If you own or manage a small business and have not yet made a migration to the cloud, it is time to consider the transition. Cloud computing might seem a bit intimidating from an outsider’s perspective yet once you become familiar with its workings, you will wonder why you waited so long to make the move. Just under 40 percent of small businesses in the United States have tapped into the power of the cloud. Let’s take a look at why so many small business owners are making the migration to the cloud.
The Cloud Saves Money
Perhaps the best reason to make the move to the cloud is the potential for a significant decrease in costs. Cloud computing is based on virtualization that allows a small business to use less rack space, less power and less IT personnel. This means less money and time will be spent on hardware, hardware installation, hardware maintenance and IT labor. These savings can add up to a considerable amount of money as time progresses.
The Cloud Will Improve Integration
Cloud-based business allows for extensive integration opportunities. Small businesses that adapt to the cloud have the choice of integrating with an array of cloud-based providers. Specialized services can integrate with operations in all sorts of departments ranging from human resources to accounting, sales and beyond. Take advantage of these enhanced integration opportunities and you will have much more time and energy to work on your organization’s most important challenges.
The Cloud Reduces Risk
The cloud provides extra security for users as it allows for data to be regularly backed up in an off-site location. This security strategy limits the potential damage that can be inflicted by hackers, viruses and other electronic threats. Furthermore, it is comparably easy for a thief to steal on-site servers and computers that store your company’s sensitive information. The cloud is intangible so it can’t be stolen.
Heightened Flexibility
Consider what your team has to do in order to access documents that are stored in a traditional manner. They must be at work to access the files that are stored on a single computer or server. This inflexibility is quite antiquated compared to the elastic working arrangements provided by the cloud. Tap into the power of the cloud and your team can access files while on the go, regardless of their location. Furthermore, each employee can access and modify documents stored on the cloud with his preferred mobile computing device, whether it is a smartphone, laptop or tablet.
Cloud for Small Business Improves Collaboration
The cloud makes collaboration between co-workers and clients extremely easy. Information stored on the cloud can be accessed at nearly any point on the map at any time of day or night. Employees can contribute unique offerings to maser documents in real-time. Your company’s productivity will greatly increase thanks to cloud collaboration tools like Google Drive. You can even limit employee access to certain documents and monitor progress on particular assignments as desired.
