Cloud computing is all around us today. It has become a revolutionary way of connecting us to our families, friends, colleagues and coworkers. Most importantly, it has changed the way we do business. The global public cloud market will top $146 billion in 2017, up from just $87 billion in 2015 and is growing at a 22% compound annual growth rate.
Everyday tasks such as checking emails, posting on social media, online shopping, searching contact lists or reading the day’s headlines are simplified for us by the cloud. As technology experts create more smart devices, we get even more chances of being connected to the world around us.
Business owners can also unlock the potential of cloud computing to help them accomplish different tasks. Small and medium-sized businesses can benefit from the cloud in various ways and get expert-level assistance in a very reasonable price, such as spectrum technology inc. In fact, more than 58% of businesses today use cloud computing for IT related tasks. Some small businesses may use the cloud without even knowing it, as common office equipment do make use of the cloud network to perform everyday tasks as well (such as Google Drive Storage).
Here are some of the top benefits of cloud computing for small business owners:
Cost reduction
One of the most obvious benefits the cloud provides is cost reduction for small business owners. When you choose to move your business operations on a cloud-based platform, you get the chance to save costs on a lot of material. For example, you don’t have to buy hardware or set up an in-house IT department, because your cloud provider has got your back.
IT service providers usually have the best people in business who are trained in the best and the latest technology. Virtualization provides a chance to get more work done in less time, because the value of physical server hardware is increased.
Furthermore, with the use of cloud computing, there is also a decrease in investment costs on Rackspace, hardware and tools. Software upgrades and license are also maintained by the cloud provider. Lower installation management and support cost reduction are very valuable to small business owners.
Security
Back in 2012, Gartner predicted that work will completely shift from offline PC work to mostly on-cloud and that’s exactly what’s happening now. A lot of this shift is due to the secure nature of this technology. Cloud keeps your data more secure than any hardware or program which promises you the same thing.
It’s a place where people store their files and access them from anywhere. It has also become a place where data is kept permanently. People trust the cloud with their most sensitive information and the cloud keeps that trust. It means that you can also enjoy this benefit and remove all the files from your garage. You must keep copies of your confidential data wherever you find them secure, but cloud provides a virtual storage which is out of the immediate danger of theft.
Keeping your critical data stored on a private cloud can be your best shot at keeping your information safe.
Flexibility
One of the best benefits of the cloud is to be able to access a file while sitting anywhere in the world. All you need is an internet connection and you are good to go. Cloud technology fully supports the fact that the world has gone mobile. Gone are the days when important files could be forgotten in a portable drive or stuck at a server at a location. You can literally take your work anywhere and access it anytime using cloud.
This is a very interesting situation for small businesses as it provides incredible flexibility to test new ideas at a very meager price. It has also given birth to new work cultures like BYOD (bring your own device) where employees bring their devices to work and then wrap it up to take work home if need be. Remote workers get the blissful opportunity to work as per their requirement while staying in sync with every progress on work via the cloud platform.
It means that on an initial level, business owners can work from anywhere and still be updated. Increased mobility provides more chances of cost saving on work equipment, office space, hardware and devices. Employees can work and operate as they feel comfortable; all they focus on is getting work done for you on time.
Increased collaboration
It is very easy to collaborate with your team on the cloud. The whole team can be on the same page with the ability to access and save files. Furthermore, more than one employee can make edits using the same master document.
Cloud collaboration tools make it much easier to edit and upload documents and limit access to authorized people only. Business owners can keep the whole team in sync by providing access to employees to work in a certain area while keeping the confidential information intact.
When you are managing and nurturing a small business, there are many responsibilities to handle. Cloud-based applications can save the day by tracking employee productivity levels for you and then posting a report at the end of the week/month. This way, monitoring and managing individual progress becomes easier and transparent.
Multiple opportunities for integration
When you adopt a cloud-based business solution, you get multiple opportunities of integration. Various cloud-based service providers can offer you great service because you are already in line with the cloud computing platform. Simplified integration is what makes the deal even more lucrative.
Small business owners can take advantage of specialized services that integrate Human Resource, accounting and marketing operations. Consequently, this will allow them to focus on more critical tasks because these operations are integrated and monitored effectively by a skilled IT team.
Last word
The initial reaction of most business owners when offered the option of migrating to the cloud is of shock and terror. And with so many myths about cloud, the decision-making process becomes even tougher. Hence, to avoid all such confusion, small business owners should take a test drive to check the performance of cloud on their work. Cloud providers offer free trials which are the best way to understand the platform for your business.
Once you realize that your business and the cloud are a match made in heaven, you will notice a positive boost in your business for years to come.
