Cloud computing is rapidly evolving and changing the way that modern businesses operate, but, just how important is it? Do all businesses have to adopt cloud computing as part of their strategy? Or is it possible to put it off for a while longer and outperform your competitors without it?
For example, at what point should a new start-up switch to cloud computing? In honesty, it should be immediate; make cloud computing a part of your initial business plan and start utilizing it from the very get-go.
Why? Because change is inevitable and you’ll only have to make the transition eventually, so, why go to all that trouble when you can embrace it from the very beginning instead?
Here’s a closer look at why you should implement cloud computing immediately as a new start-up…
1. It’s cost-effective
The strongest argument in cloud computing’s favor is the fact that it is cost-effective. This is because it eliminates the need for you to have physical and/or hardware storage – which in turn needs additional IT professionals and equipment maintenance. And that’s not to mention any security implications.
The fact is, keeping your critical business data stored on-site is an unnecessary risk. If in the event that anything does go wrong and that data is compromised and lost, it will cost your business so much more than money.
Similarly, you can keep your staffing costs down by outsourcing your IT requirements to a third-party supplier. Using various ‘cloud-based’ systems, your IT management partners can help you and your employees with technical support as and when you need it, rather than having a costly, full-time IT department.
Further to that, given how many cloud-based solutions can save time on various administrative tasks and improve productivity, it can also effectively increase revenue generation – especially when embraced by your sales and marketing departments.
2. Mobility
Having the freedom for both you and your employees to work remotely, stay connected, and access critical systems on the move, securely, is an incredible benefit.
In previous business models, SaaS platforms could only be accessed from the office itself. However, today, with cloud computing on the rise, business owners and employees can access their platforms from wherever they want.
For example: if one of your employees forgot to send a critical document to a client before they ran out of the office to beat rush hour traffic, they can securely access their documents from home and finish their important tasks – as opposed to having to wait until the morning, thus wasting yours and your client’s precious time.
This is just one example of how the added mobility can benefit your business.
3. Security
Security should be at the forefront of your priorities – particularly in a world where big data is king and cyber threats are on the rise.
Certainly, nothing is 100% secure, however, cloud computing does offer the safest possible alternative.
When dealing with some of the most reputable cloud servers in Australia, you’ll have the added benefit of having thousands of the finest cybersecurity engineers innovating on your behalf.
How much money would you need to invest in order to match that level of security sophistication? Instead, you can leave it to the experts who are quite literally in the security business.
4. Integration
Some business owners put off cloud computing because they are worried about migrating and losing some of their legacy information and data. This is a common misconception. The fact is, extracting and converting your old data isn’t all that difficult. That said, you can avoid any concerns altogether by embracing cloud computing from the get-go – rather than waiting for the ‘right time’.
Additionally, you don’t necessarily have to embrace cloud computing in every single aspect of your business. One of the main benefits of working with a reputable cloud computing provider is the fact that you can often ‘mix and match’ and choose only the services that you are interested in at that time.
As such, if you do have one or two ‘legacy’ systems that you wish to continue using for now, successfully upgrading in the future should not be all that complicated.
Just take your time to weigh up the pros and cons and decide whether a total migration is in your best interest.
5. Collaboration
With cloud computing, start-ups can expand their operations to the farthest reaches of the world, utilizing remote teams with impressive capabilities.
In fact, you don’t even necessarily need a physical office to succeed as a new start-up in the modern digital age. You can collaborate with anyone you want to, building a team of talented individuals from all over – all of whom can access, share, edit, and collaborate using the same CRM systems in a secure and user-friendly environment.
Of course, if you prefer the classic office set up and enjoy having your employees in one place, sharing ideas, communicating, and building an awesome community culture, there are still lots of great cloud-based collaboration tools that can improve the way in which your employees work together – particularly with multiple departments contributing to a single project.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, if you wish to hit the ground running and embrace the latest innovations, leveraging cloud computing in your early start-up business model is highly recommended. It’s not just the cost-saving implications or the advanced security, but the ease of integration, collaboration, and mobility.
When you build your business from the ground up, utilizing the many cloud-based solutions available, it will soon become second nature to you and your employees. This is far better than having to essentially ‘unlearn’ your dated methods and embrace the new further down the line.
We understand how overwhelming it can be. It can almost feel as though you are surrendering control of your business and becoming reliant on others in order to operate, however, that is not the case. You will be in full control of your business while leveraging the power of the cloud to streamline your operations and outperform your competitors.
