Cloud migration has been front and centre of the global shift to remote working. There are several tangible benefits of cloud migration, but as a small business owner your concerns will be specific to the operation of your business, not just general conviniences.
Continue reading to learn more about the seven business benefits of moving to the cloud. If you have already decided to move your business to the cloud, give us a call at Connected Platforms, dial (07) 3062 6932, and ask us about our cloud business solutions and how they can help to improve your business in 2022 and beyond.
The onset of the still ongoing pandemic has many business practices we are used to either obsolete or significantly more difficult. Face-to-face meetings, brainstorming sessions, team building activities and even the idea of what a workplace is have changed drastically in the space of just two years since 2020. The demand for effective communication and ongoing business productivity in the times of crisis have increased the demand for technologies such as the cloud. However, as we are slowly beginning to overcome the ongoing public health crisis, such technologies emerge as something worth holding onto moving forward.
Cloud technologies have enabled a variety of activities previously constrained to being conducted at fixed, physical locations.Varyingfrom remote collaboration through to virtual meeting, cloud business solutions are enabling ongoing productivity during otherwise very difficult times of crisis. If nothing else, the recent years have proven the numerous benefits of cloud migration.
Are There Business Benefits of Moving to the Cloud?
The cloud is ubiquitous in the business world today. Virtually all large and international corporations, companies and firms take advantage of the cloud technology in their daily business operations. For large entities with nigh-unlimited budgets and resources the benefits or migrating to the cloud easily outweigh any risks. That said, you as a small business owner may be a bit more apprehensive apprehensive about practically changing how your organizations operates on a day to day basis. What about small business then? What about the costs and is this even the right time to migrate?
THE SEVEN TANGIBLE BENEFITS OF CLOUD MIGRATION FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
#1: IT ENABLES REMOTE CO-WORKING AND COLLABORATION
Cloud storage enables unparalleled ability to collaborate with clients, customers and co-workers from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. There are plenty of options for shared cloud storage which all authorised persons can access with their personal credential from anywhere – Microsoft OneDrive, DropBox, and Google Drive, among others, give you and your staff more options for effectively working even while away from your physical premises.
#2: IT IMPROVES BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND INCREASES BUSINESS RESILLIENCE
Moving your data to the cloud can prevent many headaches. One of the central features of most cloud-based files and document storage solutions are their backup and recovery failsafe’s. With cloud storage, data loss due to power outages or hardware failures has become virtually completely a thing of the past.
IT MAKES STORAGE SPACE A NON-ISSUE
First of all, digital files do not take up any physical space, making archiving of documents a non-issue. Without the physical baggage of filing cabinets and cardboard boxes full of folders, moving to different premises becomes all that much easier. Additionally, cloud storage can be scalable and configure to adjust the available space for digital file storage depending on the needs on your business.
#4: IT IMPROVES THE SECURITY OF YOUR MISSION CRITICAL DATA
Migrating takes of some of the pressure on your business in implementing appropriate data security procedures and policies. Cloud storage providers provide a layer of both digital and physical security in their data centres which means that you as a business owner do not need to worry quite as much about making sure that the premises where your files are stored have appropriate security or that the computers your files are stored on are protected. A high quality and reputable provider of cloud business solutions can take care of such concerns for you.
#5: IT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS SCALABLE AND PREPARES IT FOR GROWTH
Cloud services do not require you to make a substantial upfront investment. Compared to more traditional solutions where you would need to set up your own computer machines and servers, and then ensure that you have in-house staff to maintain them and keep them secure, cloud services do not require as much set-up and put a lot less pressure on you as a business operator. Cloud services are scalable, this means that you can typically pay for what you need at a given point in time and increase your level of service as your business grows. This is what scalability means – as your business grows and its needs along with it, your infrastructure can be very easily upgraded by simply moving up to a higher tier or plan. This eliminates the need for you to replace aging hardware and since your cloud provider maintains the server computers providing cloud services to your business, you also do not need to worry about the overheads of keeping adequately qualified technical staff in house, to maintain those systems. All you typically need is a contract with one of many managed IT service providers operating on the market.
#6: IT STREAMLINES E-MAIL COMMUNICATION
If you are still hosting your e-mails on your own company servers, it is time to move them to the cloud too. Just as with file storage, this eliminates the need for maintaining your own server computers and technical staff to maintain them in house. Not the mention the overall increase in the security of your electronic correspondence. Migrating your e-mail to the cloud is one of the most effective IT cost reduction strategies available to you as a small business owner.
#7: IT ALLOWS YOU TO GO ONLINE WITH YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
If you are retailer, or even a wholesale distributor, you will be no doubt be aware of the increase demand from the market for e-commerce service and product transacting. The pandemic may have not made physical stores completely obsolete, but it has changed how many of your customers show for products and services. There are cloud solutions for e-commerce available that may be worth your consideration if your entire cashflow still depends mostly on physical sales.
MOVE YOUR BUSINESS INTO THE CLOUD WITH CONNECTED PLATFORMS
If you’re feeling convinced, but are not sure how to get started, give the Connected Platforms team a call on (07) 3062 6932 or get in touch online now. We can help you move your business to the cloud.
Based on the original content from The Technology Press
