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HCL Connections vs Microsoft 365 Business comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.2
Users achieved ROI from HCL Connections in nine months by encouraging daily use and eliminating redundant features like chat.
Sentiment score
8.2
Microsoft 365 Business enhances remote work with cost savings, security, and efficient tool access, boosting ROI and project delivery.
It also provides good security and the ability for normal users to create simple applications without needing developers.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
HCL Connections' customer service varies, with mixed reviews on support responsiveness and challenges in reaching knowledgeable staff.
Sentiment score
4.5
Microsoft 365 Business customer support is generally helpful and responsive, though experiences vary with some inconsistencies and language barriers.
We have had good support from Microsoft, with responsive and well-trained staff who are very polite.
It would be beneficial if Microsoft had more expert customer support staff.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
HCL Connections offers high scalability with effective IBM WebSphere support, despite Solr search limitations and manageable storage challenges.
Sentiment score
7.6
Microsoft 365 Business scales well for small to large enterprises, despite cost increases, offering strong cloud-based expansion capabilities.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
HCL Connections is stable on WebSphere but needs tuning for performance; IBM support addresses occasional instability effectively.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft 365 Business is reliable and stable, with minimal issues, primarily related to Teams or large data handling.
The file-sharing feature in Microsoft 365, specifically using OneDrive, is unreliable.
The stability of Microsoft 365 Business is rated nine out of ten.
It works properly, and I have never needed to contact support.
 

Room For Improvement

HCL Connections needs better document management, interface customization, third-party integration, collaboration, and cloud stability for improved usability.
Microsoft 365 Business struggles with UI, integration, pricing, security, and support, needing improvements for performance and cross-platform ease.
Providing Power BI for a lower package, such as e3, would be beneficial.
Once you start using this product, it becomes difficult to switch to alternatives.
The comprehensive nature of the solution justifies the cost.
 

Setup Cost

HCL Connections pricing varies widely, offers discounts, flexible licensing, and competitive pricing compared to Jive or SharePoint.
Microsoft 365 Business provides flexible, tiered pricing starting at $12.50 monthly, offering scalable options tailored to business needs.
Microsoft 365 is cost-intensive, and alternate options like OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or Google Workspace are not as expensive.
The solution might be considered pricey for some, however, the comprehensiveness of the suite justifies its cost.
It could be more affordable.
 

Valuable Features

HCL Connections enhances collaboration with file sharing, tool integration, expert profiles, mobile access, and efficient content management.
Microsoft 365 Business boosts productivity with cloud storage, collaboration tools, robust security, and flexible subscription, supporting efficient remote work.
Microsoft 365 Business integrates well and improves communication, cooperation, and security.
Whether users are in the office, outside, or at home, they remain connected which makes the work proceed efficiently.
The subscription model of Microsoft 365 Business is beneficial since it provides continuous updates, including functional updates and transformations of the product.
 

Categories and Ranking

HCL Connections
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals) (5th), Enterprise Social Software (12th)
Microsoft 365 Business
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
245
Ranking in other categories
Mobile Device Management (MDM) (2nd), Content Collaboration Platforms (9th)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Messaging and Collaboration solutions, they serve different purposes. HCL Connections is designed for Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals) and holds a mindshare of 3.6%, up 3.1% compared to last year.
Microsoft 365 Business, on the other hand, focuses on Mobile Device Management (MDM), holds 7.3% mindshare, down 8.2% since last year.
Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals)
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
 

Featured Reviews

Hasnain Zahid - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable tool useful to manage marketing-related activities
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten. Sometimes, the portal hangs because I find that if I am on a web page, I have to log out, and then I have to log in to the portal again. Since I see that the portal hangs at times, I have to move from one side of the portal to the next, making me feel that some things are scattered in the product. I attended a meeting with IBM recently, and they are improving a few of the things, in my opinion. The concerns that I have related to the product are being improved since I think many other users have reported issues similar to the ones I faced.
CharlesBrewer - PeerSpot reviewer
Price and reliability need improvement while general tasks are streamlined
The pricing for Microsoft 365 is too high, and quality-wise, it does not meet high standards. The operating system is outdated and inadequate. Microsoft has very poor security, and Defender is ineffective. In terms of collaboration and file sharing, OneDrive is very clunky and has frequent sync issues. It also crashes a lot and is unreliable.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Performing Arts
14%
Educational Organization
10%
Media Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
Performing Arts
9%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HCL Connections?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten...Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
What needs improvement with HCL Connections?
The support is an area where the product can improve. My company faces some support-related issues because whenever we create or generate a ticket, it takes two days for the product's support team ...
What is your primary use case for HCL Connections?
I use HCL Connections for marketing purposes. The IBM product in our company already provides us with direct links to the marketing and HR sides.
What do you like most about Microsoft 365 Business?
The product's initial setup phase was straightforward.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft 365 Business?
The solution might be considered pricey for some, however, the comprehensiveness of the suite justifies its cost. It is generally still worth the money and is cost-effective when considering the pr...
What needs improvement with Microsoft 365 Business?
Every year, they are increasing their price significantly. The price has more than doubled now. Once you start using this product, it becomes difficult to switch to alternatives. Microsoft should b...
 

Also Known As

IBM Connections, Lotus Connections
Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 F1, MS 365 Business
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Yamato Financial Co. Ltd., University of Zurich, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V., Telus, Rabobank, Christian Brothers Services, Grupo Financiero Banorte, The Loft Group, Dow Water & Process Solutions, JGC Corporation, College of Medicine, Swansea University, solvito GmbH, Loft Group, Hamm-Reno Group GmbH, Geno SA
Urban Agriculture Co., The Detroit Wallpaper Co., TransBlue Facility Management, Garner Food Company
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Atlassian, Liferay and others in Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals). Updated: June 2025.
862,077 professionals have used our research since 2012.