The productivity benefits of Microsoft Surface Hub

By Scott Gosling, National Practice Manager – Cloud, Data^#3

[Reading time: 3:50 mins]

Designed for the modern workplace

Microsoft Surface Hub was recently made available in Australia. Microsoft describes it as a “powerful team collaboration device designed to advance the way people work together naturally”. In essence, Surface Hub is designed to revolutionise workplace meetings, helping to make them more interactive, more efficient and more productive.

Business meetings today are very different to what they once were. In an era of work flexibility and mobility, more people are connecting remotely to meetings, and they’re doing so on mobile devices. While video conferencing has enhanced the meeting experience, it hasn’t been able to facilitate true collaboration with remote participants.

Surface Hub changes everything. It combines the best of Microsoft hardware, software and productivity services in a single package. Designed for the modern workplace, it integrates seamlessly with Microsoft platforms to improve group collaboration and productivity.

Simplified user experience

The biggest endorsement we keep hearing about Surface Hub is the fact that it “just works”. It’s incredibly easy to use and enables participants to walk into a room or connect via Skype for Business and start using the technology with a minimum of fuss.

In fact, Surface Hub negates the need for multiple PCs, TVs, cameras, whiteboards and projectors in multiple meeting rooms. This one powerful and intuitive device does it all.

So what are the key features of Surface Hub?

The technology behind Surface Hub enables businesses to enjoy a new level of efficiency when it comes to team collaboration and interaction. Some of the key features include:

Planet of the apps

As well as built-in team experiences like Skype for Business, Office, OneNote and Whiteboard, Surface Hub is customisable with a wide variety of applications. Universal apps built for Windows 10 scale seamlessly to the large screen, plus you can also connect apps from your personal device and drive them from Surface Hub.

More likes and shares

Surface Hub enhances the meeting experience to enable true collaboration amongst teams. Join a Skype for Business meeting with a single tap, share content with ease, and automatically send notes to participants at the end of each meeting.

An interactive canvas

Regardless of where users are located, the OneNote whiteboard allows you to share ideas, paste and annotate content from other apps. Then simply save your whiteboard as a rich OneNote file and email it to others so your ideas don’t evaporate when the meeting ends.

Style and substance

Surface Hub integrates seamlessly into the modern workplace, and can be used by teams anywhere, from conference rooms to informal breakout spaces. It features a choice of two screen sizes, flexible mounting configurations, and a variety of inputs, including wireless projection, HDMI, NFC, Bluetooth, and ports to connect to peripheral devices.

Productivity benefits

By improving collaboration, increasing the efficiency of teams and enhancing the overall meeting experience, Surface Hub delivers enormous productivity benefits to your business.

Here’s how:

• Improved collaboration – teams can work together regardless of location to share, brainstorm and create.
• Seamless integration – Surface Hub links seamlessly with the Windows platform, runs Universal Apps natively without the need for new coding, and comes equipped with familiar Microsoft apps such as Office, OneNote and Skype for Business.
• Meeting flexibility – meetings can be held in any communal space, without having to worry about wiring, cables and switching between laptops.
• Streamlined workflow – users can work simultaneously on content from a variety of sources and locations.
• Better engagement – whether onsite or offsite, Surface Hub’s interactive and intuitive platform makes users feel more connected and engaged.
• Smooth connection – enjoy connectivity to multiple devices on multiple platforms, either wired or wirelessly.

Surface Hub availability in Australia

As one of only three Microsoft partners in Australia who can deliver the full suite of Surface devices, Data^#3 is well positioned to help your business realise the productivity benefits of Surface Hub.

Our Business Productivity Services team can perform an initial assessment of how your teams meet and collaborate, and then provide you with data on how Surface Hub improves efficiency and productivity to help justify your capex decision. Data^#3 can also facilitate Surface Hub training and adoption workshops.

Indeed, a February 2016 report by Forrester The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Surface Hub estimated an ROI of 138% over 3 years, and a payback of about nine months.

So while the upfront cost of Surface Hub may seem expensive compared to other video conferencing solutions, ROI is quickly realised as more and more users within your organisation adopt the technology.

Data^#3 also offers adoption services to help with the frictionless deployment of Surface Hub. This includes user training to ensure the technology is being used to its full potential and delivering maximum productivity benefits.

Like to know more?

For more information about the Microsoft Surface Hub, contact Data^#3.