In an era where digital transformation is no longer a luxury but a necessity, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the UK—particularly in London—are facing increasingly complex challenges. The shift towards the Modern Workplace is accelerating, driven by remote work expectations, security demands, and the need for agile collaboration. Yet for many SMBs, this transition is far from smooth, especially when navigating advanced configurations of Microsoft Intune and Windows Autopilot. It’s a technical minefield where even minor missteps can lead to significant operational and security shortcomings.
Despite widespread adoption of Microsoft 365, few organisations are truly unlocking its full potential. Many settle for partial deployments or default configurations that leave glaring vulnerabilities unaddressed. In the capital, where competition is fierce and regulatory expectations are high, this presents a critical issue. More businesses are recognising the need to partner with a trusted London MSP who can bridge the gap between licensing and full operational value—particularly one who understands both the technology and the nuances of secure deployment.
The power of Microsoft Intune and Autopilot lies in their ability to provide streamlined device provisioning, centralised policy management, and a tightly integrated security model. However, realising these benefits requires significant expertise. Poorly implemented setups often result in inconsistent device compliance, patching failures, or worse—misconfigured security baselines that leave endpoints exposed. The result is a disappointing Defender Secure Score that reflects not only on the business’s posture but also on its credibility, particularly when working with enterprise clients or within regulated sectors.
Achieving a baseline Defender Secure Score of 80+ is already an admirable target for SMBs, signalling a proactive approach to threat management and endpoint protection. But for those with extended Microsoft licensing—such as Microsoft 365 E5—there is potential to push that score beyond 95. Few realise that this level of protection and visibility is achievable without needing a full in-house security operations team, provided the implementation is done right.
One often overlooked advantage comes in the form of pre-defined, enterprise-grade policies. These are not the simplistic templates available online or built into the platform by default. We’re talking about finely tuned configurations—covering everything from conditional access, application control, Defender for Endpoint integration, and device compliance rules—that have been developed and tested by large organisations over many years. These policies, often costing hundreds of thousands of pounds to develop in enterprise environments, are typically out of reach for smaller firms.
However, one Managed Service Provider in London stands out in this field. Proxar IT Consulting has taken the advanced work done for high-end enterprise clients and distilled it into a powerful, standardised Intune policy baseline. This baseline offers SMBs a level of configuration and protection that rivals much larger competitors—without the enormous cost usually associated with such setups. It’s not just about deploying policies; it’s about curating and adapting them to work within each client’s operational context, industry requirements, and licensing constraints.
The result is an onboarding experience that elevates the client’s security posture from day one. Migration to Intune and Autopilot is built into the service offering, allowing businesses to switch with minimal disruption. Proxar’s approach also offers a significant financial advantage: elements of the migration project that are traditionally considered capital expenditure (CAPEX) can be structured as operational expenditure (OPEX), making the investment more palatable and cash-flow friendly. This subtle but meaningful shift in cost modelling is helping more SMBs move forward confidently without waiting for lengthy budget cycles or grant approvals.
Compliance remains a major concern for London-based SMBs, especially those working in sectors such as finance, legal, and healthcare. Aligning with Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO27001 is no longer optional for many—it’s a contractual or regulatory necessity. Proxar’s standard Intune configuration is designed with this in mind, providing a technical framework that supports audit requirements and reduces the compliance burden. This gives business owners and IT managers peace of mind, knowing that they’re not just secure but verifiably so.
Of course, transitioning to a Modern Workplace isn’t purely about security or compliance. It’s also about empowering employees with the right tools, wherever they are. With cloud-based provisioning, self-service device enrolment, and standardised profiles, new staff can be onboarded remotely in minutes rather than days. The employee experience improves significantly, reducing frustration and downtime, and reinforcing a modern and professional image of the business.
It’s no secret that technology can be a competitive advantage—but only when implemented well. Many London SMBs have the tools at their fingertips through Microsoft 365, but few are maximising their return on investment. Working with the right London MSP makes all the difference. The distinction between a generalist IT support provider and a true managed service partner with deep Microsoft expertise becomes starkly evident during these critical transformations.
The Modern Workplace isn’t just a concept—it’s a daily operational reality for businesses that get it right. As hybrid work patterns become entrenched and threats grow more sophisticated, the margin for error is shrinking. For businesses that want to stay secure, compliant, and productive, the time to act is now. Whether it’s improving Defender Secure Scores, aligning with industry standards, or simply making life easier for staff and IT teams alike, the benefits of working with an experienced, security-conscious Managed Service Provider in London are clear.
For those navigating these waters, it’s worth considering the experience and standards brought by organisations like Proxar IT Consulting. Their quiet but consistent track record of helping London’s businesses modernise securely and efficiently has earned them recognition—not through aggressive marketing, but through results.
