Many businesses have already used the cloud to
great success, but others might not even know where to start. The thing is, the
cloud has so many features and potential solutions that organizations who don’t
know where to start might be overwhelmed by the possibilities. Today, we’ll look
at some specific benefits offered by cloud-hosted solutions and services.
Cloud Benefits
Most applications that your business could use
will have a cloud option, but rather than purchasing the solution outright,
you’re buying them “as a service.” What this means is that you get full access
to the application, as well as hosting, access control, and security options
for protecting the data, all without having to manage or maintain the systems;
you just have to pay a monthly rate that can easily fit into any budget.
The traditional method of software acquisition
involved purchasing licenses on an annual basis, but this prevented
organizations from purchasing software in the short term. By purchasing
software as a service, businesses have more freedom to try new services.
Additionally, software as a service is more mobile than traditional methods of
accessing solutions, as they can be used by anyone on an Internet connection.
This makes it particularly useful for project management and collaboration.
How to Pick Your Cloud Services
You know what services your organization
offers, so naturally, you want to select cloud-based services based on what
your business needs. This could be anything from services that help you manage
workflow, customer relations, marketing, productivity, and support. The biggest
pain point to consider for all of these is the annual cost of such a service,
and how it affects your budget. Are there other opportunities for your
organization to improve operations? Are they lacking any tools? Any non-legacy
software solution can be deployed through the cloud, so addressing your needs
becomes easier in general if you know what to look for.
The Cloud for Management
You can centralize your management through
certain Customer Relationship Management software, giving your organization
more control over how it manages its customer relationships, including the
management of tasks, interactions, and contacts. Professional Services
Automation and Enterprise Resource Planning include CRM software to provide
organizations with resources to run an entire business, from the procurement
stage to distribution.
The Cloud for Productivity
Businesses that utilize the cloud for
productivity have ways to provide scalable resources to end users in a way that
gives greater control over software costs. Every organization needs a
spreadsheet program, word processor, and presentation software. Cloud-hosted
solutions give businesses greater control over these kinds of solutions. There
might be other industry-specific software applications that are used
exclusively by organizations like yours. If there isn’t a solution out there
that does what you want it to, you can purchase server space and host the
application on your own cloud platform--or, better yet, get a managed IT
provider to handle this responsibility for you.
Security
Some organizations use the cloud for security
to keep unwanted intruders and malware off of their network. Most businesses
take advantage of local network protection, but subscribing to security
services through the cloud gives you access to more dynamic solutions as a
whole that are needed to guarantee systems remain safe and secure.
Communications
The cloud is exceptionally helpful for
communication solutions. Companies are making the jump to Internet-based phone
systems, cloud-hosted email, and collaboration platforms that allow for work to
get done across departments.
Does your company need more cloud-based resources? We can help. To learn more, reach out to Emerge’s IT professionals at 859-746-1030.