Despite statistics confirming that over 85% of businesses worldwide now use cloud computing services, there are still millions of companies that do not. Many are using some form of cloud based service without realising it.
Cloud computing has been around since 2010, but it’s only in the last few years that this incredible ecosystem has taken off. Why is cloud computing so popular, and why should your business move to the cloud?
In this article, we discuss the benefits of using a business cloud and what it can help your business achieve in the new year should you decide to adopt it.
It’s likely that, normally, your business runs like this: you open the doors at 8 am, staff flood in at 9 am and they work eight hours or more for your company. Now, imagine there is no “opening time” and staff don’t have to be at their desks to complete their work.
Cloud computing allows you and your employees to access your company data and complete work at any time and from anywhere in the world. This results in a significant boost in employee efficiency and productivity.
With COVID-19 opening up the door to a more remote way of working for the foreseeable future, remote access to company systems, data and telephony has become essential.
Before cloud computing, a business would need to invest in and maintain a data centre, which is expensive. Not only do you need the right equipment, but you have to hire the right technicians as well.
A shift to cloud computing instantly removes the need for a data centre. Everything is stored in a secure environment, and a third party hosts the data on your behalf—no more expensive gear, technicians or equipment. You also get the luxury of not dealing with data-centre issues and malfunctions.
Instead, your cloud service provider will charge you based on the size of the network, the number of users, time used and memory space. The provider deals with all the technical issues, leaving you time to focus on your business.
Before cloud computing, when a business needed to scale up, it would need to purchase more servers, storage and licenses. All this came at a hefty price and a lot of headaches. Cloud computing is ultra-flexible, and the provider can scale your system up and down in minutes with just a few clicks of a button.
If you need to scale down, the same rule applies. The provider simply downgrades your package, instantly reducing your costs and limiting the services you can use.
Cybersecurity is a huge, ongoing issue for all businesses. Maintaining the security of your own environment is complex, time-consuming and expensive – it’s a constant battle to stay one step ahead of the hackers.
Now, a modern workplace cloud approach has security and data backup capability at a price point few could afford in their own environments. Cloud computing automatically backs up all your data in real-time, ensuring that you never lose a single document or file. You can even revert to specific times in the past to recover items you may have deleted or those with different edits.
As long as you and your employees have an internet connection, you will always have your data at the ready with cloud computing.
Cloud computing works in real-time, which means the opportunity for management and employees to work collaboratively is enhanced. Multiple people can discuss and edit the same document all at the same time.
Enhanced team collaboration has been one of the most significant benefits realised by companies switching to the cloud. Being able to share and collaborate on projects from anywhere in the world has significantly improved the efficiency and productivity of teams across the globe.
