Featured blog by Lewis Robinson, business consultant specializing in social media marketing
Businesses from different industries and geographical locations are turning to cloud services to store, manage and process data. According to a study done in 2015, the annual spending by companies on cloud computing infrastructure has increased by 30 percent. Companies have reported a lot of benefits due to their cloud strategies. Here are key benefits of cloud computing organizations are experiencing today that has led to quantifiable improvements in their businesses.
Increased Productivity
Cloud computing allows the employees and business executives to work anytime, anywhere. This fosters a good environment for more collaborations within the organization. The ability to share information continuously and work on projects together can transform business processes in a big way. Workers can complete projects in real-time and share information with each other remotely. Many of them even work extra hours at the comfort of their houses. This leads to increased productivity and efficiency. Cloud computing is more scalable and reduces frequent interruptions in production.
Flexibility
According to a survey done by Gartner, many CEOs across the globe prefer cloud computing because of agility and innovation. Cloud-based services provide a great platform for businesses development. They are ideal for businesses that have growing or changing storage demands. If there is an increased storage demand, one simply scales up the cloud’s capacity. Such adjustments cut across data exchange, storage and execution. If there is need for scaling down, the cloud offers a flexible option that updates the system to effect the changes. This means businesses can operate seamlessly without having to worry about changes in production processes. The level of flexibility in the cloud can give businesses an advantage over their competitors.
Document Control
As employees produce and exchange information within the production loop, the need for proper documentation increases. Workers have to send files back and forth as attachments through the company’s intranet. This often creates a lot of conflicting files in different formats and titles. The number of complications increases as more data is being released, processed and stored. People who use the cloud send files in a central place where everyone can access them. Everyone sees one version at a time, limiting the rate at which the documents get distorted. The cloud setup also offers a good business intelligence platform where executives and workers can retrieve documents and use them to make more informed decisions.
Security
According to a survey done by QuoteColo in 2015, 94 percent of business executives admitted that their security improved after adopting cloud computing. Cloud services store information on servers and hardware a business doesn’t control. These offsite servers have stringent security measures that prevent any form of data breach. They typically require the most powerful firewalls, access credentials and security protocols to make sure business managers are comfortable storing critical information on their servers. The data is stored in a central repository managed 24/7 by internet security experts. The providers also carry out a threat assessment analysis for every cloud application the business launches. They constantly work to make sure the security measures put in place are stronger and more effective.
Competitiveness
Cloud computing provides small businesses with an opportunity to become more competitive. It allows them to access enterprise-class technology that enhances their production processes and customer satisfaction rates. It also allows smaller businesses to act faster than their established competitors. The cloud also presents equal opportunities for every business to streamline its processes and enhance service delivery. This allows small outfits to compete fairly with the larger businesses while remaining steady.
Cloud computing is essential for businesses that are serious about productivity, competition, security and flexibility. Cloud computing can also help the business save on IT costs and benefit from latest infrastructure required to gain a competitive advantage over others. Only one point discussed above should be enough to convince you to move to the cloud. But when you count up to five, it becomes a no-brainer.
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