DETROIT – Small and medium-sized businesses are quickly moving to the cloud. And they?re finding that cloud-based services – software as a service, infrastructure as a service, and platform as a service provided by vendors from remote locations ?in the cloud? – offer advantages over terrestrial products. For example, with these applications, SMBs can more cost-effectively expand in new markets and more easily connect all their facilities.
In essence, cloud-based services can change the way SMBs compete in the marketplace.
That?s why it is essential for SMBs still on the fence about the cloud to take a closer look at its benefits.
Benefits of the Cloud
Access. Accessing cloud-based programs couldn?t be easier for the SMB or its employees. The SMB sets up what it wants simply by signing a contract with the vendor. Then it gives employees secure access and makes sure they have enough bandwidth to handle the features they?ll be using. When the employees want to use the services, they just launch the applications on their laptops, computers, or mobile devices the same way they have always begun work on similar programs that may have been on a local server in the past, but are now in the cloud.
Elasticity and Scalability. The cloud can be expanded or contracted as much as necessary to meet the SMB?s changing demands. This elasticity enables the company to scale the services it uses to meet its immediate requirements and, therefore, to pay for only what it needs, when it needs it.
Savings. Until cloud-based applications were available to them, SMBs often faced overwhelming decisions about purchasing software and IT equipment they typically couldn?t afford. Now, they can subscribe to these services?without purchasing them?on a monthly or annual basis. The result is significant savings achieved both by eliminating these purchases and removing their ongoing, often huge, maintenance costs.
Shared Resources and Costs. It doesn?t matter whether an SMB has dozens of large offices or only a few small ones. With the cloud, all of them can be connected. This connectivity improves collaboration, making projects run smoother, cost less, and achieve greater results. It also assures that all business systems?customer record management, enterprise resource planning, phone, email, and others?are the same across the company, reducing costs, confusion, and hiccups in day-to-day operations.
Any Device, Anywhere. Unlike traditional applications, cloud-based services are not tied to only one operating platform or to a single location. They are designed to be used on any desktop or mobile device from anywhere as long as the user has enough bandwidth speed. Furthermore, as long as employees have approved access and enough bandwidth to run the programs, they can do so from anywhere they feel like working.
Overall, the cloud makes it possible for SMBs to play ball against the reigning champs. Just as having greater bandwidth improves their ability to compete in today?s business environment, the cloud puts them on a level playing field with large enterprises that, until now, benefitted from services beyond SMBs? reach.
