You can’t get very far online these days without running across mention of the “cloud” and cloud computing. Of course, all those apps and software aren’t really up in the sky floating around, but they are hosted somewhere else geographically, and accessed via the internet.
Cloud computing describes services provisioned with minimal on-site management which reside on servers, typically in data centers, owned by the cloud application provider.
ManagedIT helps small businesses make sense of the cloud and harness its resources to help their company prosper. But, every single cloud service isn’t going to be a plus for your company, so we also help our clients navigate around cloud computing pitfalls.
Our Managed Cloud Services Team provides a realistic view of cloud solutions and what they can do. We advise companies on developing a comprehensive plan for implementing the cloud applications into their workflow.
So, how can your company take advantage of the positive benefits of using cloud-based services without making costly mistakes? What types of advantages can you expect by moving to the cloud?
We’re taking a deep dive into cloud services in this article and will give you pointers on the benefits and the things to watch out for.
What Benefits Can My Company Expect from Cloud Services?
Moving part of your business operations from locally-based to cloud-based is a big decision and one that shouldn’t be done haphazardly. But it is definitely a decision you want to consider due to multiple advantages it can bring your business.
Here are some benefits that companies report after using cloud computing. (Ref. Statista)
- Faster access to infrastructure
- Greater scalability
- Higher availability
- Business continuity
- Higher performance
- Cost savings
So, let’s take a look at what a few of those benefits can mean for your small business.
Greater Scalability
Say you’re running a land-line based phone system with 5 different phone lines. Then your new product starts taking off and you need to double the number of lines just to keep up with new employees and incoming customer calls.
With a land-based system, that’s going to be more costly because you need to have physical phone lines installed, plus purchase the extra equipment to handle it all.
If you have a cloud-based phone system that uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), adding lines is as easy as clicking a button in your admin panel, meaning no waiting for those new lines to be installed and a much lower additional cost.
Business Continuity
Business continuity isn’t something that most small business owners think about until a huge disruption occurs such as a fire or flood. When your office has to be closed and all your communications are locally based, that outage can be very costly, bringing your business to a screeching halt.
If you’re using a cloud-based website and a cloud application such as ZenDesk for customer support, your team could keep your business running from any internet connected location even if your physical office is shut.
Cost Savings
Cost savings is the main goal of many using cloud services, but this can be both an advantage and a pitfall if you don’t have the right advice.
50% of CIOs and IT leaders report cost savings from using cloud-based solutions. (SalesForce)
So, either the glass is half full or half empty, depending upon which half of that 50% you’re a part of. This is one of the biggest reasons that ManagedIT’s Managed Cloud Services are so popular with our small business clients. We help ensure they’re making the right cloud provider choices, so they end up saving money and making choices that make sense for their bottom line.
Cloud-Based Pitfalls to Avoid
When you’re entrusting part of your business operations to a cloud provider, you want to make sure they’re someone you can trust. Since the cloud has become so popular, there are multiple companies out there offering their services, but not all are created equal.
Here are a few of the pitfalls that ManagedIT helps their clients navigate around:
- Performance problems
- Downtime of services
- Security vulnerabilities
- Data loss or data breach
- Virus or malware infection
- High charges that are added on later
- Complicated interface
- Poor customer service
Of course, switching operations to the cloud doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” proposition. We help businesses identify the parts of their operations that would benefit from being in the cloud and those that would make more sense keeping on premise.
The goal is to ensure a cloud solution is increasing productivity and reducing capital/operating expenses.
Would You Like to Learn the Right Way to Consider Cloud Solutions?
ManagedIT can be an integral and helpful part of your cloud solution process. We’ll advise you on the best and most trusted cloud options out there and tell you which ones make sense for your business.
Give us a call today at +65 6748 8776 for a free consultation with our Managed Cloud Team or contact us online anytime. We look forward to working with you!
ManagedIT.SG is an IT Support, IT Solutioning and Managed IT Service Provider specializing in serving Small Businesses in Singapore. Call us at +65 6748 8776 and let us manage your Small Business IT today!