When Is Cloud Computing Beneficial For Small Businesses?

From its invention a few decades back to the current era, cloud computing has benefited multiple industries around the world. It has allowed various organizations to bring innovation into their work environment and optimize their workflow for increased profits.

And, with more and more small businesses modernizing themselves, it’s finally the time for them to adopt the cloud as well. Integrating the cloud will provide them with premium features that will revolutionize their operations and witness exponential growth over time.

Here are a few instances when cloud computing makes things beneficial for small businesses:

1. Provides Better Security

One of the significant issues every small business faces is the integrity of their security measures. Since any alleged data leak can potentially put them in danger, the clients want their invaluable data to be thoroughly protected.

However, most small-scale businesses may not have adequate financial resources, causing them to deploy security options that are outdated and highly susceptible to modern cyberattacks.

Bringing cloud computing within their infrastructure will help them deploy quality security measures at a reasonable price. Since all the data is housed in cloud servers, any risk of illicit on-site access is avoided.

Also, they provide reliable protection measures like timely security scans, modern IDPS software, multi-tier IT systems, the latest anti-hacking tools, and experienced personnel for regularly detecting and fixing vulnerabilities across their network. For physically protecting the data, servers have biometric validation, CCTV tracking, an anti-burglary system, and personalized access IDs that further strengthen their security.

2. Enhanced Accessibility

In this rapidly developing customer-centric world, clients want just more than a traditional business experience. They want business solutions that are mobile and do not confine them within the boundaries of the existing system. A prevalent example of this is online shopping, wherein in 2018 an estimated 1.8 billion people shopped online. It signifies the requirement of mobility, which people expect.

Moving your business to the cloud will allow you to bring that much-needed mobility and grow it well. You can host your business applications and the client-associated data on the cloud servers – these servers are readily accessible from anywhere, anywhere.

All you need is valid authorization with a good internet connection for accessing them. It means, instead of waiting to get to your office and then answering your client’s needs, you can quickly provide your services round-the-clock and offer the desired modern approach.

3. Progressive Business Growth

When you are running a business, various factors determine its growth. One of them is the ‘return on investment.’ While a profitable ROI can help you progress and expand your business, the opposite can severely deplete your fiscal resources.

Hence, for productive business growth, you need to make investments that allow you to reap greater profits in the longer run. And this is where the cloud can help you.

Embracing the cloud allows you to do more with less. Since everything can be remotely managed, you can free your business from the geographical and time-zone restrictions and expand openly. Instead of waiting to stock up considerable capital for opening a sub-branch, you can hire employees remotely and eliminate the need to have a physical space altogether.

And since your services can be remotely accessed, you can also reach more clients this way and expand your customer base, getting a better ROI in the longer run.

4. Cost-effectiveness

Another hurdle every small business faces in its endeavors is limited financial ability. While quality customer service and efficient workflow management can indeed grow your business well, a certain degree of cost-effectiveness for sustaining is also required.

However, various operational costs like licensing fees for software, office space maintenance, the establishment of IT infrastructure, and other miscellaneous expenses can overwhelm your organization and stunt its progress.

And this is where the cloud can help you do things cost-effectively. Setting up the IT infrastructure and maintaining it comes under your service provider’s range of services. It means you don’t have to invest heavily or hire professionals for your IT setup.

Your vendor is also responsible for handling all licensing hassles of the software you use and provide its latest versions. You don’t have to buy software packages whenever you want to add a new user. All you need is to pay a monthly subscription for all the services you use, and your service provider will take care of all the rest.

5. Efficient Administrative Management

Last but most important is the need for efficient administrative management. Whether it is a small business or large, each has its share of various administrative tasks like invoicing, employee supervision and recruitment, payroll processing, procurement of office essentials, IT costs, and customer engagement. Efficient management helps you boost your organizational productivity, which can be further improved by using the cloud.

Since you can access everything remotely, instead of setting up fixed office timing, you can delegate your employees into different shifts and offer flexible engagement options to your clients.

This way, you can improve your customer experience and also better manage them. Also, as your service provider collects your IT infrastructure, you can give more time towards your business goals and work on its core competencies.

Conclusion

Cloud computing can be a game-changer in how small businesses approach their operations. It is their best friend when they need better data security, cost-effective solutions, effective data management, better business growth, and much more. In short, you can hit many targets with a single arrow of cloud computing.

Wish to know how cloud computing can help your small business?  Get in touch with our Solutions Consultant at 855-622-8313.