A New Outlook on Email…

Why UK businesses are breaking up with Microsoft.

Or: Why American tech giants shouldn’t trump your data sovereignty

If you’re running a business in the UK, there’s a good chance you’re using Microsoft Outlook.

It’s what everyone uses, right?

Your IT person probably set it up years ago, you’ve grudgingly learned where everything is (even though they keep moving it), and you’re paying Microsoft a monthly subscription that quietly creeps up every year.

But here’s a question: why are you letting an American tech giant control your business communications?

The Outlook Problem

Let’s be honest about what Outlook has become. It’s bloated and Microsoft keeps forcing “improvements” nobody asked for. Remember when they rolled out “New Outlook” and suddenly half your add-ins stopped working? Or when search stopped finding emails you know are there? That’s not a feature, that’s frustration.

More importantly, your emails – your client communications, your confidential business discussions, your sensitive data – are sitting on Microsoft’s servers, subject to American jurisdiction. And in case you haven’t noticed, things across the Atlantic are… unpredictable right now.

Why Data Sovereignty Matters

This isn’t about politics, it’s about pragmatism. When your email is hosted by a US company, it falls under US law. That means US government agencies can potentially access your data, regardless of UK privacy protections you thought you had. With the current political climate in America, do you really want your business communications in that jurisdiction?

UK businesses deserve UK solutions, answerable to UK law.

The Microsoft Tax

You’re also paying handsomely for the privilege of this uncertainty. Microsoft 365 subscriptions are a maze of confusing tiers, and you’re probably paying for features you’ll never use. Need to add a user? That’ll be another monthly fee, please. Want to keep using desktop email? Sorry, Microsoft’s pushing you toward their cloud whether you like it or not.

And the performance? Outlook is a memory-hungry beast that slows down your computer, particularly if you’ve got a few years of emails archived. Meanwhile, you’re stuck waiting for it to “update your folders” for the hundredth time this week.

And If You’re Using Apple…

Here’s a question for Mac and iPad users: why are you even using Outlook? Apple Mail is right there, built into your device, and it’s excellent. It handles IMAP beautifully, syncs across all your Apple devices, and doesn’t cost you a penny extra.

Same goes for Calendar and Contacts – Apple’s built-in apps are standards-compliant and work flawlessly with any proper email provider. You don’t need Microsoft’s bloated alternatives taking up space and resources on your sleek Mac.

If you’re paying for Microsoft 365 just to use Outlook on your Apple devices, you’re literally paying for an inferior experience. Stop it. Use the tools Apple already gave you, pair them with a decent UK email provider, and save yourself the subscription fee and the frustration.