Most businesses are either paying for Microsoft 365 features they don't use or missing out on capabilities they desperately need. The gap between "we have Office" and "we're getting real value from Microsoft 365" is enormous — and it's costing companies time, money, and security every day.
Microsoft 365 has evolved far beyond the Office suite you remember. It's now a complete platform for productivity, collaboration, security, and AI. But with multiple plans, add-ons, and licensing options, choosing the right configuration isn't straightforward.
That's where having the right partner makes the difference.
What Microsoft 365 Actually Includes
If you think Microsoft 365 is just Word, Excel, and Outlook, you're working with about 20% of what you're paying for. Here's what the platform actually delivers:
Productivity Apps
The familiar desktop and web applications — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote — plus newer tools like Microsoft Loop for collaborative workspaces and Clipchamp for video editing. Available across desktop, web, and mobile.
Business Email and Calendar
Professional email with your custom domain, shared calendars, and 50 GB mailboxes. Built-in spam filtering, encryption, and archiving keep your communication secure and compliant.
Cloud Storage and File Sharing
OneDrive gives every user 1 TB of cloud storage with real-time co-authoring, version history, and granular sharing controls. No more emailing file attachments back and forth.
Microsoft Teams
Video conferencing, chat, file sharing, and project channels in one application. Teams has become the central hub for how modern businesses communicate and collaborate — replacing standalone tools for meetings, messaging, and even phone systems.
Security and Compliance
Depending on your plan, Microsoft 365 includes identity management, multi-factor authentication, data loss prevention, device management through Intune, and advanced threat protection through Microsoft Defender. The higher tiers rival standalone security platforms.
AI with Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot brings AI directly into the apps your team uses every day — drafting emails in Outlook, building presentations in PowerPoint, analyzing data in Excel, and summarizing meetings in Teams. Copilot Chat is now available at no extra cost for eligible subscribers.
Breaking Down the Plans
Microsoft offers plans for every business size and need. Here's how they stack up:
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Best for: Teams that work primarily in the browser and need email, cloud storage, and collaboration tools.
- Web and mobile versions of Office apps
- Business email with custom domain
- 1 TB cloud storage per user
- Microsoft Teams
- 10+ business apps including Bookings and Planner
This is the entry point for businesses that don't need desktop Office applications but want the full collaboration and communication platform.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Best for: Most small and mid-size businesses that need the full Office suite plus collaboration tools.
- Everything in Basic
- Desktop versions of all Office apps
- Webinar hosting with attendee registration
- Microsoft Loop and Clipchamp
- Enhanced business tools
This is the sweet spot for most businesses. You get the desktop apps your team expects plus the full collaboration platform.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Best for: Businesses handling sensitive data or operating in regulated industries that need advanced security.
- Everything in Standard
- Advanced identity and access management
- Microsoft Defender for endpoint protection
- Intune for device management
- Enhanced cybersecurity against ransomware and advanced threats
If your business handles customer data, financial records, healthcare information, or anything subject to compliance requirements, Premium pays for itself by replacing standalone security tools.
Enterprise Plans (E3 and E5)
Best for: Larger organizations needing unlimited user scaling, advanced compliance, and enterprise-grade security.
- E3 adds Windows 11 Enterprise, expanded storage, unified endpoint management, and broader compliance tools.
- E5 adds advanced threat protection with XDR, Power BI Pro for analytics, Microsoft Purview for data governance, and the most comprehensive security stack Microsoft offers.
Enterprise plans remove the 300-user limit and provide the infrastructure large organizations need for regulatory compliance and advanced threat defense.
Why Licensing Matters More Than You Think
Microsoft 365 licensing isn't just about picking a plan — there are nuances that can save or cost your business significantly:
- Annual vs. monthly billing — Annual commitments reduce your per-user cost, but monthly billing gives flexibility for seasonal businesses or growing teams.
- Add-ons vs. upgrades — Sometimes adding Copilot or Defender to a lower plan makes more sense than upgrading everyone to Premium. Other times, the bundle saves money.
- Right-sizing seats — Not every employee needs the same plan. Frontline workers, executives, and back-office staff often have different requirements. Mixed licensing lets you optimize spend.
- Transition planning — Moving from on-premises Exchange or standalone Office licenses to Microsoft 365 requires careful data migration, DNS configuration, and user training to avoid disruption.
Getting licensing wrong means either overpaying for features nobody uses or leaving critical capabilities on the table.
The Hidden Value Most Businesses Miss
Beyond the core apps, Microsoft 365 includes tools that most businesses never set up:
- SharePoint — Intranet sites, document libraries, and workflow automation that replace scattered file servers and shared drives.
- Power Automate — Build automated workflows between Microsoft apps and hundreds of third-party services. Eliminate repetitive tasks without writing code.
- Planner and To Do — Project management and task tracking built into the platform. No need for a separate tool.
- Bookings — Online appointment scheduling that syncs with Outlook calendars. Ideal for service businesses.
- Microsoft Forms — Surveys, quizzes, and feedback collection that feed directly into Excel for analysis.
- Viva Insights — Workplace analytics that help teams understand collaboration patterns and protect focus time.
These tools are already included in your subscription. Most businesses just need someone to set them up.
Security That Scales with Your Business
One of the strongest arguments for Microsoft 365 — especially at the Premium and Enterprise tiers — is the integrated security stack:
- Microsoft Entra ID — Identity and access management with conditional access policies, single sign-on, and MFA.
- Microsoft Defender — Threat protection across email, endpoints, identities, and cloud apps.
- Intune — Mobile device management and endpoint security. Enforce policies, push updates, and remotely wipe lost devices.
- Microsoft Purview — Data classification, loss prevention, and compliance management for regulated industries.
- Conditional Access — Automatically enforce security policies based on user location, device health, and risk level.
When security is built into the same platform your team uses every day, adoption goes up and gaps go down.
Why Buy Through a Partner?
You can buy Microsoft 365 directly from Microsoft. So why work with a reseller?
Guidance, not guesswork. A partner assesses your business needs and recommends the right mix of plans and add-ons — not just the most expensive option.
Migration done right. Moving email, files, and configurations to Microsoft 365 has a hundred small details that can go wrong. A partner handles the migration so your team experiences zero downtime.
Ongoing management. User onboarding, offboarding, license adjustments, security policy updates, and troubleshooting. A partner handles the day-to-day administration so you don't need to.
Bundled support. Instead of navigating Microsoft's support channels, you get a direct line to someone who knows your environment.
Cost optimization. Partners help you avoid over-licensing and identify savings as your team changes — adding seats, removing unused licenses, and right-sizing plans at renewal.
Let Us Handle Your Microsoft 365
As an indirect Microsoft reseller, Pivvr provides Microsoft 365 licensing, deployment, and ongoing management for businesses that want the full value of the platform without the complexity.
We start with an assessment of your current setup and business needs, recommend the right plan configuration, handle the migration and deployment, and provide ongoing administration and support. Whether you're moving from Gmail, upgrading from standalone Office licenses, or optimizing an existing Microsoft 365 environment, we make the transition seamless.
Ready to get more from Microsoft 365? Contact us today to find the right plan for your business.