Why does your SMB needs Cloud Computing? If you are a small business and you hear the term cloud computing, you might think it is just for corporations. But, actually, it’s ideal for SMBs and can actually keep you competative with said corporations. Why? By using cloud services you can access your companies data and applications from almost anywhere and it is quite cost effective.
Investments in cloud computing have increased considerably and is to continue doing so over the next few years. According to IDC, by 2020, 67% of enterprise infrastructure and software will be cloud-based. Technology is advancing rapidly and traditional businesses are falling behind. So, in order to remain competitive your business needs to create a cloud first strategy. Which cloud technologies should you use and why should your company adopt? Read on to learn why you SMB needs cloud computing.
First, you need to evaluate current strategies and think about what results you want from the services you choose. Do you want to attract new customers, increase efficiency in the workplace, improve customer service or all of the above? You do not need to reach deep into your pockets in order to access cloud technology and it can be quite easy to set up and use if you choose the correct provider.
Why your SMB needs Cloud Computing
There are many reasons why your company should invest in cloud computing: security, affordability, improves efficiency, increases productivity, eliminates risk of data loss , it is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection and you can get immediate upgrades for the latest available technologies.
What are the main types of cloud services?
Most people are familiar with the benefits of cloud technology but often do not understand the difference between the different cloud services. So, here’s a quick summary of the different cloud services available.
– Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS providers such as AWS, host the infrastructure normally present in an on-premise data center including servers, storage and networking hardware. They also provide API’s that allow users to migrate workloads to a virtual machine. Users have a storage capacity allocated, and can start, stop, access and configure the VM and the storage as they wish. IaaS providers offer various storage sizes personalized for various workload requirements.
– Platform as a Service (PaaS)
PaaS providers host development tools on their infrastructure. Users can access these tools through the Internet using APIs, web portals or software from a gateway. PaaS is used for the overall development of software, and many providers of PaaS host the software after its development. Some well-known PaaS providers include Salesforce.com, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, and Google App Engine.
– Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which an external provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers through the internet; these applications are often called web services . Users can access applications and services from SaaS from any location using a computer or mobile device that has Internet access. A common example of a SaaS application is Microsoft Office 365 for productivity services and e-mail. Want to know more about the benefits of SaaS? Read our post here.
What should I consider when choosing a provider?
There is a wide variety of cloud service providers out there, so it is essential to do some research. Some important factors to consider are: cost, security, compliance with regulations such as GDPR, MiFID II, FERPA, HIPAA, PCI DSS, etc.
Today, businesses tend to choose cloud service providers that are based on a pay-per-use model. These providers offer flexible and scalable services, meaning you can change your subcription easily depening on your usage needs. There are many providers and applications based on the pay-per-use model.
Speaking of, our cloud based solutions Recordia and eComFax are pay-per-use models, encrypted with the highest security measures, compliant with all regulations mentioned above and offer scalability and flexibility.
What cloud technologies should my company invest in?
With so many types of cloud services and applications, it’s difficult to choose a starting point. An easy way to begin is with cloud storage to protect all your data. Another factor to consider is analytics, there are many providers of this and it can help you spot trends that you may not have noticed and thus help increase business.
Customers are the most important factor to consider, so how can you increase their customer experience and make things easier and more efficient for your staff. Using a CRM system such as Microsoft Dynamics or salesforce.com, you can access customer information quite easily.
To take this one-step further you can use a call recording service like Recordia to record all customer interactions, which is easily integrated with these CRM platforms.
What is Recordia?
Recordia is a cloud based interactions recorder, which allows you to capture, encrypt, record, and exploit data in the cloud, with maximum information security. As it integrates with CRM platforms such as Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce.com, you can easily access customer information. Recordia lets you transcribe conversations into searchable text. Freeing up time and increasing customer satisfaction.