Microsoft 365 Support For Oil And Gas Companies

ICS Offers Microsoft 365 Support For Oil And Gas Companies

Have you ever imagined comfortably working from home, in the car, over the lunch table, in your hotel room, anywhere, anytime across the globe? Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based solution designed for organizations of any size and scope to help professionals stay connected from anywhere, provided that they have access to networks.

While such information technologies ensure the smooth running of operations, they also come with their fair share of risks and insecurities. If oil and gas companies fail to manage these IT threats competently, the end-result may be catastrophic.

Finding a reliable IT management service provider that understands your firm’s structures and policies is vital in protecting your enterprise from the prospect of these hazardous threats. ICS is an esteemed Texas-based IT support company that has been helping oil and gas companies get the best from their technologies for the last 37 years.

What Is Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 is a subscription version of Microsoft Office that allows users to access all the conventional Office functionalities-OneNote, PowerPoint, Excel, or Word – depending on their subscription.

Microsoft 365 is cloud-based, making it available on all device systems; Windows, Android, or iOS. All documents that you are working on are automatically safely saved and backed up in the cloud.

What Does Microsoft 365 Offer Oil And Gas Companies?

• Microsoft 365 works on subscription plans ensures that subscribers get the most up-to-date versions of the app.
• Enterprises also get to enjoy the benefits of additional services like SharePoint and OneDrive.
• Employees of oil and gas companies can work from anywhere using Microsoft 365, increasing their productivity.
• Microsoft Office has a 24-hours surveillance policy to safeguard your data and email from any malice.
• The app provides for almost-infinite storage space and ease of sharing your documents through the cloud.

How Can Oil And Gas Companies Get Microsoft 365?

You can either decide to use it online or download and install the app on your device for offline access.

To access Microsoft 365, go to https://www.office.com and then click on “Get Office.”

You will then get to select the version of Microsoft 365 that you wish to subscribe to from the available options:

Microsoft 365 Home:

This version of the subscription goes for about $99.99 per year. You can use it with a total of up to six people, including yourself. It gives you access to Word, Excell, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Access and Publisher, which are limited to PC. This subscription allows 6 TB of cloud storage. The Home subscription version is the most suitable for oil and gas companies since it allows for many users.

Microsoft 365 Personal:

It is similar to the Home version, but can only be used by one person. With this plan, you get 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage and sixty minutes of Skype calling per month. It costs about $69.99.

Office Home and Students:

This plan involves a one-time upfront payment of about $149.00. The version only allows access to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It does not have OneDrive, Outlook, or Skype minutes benefits.

Key Challenges of Managing Microsoft 365 for Oil and Gas Companies

While Microsoft 365 offers a powerful suite of productivity and collaboration tools, oil and gas companies face unique challenges in managing and optimizing this platform:

• Security and Compliance:

The oil and gas industry operates under strict regulatory requirements, such as NERC CIP, that mandate robust data security and compliance measures. Ensuring Microsoft 365 is configured and managed to meet these standards can be a complex task, requiring specialized knowledge and experience.

• Remote Workforce Support:

Many oil and gas operations involve remote or field-based employees. Providing seamless access to Microsoft 365 tools and ensuring reliable connectivity for these workers can be challenging due to remote locations and potentially limited bandwidth.

• Data Integration and Migration:

Oil and gas companies often have legacy systems and data silos that need to be integrated with Microsoft 365. This can involve complex data migration processes and require careful planning to avoid data loss or disruption.

• Customization and Configuration:

Microsoft 365 offers a wide range of features and settings that can be customized to meet the specific needs of your organization. However, configuring these settings correctly and optimizing them for your workflows can be time-consuming and require expertise.

• Ongoing Maintenance and Support:

Keeping Microsoft 365 up-to-date with the latest patches, updates, and security features is essential for ensuring optimal performance and protecting against vulnerabilities. This can be a resource-intensive task for in-house IT teams.

The ICS Advantage for Microsoft 365 Support

ICS specializes in providing comprehensive Microsoft 365 support services tailored to the unique needs of the oil and gas industry. Our team of experts understands the challenges you face and offers solutions that address your specific requirements:

• Industry-Specific Expertise:

We have extensive experience working with oil and gas companies, understanding their regulatory compliance needs, operational complexities, and security concerns. Our solutions are designed to meet the specific demands of this industry.

• Proactive Management and Monitoring:

We proactively monitor your Microsoft 365 environment, identifying and resolving potential issues before they impact your operations. This includes security monitoring, performance optimization, and proactive updates.

• Security and Compliance Focus:

We implement industry best practices and robust security measures to protect your sensitive data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, such as NERC CIP.

• Customized Solutions:

We tailor our Microsoft 365 support services to meet your unique needs, whether it’s configuring specific features, integrating with existing systems, or providing specialized training for your employees.

• 24/7 Support:

Our dedicated support team is available around the clock to address any issues or concerns you may have, ensuring that your Microsoft 365 environment runs smoothly at all times.

Benefits Of Managed IT Services For Oil And Gas Companies

• Companies like ICS that offer complete IT management save time for the company. Administrators are relieved of the burden of establishing and monitoring an internal IT team from scratch.
• Outsourced IT support firms have the advantage of experience. Their personnel has the know-how of dealing with similar IT issues from engagements with other enterprises.
• Partnering with an IT management firm is more cost-effective in comparison to having an internal team. The company does not need to put up complex IT infrastructure and spend on their maintenance.

Tips On Choosing The Best IT Management Company For Your Oil And Gas Company

While developing an in-house IT team could be right for you, the venture is quite expensive, and you may end up not achieving the desired results. The best alternative is to find a company that offers complete IT management cost-effectively. To find the right team, you need to assess the following qualities critically:

Capacity To Effectively Mitigate Threats

IT support companies basically work to solve problems. Evaluate the technical skill-set of the company’s professionals and their ability to analyze and aptly respond to potential threats. It is equally important to find a partner that is proactive, able to prevent data breaches before they happen.

Resilience And Adaptability

Because of their malicious nature, most cyberattacks are done during odd hours. The IT support partner you choose should be able to respond to your cybersecurity issues at any time of the day. Source testimonials from their current partners to attest to their flexibility.

Communication Skills

A dependable IT management company should be as keen on listening to and addressing your concerns as they were wooing you to come on board. Communication extends further to the company explaining the technicalities of their systems to your customers in straightforward terms.

Why Choose ICS As Your Oil And Gas Company’s Managed IT Service Provider?

ICS is your one-stop IT solution firm offering hyper-personalized IT management in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and across the world. We pride in state-of-the-art technologies, and vast experiences gathered from over 37 years of diligent service.

Click here to get in touch with us and schedule a consultation.

Jason Simons

ICS is a Texas-based 40-year-old technology company specializing in Managed IT, VoIP, Video Conferencing and Video Surveillance solutions for US and International businesses. ICS has over 4000 regional installations and specializes in multi-site businesses between 25 and 2500 employees. ICS’s customers enjoy the experience of ICS’s Total Care program which provides clients flat fee services with obsolescence and growth protection. Whether a customer elects to deploy their IT, Video Conferencing or VoIP in the cloud or on the customer’s premise, ICS can provide a full turn-key solution for our clients under one flat monthly fee.