A Microsoft Surface Device for your Business

The Microsoft Surface for business range came onto the market at just the right time to ameliorate the difficulties that came with the sudden need to radically decentralise operations at the start of the global pandemic in 2020. This decentralisation had a positive spin-off as it created the necessary incentive for business enterprises of all sizes to invest in and improve upon their digital capabilities. It, furthermore, provided the much-needed push in the macro business sphere for enterprise-wide adoption of the four key drivers of digital transformation, namely a clear vision for the fulfilment of cross-departmental mandates, enhanced collaboration between leadership, wide-scale organisational buy-in, and a modern mindset to "business as usual". Along with all other sectors of society – a much different way of functioning had to be found. The cutting-edge advancements in communications technology in the Microsoft Surface Device range have enabled the maintenance of critical business functions, and these newly adopted ways of working can be retained into the future to accommodate the increasing trend in favour of remote and hybrid working arrangements. 

Not only is business growth necessary for the sustainability of businesses themselves, the growth of the business sector as a whole, as well as individual companies and enterprises is a priority for South Africa's push towards the large-scale creation of jobs and the alleviation of poverty for the close to 35% of the population that is unemployed.

The issue of secure input, access, and shareability of information is at the core of the functioning of remote and hybrid work teams, these studies and others give ample evidence of the security of organisational and personal data, often of a highly sensitive and strategic nature, provided effectively by Microsoft devices and applications.

The Surface range of devices offers solutions for three overarching problems faced by large business enterprises that may have branches or business nodes across entire regions or even globally. The challenges macro-enterprises face relate to: (a) managing or possibly even acquiring the infrastructure necessary to facilitate remote or hybrid work; (b) making sure that remote access to centralised networks, as well as the confidentiality of a vast amount of information being exchanged online from several different locations, is highly protected and secured; and (c) enabling business continuity by making it possible for the individuals who form part of teams that collaborate on certain projects not only to continue with group discussions but also to share documents and other media securely with each other.

Covered In This Article

Top-Notch ITC Infrastructure
Security & The Protection
Secure & User-Friendly Applications

The Microsoft Surface Device for Business Offers Top-Notch ITC Infrastructure for Remote and Hybrid Work Arrangements

While certain employees do all or most of their work at a central location, many functions need to be carried out remotely by mobile workers who need the portability of the ultra-thin and light Surface devices, combined with their powerful applications and LTE-enabled connectivity to effectively perform their duties remotely.

In this regard, experience has shown that the Surface Go, Surface Pro 7+, Surface Book 3, Surface Laptop 4, and the Surface Hub 2S are among the most favoured devices for use by employees in remote or hybrid working arrangements as the entire range of Surface mobile devices offers secure access to centralised information, long battery life, and LTE connectivity for collaboration and coordination essential to people working in the field.

The range of Surface devices makes office-bound, remote, and hybrid work possible by allowing for the reliable, secure, and remotely accessible storage and tracking of real-time processes – from information updates by different branches or business nodes to executive decision-making, from tracking and storing individual transactions – and every business process in between. From business development and growth strategising, R&D to design, manufacturing to distribution, wholesale to retail, there is a Microsoft Surface solution for any activity employees engage in when working for a macro-large scale enterprise.

Apart from the Surface range of devices, powerful and sophisticated applications that empower workers have been a part of the Microsoft product offering for decades. With all Surface devices enabled to run Windows 365, Windows 10, and Windows 11, the workforce of a macro-enterprise has access to the whole range of well-known Windows applications, as well as innovative new applications such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Azure.

As the world recovers after the pandemic of 2020, the vast majority of managers, executives, and employees have indicated that they place great value on the flexibility and ease that came with remote and hybrid working arrangements. The pandemic proved that we possess the technological capabilities to retain working arrangements such as these, and demonstrated the many benefits that come along with it, such as flexibility for workers, a decreased need to commute and waste time travelling, lower costs to both businesses and employees and increased productivity.

Surface For Business: Devices Of Preference For Remote & Hybrid Workers

Today’s workforce relies on PCs and accessories to get work done anytime and from anywhere. Fully configured PCs that are ready to go must be deliverable to users wherever they may be. The technology experience employees have in the workplace has become a priority for organisations to attract and retain the best talent and stay competitive in their respective industries.

Over the last three years, Microsoft has commissioned a number of studies on the multiple impacts and improvements on the world of work made possible by-products such as the Surface family of devices and the applications that have been developed to support secure, remote-yet-connected working arrangements. These studies, the Total Economic Impact (TEI) studies conducted by Forrester Consulting consisted of a total of 11 studies, all related to the measurable increases in ROI for companies that are adopting the Microsoft Surface range of devices and applications.

The TEI studies focused specifically on network security, modernising and securing endpoints, securing access to and use of Cloud applications, and the regulatory compliance and threat intelligence of the widely used Microsoft 365 Office suite of applications.

When Microsoft first introduced the Surface Pro range, it was a way to challenge the belief that people have to choose between the portability and convenience of a tablet and the power and productivity of a laptop. In the last seven years, Surface Pro devices have become known for their versatility, power and performance, brilliant touch screen, pen capabilities, and great battery life.

From small and medium-sized businesses to the largest organisations, Surface Pro 7+ is purpose-built with the needs of business and C-suite customers in mind. Connect and collaborate with the Surface Pro 7+. The ultimate hybrid device from Microsoft offers the portability of a tablet with the processing power of a laptop. It is lightweight, portable, and powerful enough for employees to meet their deadlines no matter where they work.

The Surface Go 2 is lightweight and ready to go. Upgraded to a bigger 10.5” touchscreen, better resolution, and long battery life designed to keep up with your workers and their multiple tasks. The hybrid tablet/laptop design gives one the portability of a laptop and a full laptop experience with a built-in kickstand.

Designed for work on the go, the Surface Go 3 is the smallest business laptop and tablet hybrid device that helps workers to speed through touch-and-digital pen tasks with a battery life that enables employees to work all day from anywhere. With the flexibility for every task, the Surface Go 3 empowers frontline workers, who are the eyes and ears of the enterprise in the field, with the ability to show their point of view from wherever they work. With the Surface Laptop 4, employees can do it all with style, speed, and performance. Run the familiar Microsoft apps employees are familiar with and on which they depend with improved performance and more speed and multi-tasking power than before.

Security & The Protection Of Valuable & Confidential Information

Apart from the accessibility and engagement made possible by technology such as the Microsoft Surface family of devices, the security of these devices and the platforms and information they give access to is a non-negotiable part of the confidence and trust that users of Microsoft devices have become accustomed to. The security features offered by Microsoft on its devices as well as collaboration platforms are precisely what is needed by macro-enterprises around the globe.

Over the past three years, Microsoft has commissioned a number of studies on the multiple impacts and improvements on the world of work made possible with products such as the Surface family of devices and the applications that have been developed to support secure, remote-yet-connected working arrangements. These studies, the Total Economic Impact (TEI) studies conducted by Forrester Consulting consisted of a total of 11 studies, all related to the measurable increases in ROI for companies that are adopting the Microsoft Surface range of devices and applications.

The TEI studies focused specifically on network security, modernising and securing endpoints, securing access to and use of Cloud applications, and the regulatory compliance and threat intelligence of the widely used Microsoft 365 Office suite of applications.

The issue of secure input, access, and shareability of information is at the core of the functioning of remote and hybrid work teams. These studies and others provide ample evidence of the security of organisational and personal data, often of a highly sensitive and strategic nature, provided effectively by Microsoft devices and applications.

Growing business with Microsoft Surface devices and the range of powerful and sophisticated applications that empower workers is the latest addition to the improved functionality and usability made possible through Microsoft's product offerings for decades. With all Surface devices enabled to run Windows 365, Windows 10, and Windows 11, a macro enterprise's workforce has access to the whole range of well-known Windows applications, as well as innovative new applications such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Azure. These applications, accessible via the Surface family of devices give teams the portability, adaptability, connectivity, and security necessary to do their work from practically anywhere.

The need to keep multiple teams of people operating with the same goals in mind and according to the policies that apply to all business activities means that different branches need to communicate with a centrally administered headquarters as well as with each other securely with the threat of external interference – in business activities and information that has to remain confidential – must be reduced to an absolute minimum, requiring access control within the company as a whole as well as any external parties. When it comes to macro-sized enterprises these issues are permanent, not only needed during lockdown conditions, as these enterprises operate in multiple locations, and often in multiple countries.

Surface For Business: Secure & User-Friendly Applications That Allow Teams To Stay In Contact & Share Any Type Of Media

With the multi-functional, highly adaptable, and user-enabling features that are standard to the Surface family of devices and applications, business leaders can transform their teams – and the ultimate success of the business – by encouraging creativity and innovation, building and communicating common goals, and making working activities and tasks as flexible and dynamic as the lives of employee.

To remain in business, stay competitive, increase productivity, establish, and maintain the enterprise's relevance and accessibility to reach its target market requires that new ways of doing are brought into operation and develop or evolve in tandem with technological advancements going into the future.

To do this, businesses must make use of the best tools and innovations that are available now, and adopt new developments as they happen, or face the inevitable reality of lost opportunities, losses in revenue, and the loss of the most skilled and talented employees they have, as all of these will increasingly migrate to those enterprises and sectors that fully embrace the all-encompassing shift towards remote accessibility, secure communication, collaboration, convenience, innovation, and growth that the digital domain makes possible. Product offerings such as the Microsoft Surface range of devices and applications are at the forefront of this digital business domain, and therefore offer the most appropriate solutions to address a macro enterprise's needs and requirements now, and into the future.