6 Benefits of Moving Your Small Business to the Cloud
"The cloud" sounds like a nebulous other-world without definition or structure, but the reality is quite different. Moving your small business to the cloud can save you time, energy, and money, all while improving communication and collaboration among your team. Check out six specific benefits of taking the leap with your small business.
1. Make "Business Anywhere" a Possibility
As an on-the-go business owner, you know there are times when you need to update a shared calendar while watching your son's Little League game, or schedule a meeting from a plane. Cloud services make these types of interactions possible - and they're often the "gateway drug" to other cloud services. Popular applications, such as Google Calendar and Google Docs, are accessible from your laptop, smartphone, or tablet, and as long as you have an Internet connection, you can interact with clients, customers, and staff members with ease.
One of my favorite new cloud services is ScheduleOnce. If you're constantly scheduling meetings, and you want to make the process simpler, all you do is set up a calendar with your available meeting times. Then, send the link out to clients, customers, or team members. They can schedule their own meetings based on your availability, and the system auto-synchs to both of your online calendars. You can even set up auto-reminders so you're never caught off-guard by an appointment you forgot.
2. Reduce Hardware & Software Costs
It's not cheap to keep a small business up-to-speed with the latest technology. If you're purchasing and maintaining your own servers and constantly updating computer software, those expenses are going to receive priority over some of the other things you might like to pursue.
The beauty of the cloud is you can take advantage of off-site servers that are managed and maintained by other people. For instance, if you need your own server to host a website, rather than purchasing the hardware required to maintain one on-site, look to cloud-based servers, such as Amazon Web Services. You can host a website for a fraction of the cost, saving you the upfront expense as well as the ongoing maintenance costs.
Software is the same way. Instead of purchasing QuickBooks to be installed separately on each of your company's PCs, opt for a cloud-based system, such as QuickBooks Online or FreshBooks. The monthly fees are reasonable, they enable multiple parties to view and work on the same content at the same time, and upgrades are managed by offsite companies, completely independent of you. As long as you're paying your monthly fees, you never have to worry about the time and expense required to update and upgrade.
3. Reduce Staffing Costs
Because of the knowledge and skill required of IT staff, their salaries alone can eat up a big portion of your budget. By taking advantage of cloud services, you can limit the number of tech employees you hire. If your servers are hosted off-site and your software upgrades are performed by cloud businesses, you won't need employees to perform those tasks, freeing up cash for other matters.
4. Improve Collaboration
When you're working in the cloud, multiple people, from multiple workstations, can all pitch in to work on the same spreadsheet, document, or file. Google Docs is just one example - if you have a shared spreadsheet with all of your clients' information, two people can open it up in real-time, message one another through the document, and provide updates that are immediately visible to the other party.
Basecamp is another excellent example of project management software that allows multiple users to work together, communicating through an online portal while tracking deadlines and tasks. The simplicity and instant gratification offered by these types of systems makes collaboration much easier, no matter where you're located.
5. Enhance Communication
The workforce has changed drastically in the last 20 years. Small businesses, especially, are known for their agility and flexibility. In the past, this type of ever-shifting environment would have been hard to maintain, but with the use of the cloud, communication is easier, more effective, and generally more affordable.
If you need to host a last-minute face-to-face meeting with an out-of-state client, simply schedule a Skype call. If you want to have a team session when you're working from home, organize a Google Hangout. Even professional video conferences are easy to schedule and organize with the use of services like GoToMeeting. There's really no excuse not to keep in touch when you're connected through the cloud.
6. Scalability
When you're working with hardware, software, and staff that you maintain in-house, scalability isn't easy. If your product or service suddenly goes viral, you have to purchase more hardware or hire more staff to manage the output. If demand suddenly drops again, you're left with more hardware and employees than you really need.
When working in the cloud, scalability is much simpler. For instance, Amazon Web Services makes it easy to bump up the server capacity for your website based on user load with a few clicks of a button. You can meet your web traffic demands in real-time, scaling back as soon as demand falls.
Final Thoughts
It can feel a little like stepping off a cliff when you start moving your services to the cloud - you lose some of the control you have when maintaining everything in-house. However, by gradually testing out a few programs or services, you're bound to start appreciating the many cost and production benefits associated with taking the leap.
Do you use any cloud services for your small business? If so, which ones?
* About the Author: Don Oster shares thoughts on small business, technology, and business operations, as a contributing writer for Money Crashers and other organizations.
1. Make "Business Anywhere" a Possibility
As an on-the-go business owner, you know there are times when you need to update a shared calendar while watching your son's Little League game, or schedule a meeting from a plane. Cloud services make these types of interactions possible - and they're often the "gateway drug" to other cloud services. Popular applications, such as Google Calendar and Google Docs, are accessible from your laptop, smartphone, or tablet, and as long as you have an Internet connection, you can interact with clients, customers, and staff members with ease.
One of my favorite new cloud services is ScheduleOnce. If you're constantly scheduling meetings, and you want to make the process simpler, all you do is set up a calendar with your available meeting times. Then, send the link out to clients, customers, or team members. They can schedule their own meetings based on your availability, and the system auto-synchs to both of your online calendars. You can even set up auto-reminders so you're never caught off-guard by an appointment you forgot.
2. Reduce Hardware & Software Costs
It's not cheap to keep a small business up-to-speed with the latest technology. If you're purchasing and maintaining your own servers and constantly updating computer software, those expenses are going to receive priority over some of the other things you might like to pursue.
The beauty of the cloud is you can take advantage of off-site servers that are managed and maintained by other people. For instance, if you need your own server to host a website, rather than purchasing the hardware required to maintain one on-site, look to cloud-based servers, such as Amazon Web Services. You can host a website for a fraction of the cost, saving you the upfront expense as well as the ongoing maintenance costs.
Software is the same way. Instead of purchasing QuickBooks to be installed separately on each of your company's PCs, opt for a cloud-based system, such as QuickBooks Online or FreshBooks. The monthly fees are reasonable, they enable multiple parties to view and work on the same content at the same time, and upgrades are managed by offsite companies, completely independent of you. As long as you're paying your monthly fees, you never have to worry about the time and expense required to update and upgrade.
3. Reduce Staffing Costs
Because of the knowledge and skill required of IT staff, their salaries alone can eat up a big portion of your budget. By taking advantage of cloud services, you can limit the number of tech employees you hire. If your servers are hosted off-site and your software upgrades are performed by cloud businesses, you won't need employees to perform those tasks, freeing up cash for other matters.
4. Improve Collaboration
When you're working in the cloud, multiple people, from multiple workstations, can all pitch in to work on the same spreadsheet, document, or file. Google Docs is just one example - if you have a shared spreadsheet with all of your clients' information, two people can open it up in real-time, message one another through the document, and provide updates that are immediately visible to the other party.
Basecamp is another excellent example of project management software that allows multiple users to work together, communicating through an online portal while tracking deadlines and tasks. The simplicity and instant gratification offered by these types of systems makes collaboration much easier, no matter where you're located.
5. Enhance Communication
The workforce has changed drastically in the last 20 years. Small businesses, especially, are known for their agility and flexibility. In the past, this type of ever-shifting environment would have been hard to maintain, but with the use of the cloud, communication is easier, more effective, and generally more affordable.
If you need to host a last-minute face-to-face meeting with an out-of-state client, simply schedule a Skype call. If you want to have a team session when you're working from home, organize a Google Hangout. Even professional video conferences are easy to schedule and organize with the use of services like GoToMeeting. There's really no excuse not to keep in touch when you're connected through the cloud.
6. Scalability
When you're working with hardware, software, and staff that you maintain in-house, scalability isn't easy. If your product or service suddenly goes viral, you have to purchase more hardware or hire more staff to manage the output. If demand suddenly drops again, you're left with more hardware and employees than you really need.
When working in the cloud, scalability is much simpler. For instance, Amazon Web Services makes it easy to bump up the server capacity for your website based on user load with a few clicks of a button. You can meet your web traffic demands in real-time, scaling back as soon as demand falls.
Final Thoughts
It can feel a little like stepping off a cliff when you start moving your services to the cloud - you lose some of the control you have when maintaining everything in-house. However, by gradually testing out a few programs or services, you're bound to start appreciating the many cost and production benefits associated with taking the leap.
Do you use any cloud services for your small business? If so, which ones?
* About the Author: Don Oster shares thoughts on small business, technology, and business operations, as a contributing writer for Money Crashers and other organizations.