11 Business benefits of an effective cloud solution
The cloud has taken the digital world by storm in recent years (pun intended), and for good reason. There are so many exceptional benefits to cloud storage and services. From allowing you to create a virtual office, accessible from anywhere with WiFi, to enhanced security for your clients and business, there’s a lot to love. The number of web-enabled and mobile devices growing exponentially, and will only continue to surge now that smartphones and tablets have been joined by IoT. Getting access to your data has never been easier, and moving your business to a cloud solution is a great idea for so many reasons. Here are thirteen of our favourites…
Reduced startup costs
If you’re a startup there’s one reality you will share with every other budding entrepreneur and small business out there – capital is at a premium. Balancing the needs of your business model with the requirements of your marketing strategy and payroll is a delicate feat, one made considerably easier by opting for a cloud solution for your data storage and cybersecurity needs. Server costs represent a huge investment and can quickly become astronomical, the cloud offers a cost-effective alternative involving markedly lower startup costs than a normal, local server.
Just pay for what you need each month – no more, no less.
Reduced IT costs
And if that’s not enough of a cash incentive, consider that there’s no need to purchase expensive equipment and systems for your business when you’re working in the cloud. Everything is online, and you don’t have to pay for the setup at all, just the benefits you receive from it. Upgrading a cloud-based system happens automatically as part of your regular service. You’ll never need to spend money on the latest developments, patches, or expensive hardware updates that take forever to install.
Add to this the fact you won’t need to employ experts in-house or hire tech support, you’re not ramping up your energy costs with a lot of on-site equipment, and you’re streamlining your workflows and process, and it’s easy to see how the savings quickly stack up.
Improved cybersecurity
While the financial benefits of cloud computing are certainly appealing, the advantages that you will reap in term so increased cybersecurity are equally impressive. With a cloud system, you never need to worry that your essential data will be lost, or business applications corrupted as a result of accidental damage, natural disasters, or technical meltdowns. Cloud providers will perform security audits more frequently than you would on an in-house local server. Add to this the security expertise that comes with a company that can completely dedicate themselves to the study and improvement of the cloud, and you’re in exceptionally safe hands.
Simple scalability
When you’re working on a cloud-based system scalability is never an issue. If you want to scale your business model up, simply opt for additional storage, and if you ever find yourself scaling back, it’s a simple matter of dialing down your subscription. Whatever your situation, however, it changes, evolves, or shifts direction, your cloud system will always have your back, with the flexibility to change as you do.
Effective business continuity
Another vital element of business is the planning of your business continuity, which needs to remain intact in the face of power failures, natural disasters, and other crisis situations. When your data is cared for by the cloud you never need to worry about continuity – whatever befalls your business, home, or tablet, your data is safe and any loss of productivity will be kept to a minimum.
Fewer operational issues
At first blush, cloud computing can seem complex, but it’s actually a great, hassle-free system that allows for a streamlined infrastructure that generally has far fewer issues. An on-location server is more likely to suffer bugs and issues, compared to a business run on the cloud.
Easy document control
One of the great marvels of the digital age is the drastic reduction in company documents – email has reduced the need for snail mail correspondence, and cloud-based software has drastically reduced the need for in-office documents. Not only that, it’s made it effortless to share an collaborate on documents across your whole team. Gone are the days of hundreds of versions of the same document being passed back and forth between your staff. Instead, collaborate in real-time on a single document that can be edited, reviewed, and filed with ease.
The cloud is evergreen
The need for fewer physical servers means there is less need for hardware and the power required to run it. A cloud system is an easy way to go green in your business and reduce your carbon footprint.
Flexibility and an improved work-life balance for employees
When you have a flexible system that can be accessed anytime, anywhere and allows team members to collaborate on anything (whether they’re in the office or not), there is plenty of room for improving the work-life balance of your employees.
Work from wherever, nip home for the school run, finish your daily work once the kids are in bed, or hop on a plane to your favourite tropical destination and get your work done on a white sand beach – the sky’s the limit when you’re in the cloud.
If you’re looking for cloud services and cyber security solutions in Cheshire, get in touch, we’re happy to discuss your needs and recommend the best solution for your company’s bespoke needs.
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