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Croft is excited to announce our sponsorship of Bristol Bears for the 2024/25 season, continuing the partnership into a seventh season.

The Croft logo will feature prominently on the sleeve of the Gallagher Premiership Home and Away and Investec Champions Cup shirts as the Bears target success on the domestic and European stage.

Last summer, Croft completed the acquisition of long-standing Bears Club Partner Blackstar Solutions, whose logo appeared on the shirts for six seasons.

The two organisations have a strong partnership, with Croft providing telephony and internet connectivity at the Bristol Bears and Bristol City High Performance Centres and are continuing to improve the fan experience through contact centre technology at Ashton Gate.

“The value of a long-standing relationship is really important and we are delighted that this partnership is now continuing with Croft. We are looking forward to a seventh season together.” said Sarah Farrar, Bristol Sport’s Chief Commercial Officer

Nick Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Croft added: “We’re excited to announce that our sponsorship of the Bears men’s and women’s teams is continuing for another season. We’ve proudly supported the Bears for the last six seasons and look forward to continuing our partnership.

At Croft, we’re not just sponsors – we’re passionate fans who share the same values and vision as the club. Renewing our sponsorship was an easy decision because of this strong alignment.

Beyond our role as fans and sponsors, we’re also deeply involved with Bristol Sport, providing essential telecoms services.

“It’s been incredible to witness the unwavering support from fans over the years, from record season ticket sales to packed crowds and skyrocketing shirt sales. Ashton Gate offers a truly unmatched experience, and we can’t wait for the season to start!”

Up the Bears!

Introduction

In today’s competitive business world, artificial intelligence (AI) can offer a significant boost to organisations. As the digital landscape evolves, it’s crucial for businesses to adopt AI to stay ahead. One game-changing AI tool your business should be looking to adopt is Microsoft Copilot, as the benefits of using Copilot can provide a competitive edge.

Microsoft Copilot is an innovative AI tool that aims to be your very own productivity assistant that will completely revolutionise the way you work. Imagine your employees having a virtual assistant that not only automates their everyday tasks but also intuitively understands their needs.

Integrated across the suite of Microsoft 365 (M365) applications, Copilot can automate mundane tasks allowing you to focus on high-value activities. Whether you’re a project manager aiming to streamline delegation, a marketer searching for campaign insights, or a researcher endeavouring to simplify complex data, Copilot can help you work more efficiently.

Read on to discover how Microsoft Copilot can enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and foster innovation, allowing you to focus on your core responsibilities.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered tool that integrates into M365 applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams. Using your prompts, this tool uses large language models (LLMs) to provide you with an intelligent productivity assistant that can help draft emails, create reports, and analyse data sets, allowing you to dedicate more time to high-value tasks. Copilot can provide this support across a wide range of business functions, enabling your team to work smarter, not harder.

Microsoft Copilot prompt screen with example screens of Copilot in use for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, showcasing Copilot's AI assistance with tasks.

What are the Benefits of Using Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is transforming the way businesses operate by harnessing the power of AI to streamline workflows, boost productivity, and improve customer experiences. Discover the top six transformational benefits that Copilot can bring to your business.

Enhanced Productivity

Recently, Microsoft’s Copilot for Microsoft 365 Early Access Program highlighted that 70% of users reported an increase in productivity when carrying out everyday tasks using Copilot. This is no surprise when Copilot is particularly adept at automating repetitive tasks such as drafting emails, creating reports, and summarising data, meaning you can prioritise your workload with minimal effort. Copilot’s efficiency also improves over time by learning from your interactions and work habits. From your feedback, it can adapt to your individual preferences, offering a more personalised experience that further helps to streamline your workflow and improve efficiency.

Boost Your ROI

Copilot’s powerful productivity tools will assist you in saving time by enabling every business department to accomplish more important tasks while offering a strong return on investment (ROI). Crucial savings can be achieved by reducing the operational costs of performing monotonous tasks, providing speedy solutions, and increasing employee capabilities during peak times all within M365 apps. Businesses can also take advantage of Copilot’s advanced decision making and strategic planning capabilities to help maintain their competitive edge.

Increase Employee Satisfaction

When it comes to productivity, both employee engagement and satisfaction matter to the bottom line of your business. With happy employees being 20% more productive than their unhappy counterparts2, it’s clear that a contented workforce is a productive workforce! Microsoft Copilot can increase employee satisfaction by automating those everyday tedious tasks that prevent you from focusing on your daily priorities. From streamlining workflows, prioritising workloads, managing inboxes, or creating reports, Copilot helps reduce frustration, enabling you to achieve more in your day. Microsoft Copilot can help your business create a more efficient, empowered, and enjoyable workplace that supports goal achievement and contributes to higher employee satisfaction, reducing job fatigue.

Improve Decision Making

Microsoft Copilot is your perfect AI companion for enhancing decision-making processes within your business. It provides real-time data analysis, insights, and recommendations all within M365 apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. By automating routine tasks such as generating time-saving sales reports or analysing customer feedback, Copilot enables users to concentrate on strategic decisions instead of manual data processing. This increases your team’s efficiency and allows them to make more informed, data-driven decisions across a wide range of business functions.

Enhance Collaboration

Successful businesses thrive on their ability to collaborate and work towards a shared vision. With seamless AI integration within M365 apps, Microsoft Copilot can support collaboration and foster productive teamwork and effective communication. Copilot’s AI capabilities can assist in automating meetings, summarising discussions, generating meeting notes, tracking action points, and sharing relevant information. By reducing administrative tasks and making information accessible to all, Copilot can significantly improve both collaborative workflows and team productivity, ensuring everyone remains aligned, informed and on task.

Robust Security as Standard

As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, prioritising the security of your networks and data has never been more crucial. As an integral part of Microsoft 365, Copilot adheres to the robust security, compliance, and data protection policies of the platform, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Any prompts, responses or data accessed are not used to train or improve Microsoft AI models unless you explicitly opt to do so. Using the Azure OpenAI Service, any harmful content including Hate & Fairness, Sexual, Violence, and Self-harm is blocked meaning your users remain completely safe.

Discover the Benefits of Using Copilot to Unlock AI Power

Harnessing the capabilities of AI, Microsoft Copilot is transforming how users across diverse business operations work, becoming an essential productivity assistant that helps boost overall productivity and drive innovation.

Accessible to organisations of all sizes, Copilot is available across desktop, web, tablet, and mobile versions of M365, offering easy scalability to meet the evolving needs of your business.

Are You Ready to Experience the Benefits of Using Copilot?

Let Croft’s team of experienced Microsoft experts put the power of AI in your hands. From seamless deployment to comprehensive training, we are here to guide your journey in unlocking the transformative potential of Microsoft Copilot.

You can assess your readiness to deploy Microsoft Copilot in your business by completing our Copilot Readiness Assessment today.

This assessment will identify the optimal pathway for deploying Microsoft Copilot by evaluating your current license profile, collaboration tools, data management policies and existing security controls.

 Need Some Extra Information on the Benefits of Using Copilot?

You can discover more about how Copilot can transform your business on our dedicated Microsoft for Copilot page.

We’re excited to announce that Croft has been named 8×8 EMEA Partner Solution of the Year! This prestigious award recognises our team’s exceptional skill and innovation in implementing unified communications and contact centre solutions.

In a field brimming with strong contenders, Croft emerged as the clear frontrunner, as Oliver McCleery, 8×8 Channel Account Manager, explains. “Croft delivered an incredible win in the enterprise sector,” he said. “Not only did they secure an upfront deal for 8×8 UC, CCaaS, Voice for Teams and SecurePay, they also laid the groundwork for future expansion.  Croft also designed and delivered the solution, working in partnership with 8×8 Expert Services which was a key element of the deal.”

Our winning project? A large-scale, multi-country deployment for a major enterprise client. We tackled complex challenges head-on, delivering a comprehensive solution that transformed their operations.

The Client’s Challenges:

Our Bespoke Solution:

The Croft Difference:

Results That Speak Volumes: The Croft team implemented an 8×8 cloud-based solution that addresses remote work challenges, delivers pristine call quality, and boasts 99.999% uptime. Its user-friendly interface simplifies management, while built-in features eliminate the need for unreliable third-party add-ons.

Ready to transform your business communications? Contact our experts today to discover how Croft and 8×8 can elevate your unified communications and contact centre capabilities.

We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of NCI Technologies. This acquisition will expand our Managed IT & Support team and strengthen our reach in the South West.

NCI is a market leader in IT support, cybersecurity, and cloud phone systems. They’re known for being proactive, reliable, and dedicated, qualities that align with the Croft ethos!

We’re confident that this acquisition will enable us to provide even better services and proactive solutions to our business and education customers.

With NCI Technologies’ expertise and our shared commitment to excellence, we look forward to an exciting future together. 

NCI Technologies’ CEO, Chris Penrose, said:

“The team at NCI are excited to be part of Croft, I have found Mark and Phil to be extremely honest, flexible and supportive throughout the process.  I really can’t thank the Team at Croft enough for their time onsite helping ensure the initial transition steps were as smooth as possible. It is a good time for NCI to be part of something bigger, the team have a lot to bring to the table and I am sure it will provide new and interesting possibilities, both internally and for our customers.”

We’re delighted to have the NCI team onboard!

 

Keep up with all the updates from Croft by following us on social media:

LinkedIn: Croft

X: @croftMSP

Facebook: @croftmsp

Instagram: @croftmsp

 

We’re proud to announce that Croft has achieved the 3CX Titanium partner status.

Titanium is the highest level a partner can achieve with 3CX and is awarded to the most successful and experienced partners with a history of deploying and supporting 3CX’s solutions.

Croft is one of only eight Titanium partners in the UK, a significant achievement only awarded to elite 3CX partners.

Becoming a 3CX Titanium Partner marks a significant milestone for Croft, and we’re incredibly proud of our team that supports and maintains our client’s 3CX systems.

What is 3CX, and Why is This Achievement Noteworthy?

3CX is a leading provider of software-based Unified Communications (UC) solutions, offering PBX (Private Branch Exchange) systems that streamline communication across various mediums.

3CX is trusted by over 350,000 companies with over 12M daily users. The reason so many companies choose 3CX, is the easy set up, low costs and advanced features. 

Achieving the Titanium Partner status within the 3CX ecosystem is a testament to Croft’s commitment to excellence, expertise, and proficiency in delivering 3CX’s telecom solutions.

The journey to Titanium Partner status with 3CX is arduous, demanding a high level of technical skill, dedication to customer satisfaction, and a proven track record in implementing 3CX solutions.

This elevation signifies Croft’s deep understanding of 3CX products and its capability to provide comprehensive, tailored solutions that meet diverse client needs.

“We are thrilled to welcome Croft as our newest Titanium Partner in the 3CX family. Their dedication to excellence and commitment to delivering outstanding communication solutions make them a valuable addition to the elite 3CX partner network. With their extensive expertise and innovative approach, we are confident that Croft will provide unparalleled service and support to businesses seeking to enhance their communications infrastructure with 3CX.

Congratulations to everybody at Croft on achieving this significant milestone, and we look forward to an increasingly successful partnership for years to come.”

Paul Clarke – Senior Channel Manager – 3CX

“Our journey with 3CX actually started with losing a customer to the product. Having investigated with the client why they chose 3CX instead of Mitel, I came to the same conclusion they did. It was the right fit.

3CX is a very forward thinking platform, open standards based and able to be adapted to meet a very wide range of customer demands. It also allows you to be creative in your approach with the customer and really delivers one of the core values Croft has with our “bespoke by design” motto.”

Steve Harrison – Account Director – Croft 

 

Benefits for our Clients

For Croft, this achievement signifies access to enhanced support, exclusive training, and advanced tools provided by 3CX. This empowerment enables us to deliver even more robust and efficient communication solutions to their clients.

For clients, partnering with a 3CX Titanium Partner ensures access to cutting-edge technology, seamless implementations, and premium support.

As a 3CX Titanium Partner, we can offer our clients the following benefits:

The Future Ahead

Croft’s ascension to the Titanium Partner tier with 3CX underscores our current prowess and sets the stage for continued innovation and growth.

As technology evolves, Croft’s commitment to staying at the forefront of telecom advancements promises exciting possibilities for clients.

Are you looking for a Trusted 3CX Partner?

At Croft, we’re committed to providing our clients with high-class advice, support and expertise.

Contact us to discover how 3CX can solve your communication challenges.

Introduction

As technology advances, so do the options available to us. With the recent end of BlueJeans, users are now searching for suitable alternatives to fulfil their virtual communication needs.

In the rapidly evolving digital communication landscape, video conferencing platforms have become essential tools for businesses, educational institutions, and individuals.

One such platform that gained popularity over the years was BlueJeans, known for its user-friendly interface and reliable features.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the reasons behind BlueJeans’ discontinuation and delve into some of the top alternatives currently making waves in video conferencing.

The Evolution of BlueJeans

BlueJeans emerged in 2009 as a pioneer in the video conferencing space, offering a seamless way to connect with colleagues, clients, and collaborators across distances.

They also boasted a few firsts. They were the first to connect to; integrate with Skype Rooms and with Facebook Live, enable desktop, mobile and rooms systems in one meeting and first to provide interactive large events.

The simple user interface and robust features quickly gained favour among businesses and organisations of all sizes. With features like screen sharing, video recording, and integrations with other collaboration tools, BlueJeans addressed the growing demand for remote work and virtual meetings.

However, the tech world is known for its rapid changes and fierce competition. As giants like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet entered the scene with their feature-rich platforms, BlueJeans faced an increasingly competitive landscape. This, coupled with evolving user expectations and demands, likely contributed to the company’s decision to discontinue its services.

In an email to BlueJeans’ service members on August 8, Verizon (owner of BlueJeans) announced that the product is being ‘sunset’, meaning the end of an era for BlueJeans. They attributed the end to an evolving and volatile market.

EMEA and APAC boss Joe McStravick broke the news on LinkedIn, saying:

“I want to thank all my amazing friends, colleagues, partners and customers who have reached out to check in on me and the team over the last 48 hours. It means a lot.

This outcome is different from the team, who are some of the best I have had the honour to work with, and if you are looking for incredibly talented individuals, please reach out on this post, and I will connect you with outstanding talent.

The first phase of the sunsetting is that BlueJeans Basic and free trial offerings will reportedly be discontinued as of August 31, 2023, and customers’ access to the services will be halted. Customers can still access those services until this time. All paid-for subscriptions appear to have been removed from the BlueJeans website.”

There is no news on whether enterprise customers are being restricted after the deadline. We’ll share this once we know more.

BlueJeans was a massive acquisition for Verizon, the American telecoms giant. Verizon acquired BlueJeans in Spring 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Verizon paid a reported $400 million. The main reason was to compete with Zoom, Teams and Google when the video conferencing market was booming.

BlueJeans joins a list of video conferencing companies that have struggled in 2023.

LifeSize filed for bankruptcy on May 23, with buyer Enghouse interested in purchasing and UK-based video conferencing company and StarLeaf which fell into administration in June 2023.

Reasons Behind the End of BlueJeans

Failure to monetise BlueJeans: The challenge for standalone video providers is how to monetise their product when video conferencing is bundled into most unified communications and collaboration software. Plus, many users are happy with the free version, making it difficult for users to pay for extra features. This is the key reason Verizon wasn’t mentioning it in investment updates. It wasn’t making money!

Increased Competition: As mentioned earlier, the video conferencing space has seen a proliferation of platforms, each vying for its market share. Established giants and newcomers are constantly innovating and introducing new features and functionalities to attract users. BlueJeans’ relatively tiny market share (0.1%) and resources made keeping up with the competition challenging.

Evolving User Needs and a changing landscape: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically shifted how people work and communicate. Video conferencing platforms became lifelines for remote work, online education, and virtual social interactions. But users began to seek platforms that facilitated communication and offered additional tools for collaboration, external calling, project management, and document sharing. Also, cloud phone systems such as 8×8, RingCentral, Teams, Unify, etc., have video calling built into their platform. They were negating the need for another software platform for video calling.

Oversaturated market, waning interest: The boom of the video conferencing industry in 2020 is starting to take its toll. As mentioned, we’ve already lost two companies in 2023, with BlueJeans being the third. When there are too many companies and not enough interest, something has to give. “Zoom fatigue” and a shift back to the office or hybrid working are to blame. “Changing market conditions in a post-pandemic landscape” was the reason BlueJeans gave for their unravelling. The surviving companies provide additional solutions, E.g., Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom.

User Experience: User experience can make or break a platform in the competitive software world. The ease of use, intuitive design, and consistent platform performance influence its adoption. Some users faced difficulties navigating BlueJeans or experienced lag. This could have led to dissatisfaction and a search for more user-friendly alternatives.

Verizon Lost Interest: According to The Register, BlueJeans didn’t get a mention in their Q1 or Q2 2023 earnings calls. For the new Verizon Business CEO, Kyle Malady, the focus was to “drive sustainable growth in mobility and deliver on the revenue growth opportunities within fixed wireless, 5G private wireless and mobile edge computer solutions.” No mention of collaboration.

Woman using BlueJeans, end of BlueJeans

Top Alternatives to BlueJeans

Microsoft Teams: Part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Teams combines video conferencing with document sharing, collaboration, and project management tools. Its deep integration with Microsoft apps makes it a powerful choice for businesses already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Zoom: Undoubtedly the most recognisable name in the video conferencing sphere, Zoom offers many features, including breakout rooms, virtual backgrounds, and cross-platform compatibility. Its popularity has led to widespread adoption and a thriving ecosystem of integrations.

Cisco Webex: With a focus on secure communication, Webex offers advanced security features alongside video conferencing capabilities. It’s suitable for businesses that prioritise data protection and confidentiality.

GoTo Meeting: Known for its reliability and ease of use, GoToMeeting offers features like drawing tools and keyboard and mouse sharing, enhancing collaboration during meetings.

Google Meet: Integrated with Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), Google Meet provides a seamless experience for users familiar with Google’s tools. Its real-time captioning and easy access for Google account holders make it convenient.

Unified communication platforms: Most cloud-based phone systems include video within their solution. Consider companies such as 8×8, RingCentral, 3CX, Gamma Horizon Collaborate, Unify, Microsoft Teams, and Cisco. We’re finding that more companies are opting to have their communication and collaboration solutions in one place. This is why many companies are opting to use the video capabilities that come with their UC provider.

Choosing the Right Alternative

With the end of BlueJeans, a decision on alternative video conferencing platforms should be based on a thorough assessment of your organisation’s needs and priorities.

Here are some factors to consider:

Features: Evaluate the features that are essential for your organisation. Do you need breakout rooms, recording capabilities, or integration with other tools?

Phone system integration: Consider how well the platform integrates with your existing phone system. A seamless integration with your phone system means users don’t need disparate systems for your communication needs.

Security: Prioritise platforms with robust security features, including end-to-end encryption and privacy controls.

Scalability: Ensure that the chosen platform can accommodate your organisation’s current and future needs as it grows.

User Experience: A user-friendly interface and reliable performance contribute to a positive experience for all participants.

Budget: Different platforms offer varying pricing models. Compare costs and features to fit your organisation’s budget best.

Conclusion

The end of BlueJeans marks a significant shift in the video conferencing landscape. As technology continues to evolve and user needs evolve with it, choosing the suitable alternative becomes paramount. Whether it’s Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or another platform that aligns with your organisation’s requirements, the plethora of options available ensures that you can find a solution that suits your virtual communication needs.

Standalone video conferencing providers are finding it more challenging to compete with unified communication and collaboration tools (Microsoft Teams, 8×8, RingCentral) that have video conferencing tools built into their software.

Remember that the right choice isn’t just about replicating the features of BlueJeans but also about embracing the potential for enhanced collaboration, security, and user experience that these alternatives bring to the table.

This is where Croft can help. Our specialist team can meet with you and understand these requirements and suggest a suitable platform. This takes the guesswork and time out of researching alternatives yourself. Lean on our expertise.

Our team can provide you with a demo to help you understand more about the video conferencing solution you require and get the various stakeholders invested.

If you’re using BlueJeans, you’ll want to look at alternatives soon. Contact our team to book a meeting.