and platforms for enterprise users that enhance productivity, collaboration, and workflow optimization. Google Workspace, Open AI GPT-3, IBM Watson Assist, and GitHub Copilot are a few examples, each with unique features, capabilities, and integration options.
Microsoft Copilot 365, however,  is the one tool that provides integration with the most ubiquitous tools the majority of organizations use today, offering a high level of security and compliance, scalability and performance, and enterprise support.

Benefits of Microsoft Copilot for businesses

Microsoft 365 Copilot empowers businesses to work smarter, collaborate more effectively, and achieve desirable outcomes including enhanced productivity and collaboration, quality assurance, reduced workload, and improved adaptability and scalability.

• Enhances productivity: Copilot streamlines various tasks within Microsoft 365 applications, such as drafting documents, summarizing emails, and creating presentations, saving time and effort.
• Improves collaboration: The tool facilitates collaboration by generating content and providing suggestions that align with the organization’s context and objectives to foster smoother communication and collaboration among team members.
• Boosts quality assurance: AI-powered suggestions and recommendations help organizations maintain consistency and quality across their documents, presentations, and communications.
• Reduces workload: Automating repetitive tasks and offering assistance in generating content  alleviate some of the workload for employees so they can focus on more strategic and high-value activities.
• Enables adaptability: Copilot adapts to users’ preferences and usage patterns, providing personalized assistance tailored to individual needs while continuously learning from interactions and feedback to become more effective in supporting those users.
• Enhances security: Copilot operates within a secure environment with built-in data protection and compliance features to ensure sensitive information remains secure and compliant with industry regulations.
• Integrates with existing Microsoft 365 tools: It seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 applications, allowing users to access its capabilities within familiar interfaces such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
• Provides scalability: It scales efficiently to accommodate varying business needs and sizes to drive productivity and collaboration organization-wide.

Drawbacks of using Microsoft Copilot

While Microsoft Copilot offers organizations numerous benefits, there are several potential drawbacks to consider before adoption,  including lingering issues around AI accuracy, privacy and security concerns, integration and skill training adjustments.

• Dependence on AI accuracy: Like any AI tool, Copilot relies on the accuracy and reliability of its algorithms, enabling inaccurate suggestions or misunderstandings (“hallucinations”) by the AI to lead to errors or miscommunications in documents, presentations, or other outputs, potentially undermining productivity and quality.
• Privacy and data security concerns: Businesses must carefully consider privacy and data security implications, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and safeguarding against potential breaches or misuse of data.
• Lack of customization: Businesses with unique workflows or specialized tasks may find limited options for tailoring the tool’s functionality to their exact requirements.
• Learning curve and training: Employees may need time to learn how to effectively leverage the tool’s features and integrate it into their existing work processes, which could temporarily impact productivity and efficiency.
• Potential overreliance on AI: While AI assistance can enhance productivity, it should complement human judgment rather than replace it entirely. Overreliance on AI may lead to reduced critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills among employees.
• Cost considerations: Implementation costs can vary. Businesses must evaluate the return on investment (ROI) of adopting the tool against its associated costs and assess whether the benefits outweigh the expenses.
• Integration challenges: Businesses with complex IT infrastructures or reliance on third-party tools may encounter integration challenges and ensuring smooth interoperability with existing systems and workflows may require additional configuration or customization efforts.
• Vendor lock-in: Reliance on the Microsoft ecosystem may limit the ability of organizations to adopt alternative solutions or transition to different platforms in the future, potentially leading to vendor lock-in and reduced negotiating power with Microsoft.

How MSPs can drive Microsoft Copilot adoption

MSPs play a crucial role in driving the adoption of Microsoft Copilot among clients. Here are several strategies you can deploy to encourage and facilitate a smooth transition:

• Offer educational workshops and training sessions: Conduct workshops and training sessions to educate clients about the features, benefits, and best practices of using Microsoft Copilot.
• Provide tailored demonstrations and use cases: Provide personalized demonstrations and use cases tailored to the specific industry or business needs of clients, highlighting how Copilot can streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and address common pain points in their particular operations.
• Implement pilot programs and proof of concepts (POCs): Offer pilot programs or POCs so clients can test Copilot in real-world scenarios before committing to full adoption.
• Integrate support and customization: Assist clients in integrating Copilot seamlessly into their existing IT infrastructure and workflows. Provide customization services to tailor Copilot’s functionalities to meet specific business requirements and optimize its performance within the organization.
• Design strategies to promote user adoption: Develop comprehensive change management and user adoption strategies to facilitate a smooth transition to Copilot. Offer training materials, user guides, and ongoing support to help employees adapt to new ways of working and maximize the benefits of Copilot.
• Engage with the Microsoft partner community: Collaborate with Microsoft and other partners within the ecosystem to exchange insights, best practices, and success stories related to adoption. Leverage the collective expertise of the partner community to drive adoption and address challenges effectively.
• Demonstrate ROI and value proposition: Quantify the ROI and value proposition of Copilot adoption, highlighting cost savings, productivity gains, and other tangible benefits achieved to justify the investment and encourage broader adoption.
• Monitor and optimize client usage: Continuously monitor the usage and effectiveness of Copilot within client organizations. Gather feedback from users, identify areas for improvement, and provide proactive support to address any issues or concerns that arise during the adoption process.

Steps MSPs can take to start offering Microsoft Copilot today

The following nine steps will help MSPs looking to integrate Microsoft Copilot into their service offerings:

1. Familiarize yourself with the tool: Gain a comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Copilot, including its features, capabilities, pricing, and benefits. Stay updated on the latest Copilot developments.
2. Assess client needs and readiness: Evaluate client needs to identify businesses that could benefit from Microsoft Copilot. Consider factors such as industry vertical, size of the organization, current IT infrastructure, and pain points that Copilot could address.
3. Invest in training and certification: Invest in training and certification programs offered by Microsoft to become proficient in deploying and managing Copilot for clients. Ensure that your team possesses the necessary skills and expertise to support Copilot implementations effectively.
4. Develop service offerings around the tool: Define service offerings around Microsoft Copilot tailored to the needs of your clients. Consider offering consulting, implementation, migration, customization, training, and ongoing support services as part of your portfolio.
5. Build partnerships with Microsoft: Establish strong partnerships with Microsoft and leverage the company’s resources, support, and expertise in promoting and deploying Copilot. Collaborate with Microsoft representatives and participate in partner programs to access training, marketing materials, and sales support.
6. Create marketing and sales collateral: Develop marketing materials, case studies, and sales collateral highlighting the benefits of Microsoft Copilot for businesses. Showcase successful implementations, ROI metrics, and customer testimonials to demonstrate its value proposition.
7. Launch marketing campaigns: Launch targeted marketing campaigns to promote your Microsoft Copilot services to potential clients. Leverage digital marketing channels, industry events, webinars, and networking opportunities to build awareness and generate leads.
8. Establish pricing and packaging: Define pricing models and packaging options for Microsoft Copilot services based on factors such as the scope of deployment, number of users, and level of support required. Ensure that pricing is competitive and aligns with the value delivered to clients.
9. Provide ongoing support and maintenance: Offer proactive support and maintenance services to clients post-implementation to ensure the smooth operation of Microsoft Copilot. Stay engaged with clients, address any issues promptly, and provide regular updates on new features and enhancements.

Embracing Microsoft 365 Copilot: A strategic opportunity for MSPs

Microsoft 365 Copilot presents a valuable opportunity for MSPs to enhance their service portfolios and cater to the evolving needs of their clients. By understanding Copilot’s features, assessing client readiness, investing in training, and developing tailored service offerings, MSPs can position themselves as a trusted partner in guiding clients through the adoption and utilization of this productivity-enhancing tool.

Stay on top of the latest MSP trends and tips by subscribing to our video and podcast series, Channel Insider: Partner POV with Katie Bavoso.