We’ve all been hearing about the cloud for years now. In fact, most people use it every day, even if only in their free time. After all, popular programs like Facebook, Dropbox and banking apps all rely on the cloud. If these apps sound familiar, you’ve already seen the value of cloud computing. But maybe you haven’t quite made the decision to move your business to the cloud. Here’s why you should take that next step if you want to propel your business toward success.
1. Enhanced Security
Every computing device that stores your company’s sensitive information is a security risk for your business. If even one employee loses a laptop, tablet or smartphone that has private information on it, there’s a chance it will get into the wrong hands, causing your security team to panic. There’s also the danger that comes with a disgruntled former employee handing off private information to the public, including your competitors. Clearly, simply storing all your data on a hard drive is not always secure.
But when you store it all on the cloud, you have complete control over who gets to see it. For example, when an employee loses a laptop, you can use the cloud to remotely wipe the sensitive information from it before anyone sees it. You can even use different logins to decide which people get to see certain data, controlling the amount of access current and former employees have. When you rely on the cloud, you can keep a clear head next time a device is lost or stolen, since it only takes a few seconds to make sure your sensitive information is secure. That peace of mind alone is worth a move to the cloud.
2. Cost Effective
Moving to the cloud is a cost-effective solution for most businesses. After all, when you do all your computing on a laptop or desktop, you have to pay for that device upfront. You also have to pay for any software you need, as well as installation help if you need it.
However, when you start using the cloud to store all your information, you don’t need as many devices, reducing your upfront costs of computer equipment. Instead, you can make monthly or annual payments to a cloud service. Additionally, you can scale up or down depending on how many employees you have at the time, meaning you only pay for the number of users you actually need on your account. And as a bonus, when you move your business infrastructure to the cloud and use less equipment, you save money on electricity. Clearly, it makes financial sense to use the cloud.
3. Backup & Disaster Recovery
Depending on computers to hold your most important information means you’ll be facing catastrophe when those devices are damaged. Unless you’re careful to backup your information every day, disaster recovery can be difficult and time-consuming. Whether your computers are damaged by a fire, flood or other disaster, you could easily lose lots of critical information. Even if you can recover it, expect to spend a lot of money and time before you get it back.
But when you store your data in the cloud, disaster recovery is a breeze. When a laptop is destroyed, you can simply go to the cloud to get the information you need without skipping a beat. There’s no waiting period or big expenditures associated with this step, which means your productivity isn’t affected. You can order new equipment and work from another computer in the meantime without interrupting your workflow.
4. Improved Collaboration Between Employees
If your employees are not constantly in the same place at the same time, collaborating can be difficult. If you have employees at different offices or even in different rooms of a large building, communication is often by email or chat programs. This may work fine when they’re exchanging ideas. But if they want to make any changes to documents, they either have to get into the same room to use the same computer, or they have to email back and forth for every adjustment. This can be time-consuming and impractical.
That’s why it’s easier to collaborate using the cloud. When all your information is stored online, employees can all view, edit and share documents from any computer. In fact, they can typically access the cloud from mobile devices, allowing them to collaborate on the go. If you want to make your employees’ day simpler and more productive, allowing them to update documents in real time from anywhere will help.
5. Work From Anywhere
The ability to access documents from any device isn’t just good for employee collaboration. It’s also good for everyone in the office, including you. When everything is uploaded on the cloud, you can track the progress of your employees in real time, meaning you see exactly what’s getting done in a current meeting. You can approve or request changes and schedule meetings on a shared calendar from anywhere, even in line at the store.
In addition, if one of your employee’s computers needs repairs, you can simply assign that employee to another computer rather than having to give him or her the day off. There’s just more flexibility when you’re not tied down to one device.
At TechWerxe, we’re keenly aware of the benefits of cloud computing. That’s why we want to help move your business to the cloud so you can start seeing its value firsthand. If you’re ready to reach out to an IT partner you can rely on for your technology-related needs, contact us today to schedule a free consultation!
Sources:
http://smallbusinessesdoitbetter.com/2016/09/the-benefits-of-moving-your-business-to-the-cloud/
https://www.salesforce.com/uk/blog/2015/11/why-move-to-the-cloud-10-benefits-of-cloud-computing.html
https://www.inc.com/russ-fujioka/5-reasons-you-need-to-move-your-business-to-the-cloud-right-now.html
https://www.wired.com/insights/2012/10/5-cloud-business-benefits/
https://blog.rackspace.com/4-reasons-to-move-your-small-business-to-the-cloud
