What the Cloud Is and What It Can Do for Your Small Business
The cloud simply refers to accessing data and using systems that are stored on the internet. Rather than housing a local backup, an on-site server, or in-house, proprietary software, each of these technologies has a cloud counterpart. You can now complete a backup online, store data in an off-site server, and pay a subscription fee to access software.
While investing in the cloud pays off for bigger enterprises, it also provides some great benefits to small businesses. Here are just a few:
Reducing costs: This is often the driving factor in a decision to move to the cloud. Instead of making a large capital investment in on-site software, you’ll pay a monthly subscription fee for exactly the number of users you need. You’ll also reduce your IT costs because the provider handles updates and maintenance without any interruption to your business processes. Your cost savings will vary, depending on your current support costs and the software needs, but there’s generally little or no hardware investment.
Leveling the playing field: Traditionally, only the biggest corporations had access to the newest and best technology, but choosing a cloud solution such as Software as a Service (SaaS) gives your company the latest innovations. This can allow you to keep pace with bigger competitors in areas like customer experience, productivity and data analysis. In addition, cloud systems integrate well with other systems, so you may find that as you invest more in cloud solutions, your ability to streamline processes and offer superior service only grows.
Business continuity: Establishing a solid business continuity plan for a small company can be challenging because you’re often too busy with the core functions of the business to put enough time and attention into areas like disaster recovery and cybersecurity. A cloud solution goes a long way in providing the business continuity features you need. Monitoring and backups are handled by the provider and your system resides in a secure data center with round-the-clock proactive monitoring and management.
Making the first move to the cloud often involves a transition like transferring cold data storage to a cloud provider, or accessing your customer relationship management software on the cloud. At Net Tel One Communications, we can help you determine the best strategy for capturing immediate savings and benefits with cloud technology. Contact us for more information.