You may not be aware, but you are already using many cloud services. This technology has already taken the modern business by storm, and if you are using a computer, and have a smartphone, many services that you use on a daily basis are based on cloud computing. Whether you are backing up your photos on Dropbox, Google Photos, or some other service, using Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or some other mail provider and listening to music on Apple Music, Deezer, or YouTube Music you are enjoying the benefits of cloud computing.
Cloud computing is all about having computing as a service, somewhere on the internet, instead of the physical system on-premises. When it comes to small and medium-sized enterprises, there are many advantages that cloud computing brings. Like it was with the Internet, and online presence once, the same goes for cloud computing today: If you are not using cloud computing, you are already one step behind your competitors.
Let us go over the top benefits that cloud computing brings to SMEs.
1. Access and share data from anywhere
The web-based nature of cloud computing allows access from anywhere. Once you have your username and password, you can access your cloud data and apps from any device with a browser. And this is one of the greatest benefits for small businesses IT infrastructure is flexible and accessible from anywhere. This means that you can access your work from home, office, or even on the move. You can start your project at the office, continue working on it on the train, and finish it at home, or at the conference, you are attending.
2. Collaborate with ease
With cloud computing, you are adding collaboration as another dimension to your everyday work. With your projects and data available to every member of your team 24/7, they can be more effective, and have a bigger impact. Cloud computing can easily transform your business. You can even change your working hours, and make it more flexible so that every employee can create a work-life balance that is best for them. This way they will be happy, work at the time that is best for them, and be more efficient at their work.
3. Increase flexibility and scaling
Many small businesses have variable needs for hardware and staff resources. Instead of buying new servers and workstations, like you would do in the past, with cloud computing you can scale your needs: bandwidth, storage, computing power. This means that you can increase your resources when in need, but you can also scale down when the peak period or season ends and save money along the way.
You are also saving money by skipping the need to have a constant investment in IT infrastructure since many cloud computing relies on pay-per-use models. This also means that you can choose your hosting plan for your business accordingly. No need to invest in expensive plans, rather go for flexible ones that can grow with your business and keep pace with your needs. Providers like Hostinger offer interesting and affordable plans that are worth looking at, so you might want to stop by and check them out.
4. Bring all your apps in one place
With suits like Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps for Business you can have all the apps that you need in one place, available for you at any time, and any place. This way you are enabling ease of use and centralized access for all your business needs. These suits include email clients, calendars, file sharing, and Office apps on a monthly/yearly basis. They are very flexible, and you can scale them according to your needs. One more benefit is special apps made for different OS types: Windows, Android, and iOS that you can use, beside web-based versions for more convenience on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
5. Improve your security
Security is becoming one of the most important aspects of every business, and also one of the most demanding ones. Good security requires weekly or even daily tasks, and sometimes a 24/7 monitor in order to prevent hackers from hurting your data. With cloud computing, these tasks are a part of the service you are paying. This also means that updates are handled automatically and that you will always have the latest version of the app that you are using, without ever having to think about updates.
6. Big data anyone?
The amount of data generated on a daily basis is rapidly increasing, and with it the need for contextualization and organization, in order to use it more efficiently. The downside is that organization and analytics of large amounts of data in real-time require powerful computing power. This is something cloud computing can help you with. In the past, only big companies had the resources to analyze large amounts of data, but today, with powerful processing capabilities and big data apps available in cloud computing, even small businesses can afford it, and benefit from it.
7. Automate your backup and recovery
Like security, instead of setting an in-house backup and recovery systems, just let service providers do this for you. With cloud computing, you can rely on redundant backup systems available that are a safety net in case something goes wrong. It also works the other way around. In case you need to recover after a crash or a cyber-attack, you can use an automated backup system, and recover with ease.
8. Cut your costs
Instead of investing in hardware, software, and maintenance, cloud computing gives you a whole new dimension of planning your business. Most of the cloud services are subscription-based, and that means no large capital investments at once! You can simply pay monthly or yearly and adjust your cash flow accordingly. For that, you will get access to advanced tools and apps that otherwise might not be affordable. Low initial costs for transforming your business to the cloud are one of the greatest aspects of cloud computing which makes it a very appealing investment.
Leveling the playing field
With cloud computing, small businesses are given an opportunity to use the resources and have access to the latest technology, which was, until recently reserved only for the big players. With cloud computing, even small companies can take a lot of things out of their mind and focus on their key strengths that make your business successful.