We take a look at how the cloud has changed business for the better.
Businesses have been given new and exciting opportunities thanks to the Cloud. Here are five things that wouldn’t be possible for businesses without it. Cloud-based services and platforms, often referred to as ‘cloudware’, have become invaluable for businesses everywhere. Not only has the introduction of cloudware made a lot of time-consuming processes easier, cheaper and more efficient, it has also paved the way for new ways of doing business that just wouldn’t have been possible before.
Here are five ways that the Cloud has changed the way we manage and grow our businesses!
Thanks to cloud technology, staff are no longer chained to their desks. Cloudware allows workers to log in and recreate an office setup remotely. But this doesn’t have to be to the detriment of worker productivity. Instead, all team members can be monitored wherever they are, using cloud-based performance tracking software which can help both the worker and the employer stay on track with what is expected of them.
Additionally, web conferencing products have made communicating with remote workers, and including them in important meetings, much easier. This stops remote staff from feeling alienated and keeps them engaged in their work.
In the past, small or medium-sized benefits would have been extremely limited in terms of the tools they could use for their business, largely because of the sky-high costs involved in implementing the latest technologies. But the cheap, subscription-based delivery of cloudware has meant more and more businesses have been able to access top of the range platforms that will help them grow their business. These economies of scale mean that new businesses can initially sample and then purchase cloudware on simple, scalable contracts that are designed to meet their needs.
Using cloud accounting software such as Zoho Books, Xero or Outright, businesses no longer need to bend over backwards to manage and monitor their accounts. Private financial information can be logged and managed in the Cloud, then accessed by anyone who needs to view it (be that a member of staff or an external accountant).
Businesses no longer need to devote space or infrastructure to store their big data. This would otherwise prove expensive and inefficient, especially as infrastructure can be difficult to maintain. The Cloud allows you to store as much or as little information as you want, allowing you to reserve your cash and your valuable office space for other things that are vital to your company’s success.
Cloud users can now rely on increased security and encryption for their data. Files no longer need to be locked away in folders and drawers; they’re safe in the Cloud, and, depending on the package you choose, likely to be fully backed up in the event of an outage or disaster. For your peace of mind, and in light of security leaks in the post-Snowden era, data is now encrypted to an unprecedented level.
Businesses have a lot to thank the Cloud for. Although some of us may have been hesitant about embracing cloudware, it’s safe to say that modern organisations would struggle to survive without it!
By Gary Gould
