The Benefits of the Cloud

The benefits of adopting a cloud-based business IT solution include:

1. Lower IT Costs

By taking your previously on-site solution and moving it to the cloud you are removing it from your premises. You no longer need to upgrade software, maintain data centres, update your infrastructure, worry about on-site security or purchase licenses you don't need. This will dramatically reduce your IT costs.
 

2. Automatic Updates

You do not have to update any software yourself - it is all done by your Cloud provider. Your software is just automatically updated with every new release that is made centrally.
 

3. It's Quick

As there’s no need to install infrastructure on site, it’s quick to set up. It’s also very quick and very easy to add additional services or users as your business grows.
 

4. Increased Storage Space

The Cloud is online, and as such offers virtually unlimited storage compared to traditional servers and hard drive limits. If you need more storage space, you simply purchase more - you only pay for what you need.
 

5. Flexibility, Collaboration & Productivity

Cloud computing solutions, specifically Google Apps, allows staff to access their data and files at any time, from anywhere and through any Internet enabled device, giving them total flexibility. They can work from home or even update customer/prospect data directly from a client meeting.

Through The Cloud, employees are even able to collaborate on documents in real-time across company, geographic locations and time-zones. Documents can be viewed online by all parties simultaneously, negating the need for, and management of, version control. This enhanced flexibility and ease of collaboration means that staff can be more productive with their time.
 

6. Increased workplace innovation

A study recently conducted by the London School of Economics and Political Science, found that cloud services could be so tailor-made to a company’s unique requirements that employees, once bogged down with old processes & infrastructure were now free to think more creatively. According to the study, “With a cloud model, companies can think about processes at a level that is more detailed and personalised to their individual needs, but the solution will not need to be customised in older, prohibitively expensive ways.”
 

7. Freedom (to focus)

Cloud Computing is, by definition, based in the Cloud i.e. off premise - and is wholly managed by someone else. So by adopting a Cloud Computing model you’re essentially removing the 90% of your day that’s taken up by ‘maintenance’ and replacing it with more meaningful activities.