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9 min read
When we introduced Microsoft Copilot at BCN, we didn’t treat it as another AI automation widget. We framed it as a co‑worker here to amplify people’s strengths, not replace them. From the start, our goal was less about “doing more with less” and more about freeing our teams to focus on creative, high‑value work. We learned by doing: piloting real use cases, sharing what worked, and iterating fast.
Our approach also involved deliberate experimentation. Rather than mandate use from the top, we encouraged curious team members to try Copilot in their day-to-day tasks and share what they learned. This grassroots experimentation created a rich learning network within BCN. People discovered novel ways to use Copilot from brainstorming agenda points for client meetings to instantly summarising lengthy documents and then taught those tricks to others. Over time, this built confidence and competence across the company, proving that with the right approach, AI can truly empower every individual.
One of the first lessons we learned was “start with the why”. When Microsoft Copilot first launched, it was easy to get swept up in the hype of a “magic button” that would solve everything. We recognised early on that adoption is not automatic; our employees needed to understand why this tool exists and how it could make their work more fulfilling.
Mindset shift was critical. We addressed common questions head-on: Why should I trust an AI with my work? Will it replace my role? These discussions helped reframe Copilot as an assistant for the “morning coffee tasks” those routine, time-consuming chores, so employees could reclaim time for more meaningful projects. We assured everyone that Copilot’s role is to augment human expertise, not replace it. This clarity of purpose set a positive, open tone for adoption.
Then we turned clarity into action. We built a Copilot Intranet Portal as the central hub: how‑to guides, demo videos, FAQs that tackled common concerns, and a forum where people shared tips and experiences. We hosted live webinars and interactive training where people watched, in real time, as Copilot drafted emails or summarised reports in seconds, and they could ask questions on the spot. You could feel barriers coming down as the usefulness clicked.
To keep momentum, we launched a Copilot Champions programme across departments: IT, finance, marketing, operations, and more. Champions are go‑to peers who share “Copilot hacks” in monthly calls and posted practical advice on the portal. Having someone in your own team vouch for the benefits made all the difference. Curiosity spread, adoption followed, and confidence grew quickly.
Throughout, we tracked usage and gathered feedback with surveys and training sessions. We learned which features people used most, where they struggled, and where we needed to provide more training. That continuous feedback loop helped us refine the roll‑out and accelerate the learning curve.
If you’re considering Copilot (or any AI), start small, learn with your people, and keep the human story front and centre.
Pick a focused, meaningful use case. Have AI help customer support draft responses or summarise weekly reports for a single project team. Early, credible wins generate momentum and real insights you can build on.
Communicate the “why” clearly. Show how Copilot makes work more engaging and less tedious. Share relatable examples and make learning interactive. Curiosity beats mandates every time.
Don’t drop the tool and hope for magic. Invest in training, resource hubs, and champions. Be transparent about challenges and act on feedback. Adoption is iterative and support keeps it moving in the right direction.
Expert View
As mentioned one of the most effective enablers of adoption at BCN was our Copilot Hub a single, goto space for resources, learning, and community. If you’re planning your own, here are five practical tips:
Create one digital home (e.g., SharePoint or your intranet) for all Copilot resources: howto guides, FAQs, demo videos, and policy documents. Avoid scattering content across multiple channels as confusion kills adoption.
Use short videos, GIFs, and screenshots to show real examples. Add a search bar and clear categories like “Getting Started”, “Advanced Tips”, and “Troubleshooting”.
Dedicate a section for user success stories and “Copilot Hacks”. Peer examples build trust and spark ideas far better than generic feature lists.
Add a Q&A forum or Community in Viva Engage linked to the hub. Encourage employees to share prompts, ask questions, and crowdsource solutions.
Update the hub regularly with new features, champion spotlights, and upcoming training sessions. Stale content signals that adoption isn’t a priority.
Business leaders rightly ask for tangible results. So we measured. With a modest monthly licence investment of £1,501.50, BCN staff saved 500 hours of work in a single month. At an average staff cost of £30/hour, that’s £15,000 in value. Roughly a 7x return on our monthly Copilot spend. More importantly, those hours were reinvested in creativity, client work, and strategic initiatives. Seeing the numbers changed behaviours: people began actively looking for new ways to use Copilot in day‑to‑day tasks, from drafting responses to common customer queries to preparing weekly project updates.
Data informs; stories move people. We consistently foster an environment where we share real‑world wins that colleagues could see themselves in. A project manager used Copilot to turn meeting notes into action items, no more manual compilation. A salesperson drafted a proposal with Copilot, then personalised it, impressing the client with the rapid turnaround. These success stories made Copilot feel approachable: a helpful sidekick you can talk to, at work and beyond.
Crucially, we normalised the bumps. Champions and early users openly shared when Copilot didn’t nail it the first time—and how refining prompts improved results. That transparency reassured people it’s fine to experiment. It’s a learning process for humans and AI. The result was a healthy, positive FOMO: if you hadn’t tried Copilot yet, you wanted to, because your peers were getting real benefits.
We’re committed to staying human‑centred as we scale.
We’re piloting a sandbox to build tailored agents. For example, a “BCN Marketing Copilot” trained on our brand voice for campaign content, or a “BCN Finance Copilot” that generates budget summaries with the right terminology. These custom experiences push beyond one‑size‑fits‑all and make AI support feel genuinely personal to each team.
One standout example is our Sales Support Assistant agent, which equips the sales team with deeper product and service insight. It generates targeted questions to guide discovery conversations, compares offerings to clarify value, especially where overlaps exist and ensures sales can confidently position the right solution. By surfacing this intelligence early in the customer journey, it reduces the need for senior specialists in initial discussions, saving time and streamlining the sales process.
As the Microsoft ecosystem evolves, we’re weaving Copilot into live data via Microsoft Fabric. Imagine asking, “What are the sales trends this quarter?” and Copilot querying a Fabric data model in real time while preserving our security and compliance posture. It keeps Copilot’s answers current, contextual, and trustworthy.
Our team regularly reviews Copilot’s impact, updates guidelines, and addresses concerns. Governance matters as much as innovation. We’ll evaluate new features through the lens of empowerment and data responsibility. And we’ll keep co‑creating with our people, so change is something we build together.
AI adoption isn’t a one‑off project or a software install it’s an ongoing investment. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, and we’re even more excited about what’s ahead. With thoughtful strategy, empathy, and creativity, Copilot can amplify the very best in your people. The future of work is here; let’s move forward together.
With over a decade of experience and some of the industry’s leading AI experts, BCN is ready to guide you on your adoption journey. Whether through our Copilot Readiness Assessment or an open conversation about what’s worked (and what hasn’t we’re here to help). Every organisation is different, but one principle remains the same: when you empower people with the right tools and support, great things happen.
Book your free consultation and take the first steps to AI adoption today
