The SharePoint paradox

How’s it working for you?

When SharePoint comes straight out of the box, it needs a helping hand.

Microsoft says: “Use SharePoint, and you’ll be able to collaborate seamlessly, find what you need and empower teamwork”.

But you have SharePoint, and it doesn’t feel like that at all. Collaboration feels clunky, you can’t find what you need, and your team can’t stand it. Sound familiar? If your SharePoint intranet isn’t quite doing what it should, read on, this one’s for you.

If you work in internal comms and your organisation is firmly in Microsoft’s camp, the chances are you’ve had some experience navigating SharePoint. Whether you’re using it as an intranet platform or not, you know the drill. Yes, SharePoint seamlessly integrates with all the Microsoft tools many of us rely on, however, it also has the potential to give you a huge headache.

We’ve worked with SharePoint intranets for years and we’re all too familiar with the mixed feelings it can bring. On the one hand:

“Once it’s running and everyone’s used to it, it’s pretty cool.”

However, on the other hand, some people aren’t quite so fond of it:

“New to SharePoint - I hate it with a passion.”

When SharePoint’s set up right, it can support your comms strategy, and it can make a great intranet platform. But without a clear setup and support, it will be a nightmare.

The biggest problem we see with SharePoint intranets is that it has so many customisable options and features that it can very easily become overwhelming and complicated. Without clear planning, customisation, and ongoing support, it can quickly turn into a frustrating mess, draining time and patience across your organisation.

This is where we come in, we can help you whip your SharePoint into shape and set you up with an easy to manage platform. We’ve teamed up with Sam Dolan, Intranet Consultant from Attollo - who won the NN/g 10 Best Intranet awards - and together we can help you transform your SharePoint experience into something truly impactful.

Here’s how: 

Clear communications strategy

Every platform needs a purpose. Just like any communication channel or platform, you need to have a clear plan about how it’s going to be used, why you’re using it and how you’re going to measure its effectiveness. We’ll help you define how your SharePoint intranet fits into your broader comms strategy, ensuring it has clear goals, aligns with your priorities, and supports your organisation’s objectives. This clarity helps guide decisions and creates a platform your team can truly rely on.

As Sophie, our Chief of Content and Client Relations explains, "Defining the purpose of your intranet is non-negotiable. Get in a room and ask yourselves: What’s it for? Who’s it helping? How’s it making life easier? Be brutally realistic - think about what will actually work for your audience, because every one is different. Nail these answers, and your SharePoint becomes a tool your team loves to use, not just another tab to ignore or avoid."

Branding and customisation

As Sam puts it, “let’s face it - out of the box, SharePoint’s user interface won’t win any awards for engagement or user experience”. Without thoughtful customisation, employees might be left asking, “is this it?”. With Cosy Meerkat and Attollo, you get the strong communications strategy and planning, along with advanced branding options and content-driven web parts that enhance both usability and engagement. We can work to get you exactly where you need to be to engage employees from day one and keep them coming back.

Single source of truth

One of the key benefits of having a SharePoint intranet is that you have the opportunity to create a single source of truth, a centralised place for all applications, news, events, documents and everything else. We can help you establish this, and once it’s in place, employees will come to know it as the place to go. When done right, SharePoint is the only place to go for information.

Ongoing support and maintenance

SharePoint (and M365) is always evolving. Sam explains, “there’s always something new to play with, but this also means that something may have been deprecated or removed. Staying on top of these changes can feel like a full-time job.” The nature of a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform means you are well and truly on the Microsoft Roadmap and at the forefront of their technology. If you’re serious about maximising your intranet investment, working with a partner like Attollo is great as they will be aware of what you can leverage, what’s coming up and how to make sure you’re prepared for future changes.

The ever-evolving intranet project

Your intranet is never done. It needs to evolve alongside the technology, new UX trends, and business change. Working with a partner helps organisations to take that step back, celebrate how far you’ve come, and manage future improvements, benefits and efficiencies.

How many times have you been deep in a task, but you know you need an out of body experience to look down at the direction? That’s where we help. 

A final word from, Sam:

“SharePoint out of the box is an OK starting point, but a great starting point is working with us from a technical platform point of view and Cosy Meerkat from a strategic communications perspective.

Attollo out of the box delivers you that head start. In just one week you will have achieved at least six months’ worth of project delivery with our branding, web part functionality and dedicated sites/centres ready to be populated with content. From there, Cosy Meerkat can turn your intranet into an effective and powerful communication machine for your organisation.” – Sam Dolan, Attollo