In today’s world of evolving technology and digital advancements, business leaders from CEOs to CIOs understand the value of cloud solutions and are increasingly focused on implementing a comprehensive cloud technology into their business strategy. Accordingly, Forbes predicts that “78% of U.S. small businesses will have fully adopted cloud computing by 2020 and that cloud computing will “increase from $67B in 2015 to $162B in 2020,” with cloud solutions spanning beyond large organizations to include government agencies and small & medium sized businesses (Forbes).
What is the Cloud?
As a simple explanation, cloud computing is a form of technology that enables users to store and access data and programs on the internet, while providing a reliable alternative to saving valuable information on a computer’s hard drive.
The benefits of a cloud solution are vast. From reducing costs to securing data, organizations across industries are eager to adopt a cloud solution that best aligns with goals and objectives that are unique to their business. To further demonstrate the advantages of cloud solutions and how your business may benefit, our team has compiled a list of the top reasons business leaders invest in the cloud.
Why Businesses Use Cloud Solutions?
Reduce Costs, Increase Profits
From reduced infrastructure costs to eliminating hardware and server licensing fees, cloud solutions offer businesses a cost savings strategy that is appealing to companies in every industry—including government organizations. For example, the U.S. Government Accountability Office recently compiled a report titled, “Cloud Computing: Additional Opportunities and Savings Need to Be Pursued.” The findings were impressive, including the following observation:
“The agencies collectively reported cost savings of about $96 million from the implementation of 22 of the 101 cloud services. These savings included both one-time and multiyear savings. For example, the General Services Administration saved $2.6 million by migrating to a cloud customer service solution, and Homeland Security saved $1.2 million from fiscal years 2011 through 2013 by implementing a cloud-based collaboration service.” – U.S. Government Accountability Office
The report also explained that in the cases where the cloud services did not result in cost savings, the reasons could be attributed to either an alternative end-goal (i.e. the goal was to improve service, not reduce cost), or the cloud solution presented an upgraded service option that provided benefits but “associated costs negated any savings.”
Freedom to Work From Anywhere
If you’re like most companies, the request from employees to work remotely is steadily increasing, and is often viewed by current and potential employees as an added perk or company benefit. In fact, according to a 2017 Gallup survey cited by the New York Times, “43 percent of employed Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely”—a number that is only expected to increase in coming years.
In order to provide this benefit and protect valuable data in the process, companies have to provide employees with the ability to securely log-in to the computer system from anywhere in the world. That’s where a reliable cloud solution comes into play. And what’s even better for employers and employees is that the benefits continue beyond remote access, including the following:
- Easy access to information across devices
- Increased collaboration and communication among team members
- Elevated service level and enhanced productivity
Scale as Needed
The ability to scale your cloud solutions is an attractive feature for any sized business, and is particularly appealing for a small business with fluctuating needs and a limited budget. Further highlighting this point is Mark Deakin, a partner technology strategist at Microsoft, who recently said “Cloud computing makes it possible for small businesses to harness the computing power and technology that has only previously been available to enterprises with big budgets (The Guardian).”
Beyond the appeal of a more affordable and accessible cloud option, and another benefit of a cloud solution, is the flexibility to adjust your usage as needs change. For example, with a cloud solution you can scale server activity up and down, based on your business’s unique needs throughout the course of the year. A customized cloud solution, like My Cloud, allows you to only pay for what you use, and eliminates risky overspending and unexpected costs.
Secure Data Management
A comprehensive cloud solution is particularly appealing in the face of a disaster (natural or human-induced), as it “is a critical component in disaster planning because it relieves most of the tension with IT services and it provides a new level of business continuity” (Inc.).
For example, if your business were to experience a disaster, whether it be a hurricane, fire, fraud or cyber attack, do you feel confident that valuable company data would be secured? Would you be able to maintain business continuity and protect essential technical operations? If you’re unsure, it may be time to develop a disaster recovery plan, with a cloud solution element that is integrated as part of your business continuity strategy. The benefits of a cloud solution are immense in the event of disaster, including:
- Data is backed up daily using advanced fail-over technology and redundancy, meaning that system downtowns are significantly reduced or avoided.
- Data is supported, managed and updated off-site, typically by an IT partner, who are consistently performing system upgrades behind the scenes.
Ready to Migrate to the Cloud?
Convinced that you want to join the estimated “78% of U.S. small businesses that will have fully adopted cloud computing by 2020” (Forbes)? It’s easy to get started with Big Sur and our customized My Cloud solution—which offers all of the advantages of having a big computer system without the overhead of housing it in your office, and is supported by the Big Sur team who is able to manage your entire system.
As a strategic IT partner, our team at Big Sur Technologies is experienced in transforming an organization with the power and speed of My Cloud, one of our primary service offerings. To learn more about My Cloud and other services, contact our team today.
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