A business that has not yet migrated to the cloud could be behind. About 62% of small and medium enterprises are already using cloud solutions while another 33% are already thinking about it. While moving to cloud computing is indeed not mandatory, every small and medium business should at least consider the benefits of doing so.
In the early days of cloud computing, a lot of the challenges were regarding security. The technology has changed since then, and much of the concerns with safety no longer exist. If you haven’t already noticed, cloud technology is also responsible for pushing forward massive developments across different sectors. The internet of things, for example, would not have been possible without cloud computing.
Cloud computing for small businesses
The small business sector has significantly benefited from the development of the cloud. Cloud computing has revolutionized tasks involving information processing. Regardless of the company size, there is a tailored-fit cloud solution for their needs.
1. Scaling the business infrastructure. Gone are the days when the idea of moving to the cloud meant you had to pay for massive server space. What’s more sensible and economical for small businesses is the scalability feature of cloud computing. If you compare the Vonage business cloud review with other services, you will find that most, if not all offer small businesses the opportunity to pay only for the space they need and scale up as the requirement arises.
2. Moving office systems to the cloud. Another trend for most companies today is to use cloud services for real-time collaboration between employees. If you look at office systems such as Google Suite and Microsoft 365, employees are encouraged to share programs simultaneously. A collaborative work environment increases efficiency and reduces obsolete functions.
3. Opportunity to work remotely. Cloud services have opened doors for individuals to contribute to the company while at the same time addressing personal challenges such as caring for small children and disability. Workforces today have become more inclusive because the cloud allows employees to work remotely without sacrificing the quality of their output. In the coming years, many businesses will leverage the benefits of remote workspaces.
4. Efficient back-up and recovery. It is true that information security will always be a priority and concern for businesses of all sizes. Threats continue to evolve, and a business may not have sufficient IT infrastructure to address these threats. If you have a cloud service, you create adequate back-up for critical company information.
In addition to the benefits outlined above, cloud services also offer businesses the opportunity to take advantage of user-friendly data analytics tools, eliminating the need for costly third-party consultation services. There is a lot of potential in the cloud to help companies improve many of their processes. It will drive changes in decision-making, information security and workplace dynamics. As such, it is still up to the company to assess whether the benefits of cloud computing fit the current needs of the organization before they consider migrating to the cloud.