How Cloud Computing Solutions Can Improve Efficiency and Reduce Headaches
Cloud solutions have become increasingly popular in recent years, a trend that’s no doubt partially driven by the number of people working from home. While such solutions may have been initially viewed as a way to accommodate this new telecommuting way of life, employers have discovered that migrating their workforce to the cloud has actually provided a number of benefits, from simplifying otherwise complex processes to increasing employee efficiency.
Easy Collaboration
With so many platforms designed for long-distance communication, it’s never been easier to collaborate remotely. While Zoom has become the de-facto video chat program that everyone is familiar with (the term “zoom meeting” seems to be part of the lexicon now), there’s also Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Slack, among many others. These programs allow workers to instantly connect, regardless of physical distance. Depending on how large your team is, holding a Zoom meeting might actually be easier than physically stuffing everyone into a conference room.
The ability to quickly share screens and digital files might actually give this method a leg up over traditional meetings. Additionally, a study done by Cisco showed that these programs can actually increase productivity by a whopping 400%. (Ntiva)
Quickly Accessible Files
Having every important document hosted in a cloud solution means that every file a worker could possibly need to access is available with a few keystrokes. We live in the age of the Internet and people expect everything to be done quickly. With cloud-based storage, if a customer has a question about anything related to your records, an employee can have that record up in front of them in a matter of seconds.
This is especially important for smaller businesses that just don’t possess the funds or the storage space for physical servers. Cloud storage has become a great equalizer in the workspace. (THESIStech)
Enhanced Adaptability
The business landscape is constantly changing. Not only that, but it changes quickly. For any business to survive, they need to be able to adapt. For IT-centric businesses, this means up-to-date software, hardware, and whatever else is used to efficiently run your operation. It’s vital that you’re able to quickly respond to both external and internal changes.
If you use cloud-based solutions, these changes can be handled with ease. For example, you can quickly increase services to meet higher user demand so that you’re not overwhelmed. Likewise, you can cut costs by eliminating services that you’re not currently using. If you’re paying for something that you don’t actually need, there’s zero ROI. With cloud-based services, it’s simple to reduce resources when they’re not in use. (Business)
Reduced Costs
Your company’s profit margin is one of the quickest and best indicators of your level of efficiency. This means that increased efficiency isn’t limited to increased output; reducing costs can also increase efficiency.
By using cloud technology, you can save money in a few ways. For starters, implementing a fully updated cloud solution is far cheaper than running your own server setup and making sure everything is up-to-date and working properly. You don’t have to invest in upgrades and improvements, you just need to account for the cost of the software and cloud services.
Secondly, it all but eliminates the need for an IT department. If cloud-based software stops working properly, it’s on that provider to fix the problem. After all, it’s part of the service that you’re paying to use. If everything your company uses is cloud-based, then your IT personnel can focus solely on the hardware side of things, which will reduce their workload immeasurably. (Dynamic Quest)
Cloud solutions have become increasingly popular, simplifying complex processes and increasing employee efficiency.Cloud solutions offer enhanced adaptability, allowing businesses to quickly respond to changes in the dynamic business landscape. Cloud technology reduces costs in several ways.
These are just a few examples of the benefits of switching to cloud-based operations. If you’re on the fence about making the change, just look at the number of companies shifting in that direction. The cloud represents the future of business.