How The Cloud Can Help Your Business
As more and more small businesses are adopting cloud computing, it’s changing the way they do business. In some cases, it’s even changing their business models and physical locations.
When it comes to computing, many small businesses are often faced with a lack of storage for their documents and databases. Many are also trying to retrofit an outdated system into today’s new world of computing because it’s too expensive to replace their current IT with newer, more capable technology.
Luckily, the cloud has become a viable alternative to wrestling with too little storage or trying to prolong the useful life of a computing system that should have been laid to rest years ago. While some small-business owners have been hesitant to switch to cloud computing because of security risks, they shouldn’t be.
Moving to the cloud actually adds an extra layer of protection for the information you’d normally save exclusively on your hard drive because the cloud acts like an off-site, virtual repository for your saved documents and data. Even if your physical headquarters are hacked, you’ll still be able to access the critical information you need to run your business when you use the cloud. Plus, the cloud uses advanced security measures to protect the information every individual and business uploads to it.
Why You Should Use the Cloud
In addition to the inherent protections that come with using virtual storage, cloud computing offers benefits that many small-business owners will find equally valuable. Here are some of the other advantages you’re likely to enjoy if your business makes the switch to cloud computing:
- Lower Costs: Cloud computing fully utilizes your IT hardware, enabling your team to do more with less. This creates less need for power and IT requirements. The reduced need for things like electricity and IT means your maintenance, hardware, and IT support expenses will decrease.
- Improved Collaboration: The cloud makes collaborating with co-workers simple. Your team can save and access files from anywhere in the world. While there are advantages to being able to work on the same document with others without having to be in the same building and without having to exchange edited versions of the same document via email, some business owners worry about their employees being able to access too many documents. This shouldn’t be a concern for you, however, because you can limit the documents your staff can access.
- Greater Flexibility: After you switch to cloud computing, you’ll be able to offer your employees greater flexibility. Because they’ll be able to collaborate with their co-workers on the same documents from anywhere, you can let your employees work remotely whenever possible. If your team can work from home more often than not, it may enable you to relocate to a smaller space, which can lower your overhead and increase your bottom line. Since you can use any device to access the cloud, you can let your employees use their own equipment to do their work. This can prevent you from having to invest in a new computer every time you hire an additional staff member or when a machine malfunctions.
- Better Communications: VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP generally refers to cloud-based telephone systems that enable businesses to place calls over the internet instead of landlines. Small business VoIP technology enables small businesses to do much more than make phone calls over the internet. This technology allows you to send faxes, hold meetings, set ring groups and more. VoIP systems are significantly less expensive than traditional phone systems, and your employees don’t even need handheld telephones to use this cloud-based technology. Put simply, small-business VoIP technology is a more effective, affordable, and comprehensive way to communicate.
Clearly, the cloud provides meaningful benefits that small businesses simply can’t afford to overlook. If you want your business to save money, be flexible, and have great collaboration among team members, switching to the cloud is an effective way to achieve your goals. If you want a better way to communicate with your staff, vendors, and clients, contact AccessDirect to learn about our cloud-based phone solutions today.
