Five benefits of cloud computing for SMBs
Data from a recent survey from Gartner show that 62% of small and medium-sized enterprises are already using Cloud Computing, while 33% are planning to implement the technology or evaluate how their organization might use it better.
I am not suggesting that your business moves to the Cloud just because almost everyone already has. However, it is important to take a look at what benefits Cloud Computing could provide for small businesses.
Is Cloud Computing safe?
Yes it is quite safe and secure, arguably more secure than its on premise equivalents. In the early days of cloud computing, there were many security concerns, however that has changed. As the technology has matured, companies are leveraging the benefits of the cloud for all sorts of creative purposes. Cloud technology has already contributed to the massive growth in hundreds of sectors, which most notably has led to the increase of AI, the Internet of things (IoT) and the processing and storage of large-scale information on remote servers.
Sometime hearing the buzzwords AI, IoT and machine learning can sound daunting for the everyday person and they do not think that it is accessible for SMBs. But in fact, cloud technology is accessible to everyone and is what is allowing SMBs to be competitive like never before. We want to help you harness the incredible potential that this technology can offer your business. So, below we have put together a list of five innovating benefits of cloud computing for you.
Cloud Computing for all businesses
The cloud has opened more than a few doors in the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises, providing them with the ability of automating tasks and processing massive amounts of information for businesses of all sizes. Companies using cloud technology always talk about the versatility of the technology. Implementing a cloud strategy for your SMB offers many benefits; improves efficiency, data security and is cost effective. Continue reading to find out what our list of five benefits of cloud computing for SMBs.
Five benefits of cloud computing for SMBs
1. Scaling Infrastructure
Scaling cloud-based infrastructure is one of the fasted growing cloud technology applications.
Web-based businesses, for example, have inherently unpredictable servers, and any unexpected increase in traffic has the potential to overload the traditional servers, cutting off access for your customers at the most critical time. To scale the infrastructure hosted in the cloud, the switching systems are automatically triggered if the host server is overloaded.
How it benefits your small business: Infrastructure-based data in the cloud is efficient, economical, and responds to demand. You can scale your data management costs and only pay for what you use. This is the most economical solution for small businesses and makes paying for massive space on a local server an outdated practice.
2. Cloud based office platforms
Almost all companies are exploring ways to work collaboratively. Cloud based office platforms such as G Suite of Google and Microsoft Office 365, provide better support for group projects to traditional programs by allowing multiple users to work simultaneously, with all changes reflected in real time on an unlimited number of devices.
How it benefits your small business: The “live documents” in cloud based office platforms reflect the changes to all users instantly, allowing for a fundamental change in the collaboration between employees.
These digital workspaces also significantly reduce the responsibilities of IT professionals, freeing up time and resources for large projects such as data analysis. If your company still sends documents via email, the transition to a platform such as G Suite can significantly improve efficiency and productivity.
3. Remote working spaces
Cloud based platforms also help with flexible and remote office environments. The ability to collaborate through cloud services allows employees the flexibility and support to work remotely or to continue projects while out of the office on business trips or corporate events. Other services hosted in the cloud, as eComfax, keep the possibility of sending and receiving faxes at all times open.
How it benefits your small business: Telecommuters help companies to overcome many costs associated with the physical workspaces. Cloud technology also breaks down social barriers for people with small children or people with disabilities, providing a foundation for a workforce that is more inclusive.
By 2025, experts estimate that nearly three-quarters of the workforce will work remotely, fundamentally transforming business infrastructure. By implementing the possibilities of remote working spaces now, your business can stay ahead of your competitors.
4. Big Data analysis
Every day, more and more small businesses are starting to use big data. Cloud Computing gives them the processing power necessary to organize and use large amounts of data. The majority of small business owners overestimate the technical challenges associated with the big data analysis, but the effort you make will be worth it. For example, tools like Speech Analytics can extract valuable information from calls and process it effortlessly in the cloud.
The ability to make better decisions based on client data, offers great benefits; delivering information that is the most relevant to your customer base in a timelier manner or attending to the wishes and needs of the customers in real-time.
How it benefits your small business: Most companies are changing their focus to easy-to-use data analysis interfaces, avoiding many of the costs associated with the analysis of such large amounts of information. Open source platforms like Hadoop and HPCC put these tools in the hands of small businesses and allow cloud based computing to handle the heavy work.
Experts recommend about internet speed of 500 Mbps for cloud-based services that are running constantly. This allows small businesses to invest in faster internet speeds instead of the server capacity and the hardware, which could save you money in the long term.
5. Backup and recovery
Information security remains a significant obstacle for small businesses. Threats evolve quickly, and the complete defense of critical infrastructure is often beyond the capabilities of a IT small workforce. In a 2017 survey by the Better Business Bureau, only 35% of companies said that they could remain profitable for more than three months if they lost access to critical data.
How it benefits your small business: Storing data in the cloud helps address safety concerns by incorporating data redundancy to the company’s information management. The hybrid systems that support the local data in the cloud in real-time provide protection against security breaches, which allows companies to reduce their dependence on the physical infrastructure and the manual backups.
How can your company benefit from Cloud Computing?
Large and small companies alike have a history of adaptation to new technological environments, and Cloud Computing will be no different. While there are significant challenges and learning curves, the potential benefits offered by cloud technology outweigh everything else.
As we have pointed out before, Cloud Computing has the potential to not only improve the storage and security of information, but also the way in which we work and the precision with which we make business decisions. There are many solutions available for carrying out all the tasks mentioned and more. Such as our call and interaction recording solution Recordia and our advanced messaging solution eComfax.
