10 Benefits of Cloud IT Services for Small Businesses

Many business owners rave about cloud computing, which is for a good reason. As many call it, the “cloud” is essentially the norm today. Cloud computing brings many advantages as businesses race towards boosting their operation efficiency and embracing technology.

It’s not just a buzzword that’s slapped here and there when you’re reading tech articles. The cloud is vital to how most businesses operate today. 

However, a common misconception about cloud computing is that it’s for bigger companies with heftier pockets. That is actually a far cry from the truth. This article dives deeper into all the benefits cloud IT services offer to small businesses.

Unlock the benefits we’re going to talk about when you work with the best. Check out the top cloud consulting companies on The Manifest now.

How Big is the “Cloud”?

To give you a clear understanding of how big the industry is now, experts predict that by the year 2025, more than 100 zettabytes of data will be stored in the cloud. A single zettabyte is basically a trillion gigabytes. 

Source: Fortune Business Insights

The industry’s growth can be attributed to the global pandemic that took the business world by storm. Due to its inherent nature, the cloud proved that it could handle major disruptions and influxes, earning the approval of business owners worldwide. It showed them how big the cloud can contribute to their resiliency and agility.

Various entities, including government agencies and software companies, use the cloud for their day-to-day business operations. As digital transformation continues to accelerate, there is still a ton of untapped potential for cloud computing. 

4 Types of Cloud IT Solutions

There are four crucial models of cloud computing that are a must-know for anyone interested in applying them for their business. Here are the different types of cloud IT solutions:

• Software as a Service — SaaS is one of the most popular and regularly used cloud IT solutions, and it is straightforward as it sounds. SaaS is a software and on-demand delivery model where a cloud-based software solution can be licensed by businesses on a subscription basis. 
• Platform as a Service — PaaS is a type of cloud IT solution that allows customers to develop, test, manage, deploy, and update applications efficiently. It’s an all-in-one development environment designed to support the complete application lifecycle.
• Infrastructure as a Service — IaaS is a cloud solution that’s designed to provide cloud storage, network, visualization, and server services.  
• Function as a Service — FaaS is a cloud-based service that allows businesses to develop and deploy application functionalities. It is an event-driven execution model and is used to deploy microservices.

Source: Executech

Benefits of Cloud IT Services for Small Businesses

Now that we’ve quickly covered ground on the types, let’s break down the benefits of cloud IT services for small businesses. Here are 8 massive gains that can help transform your SMB:

• Data Protection
• Scalability
• Cost Reduction
• Productivity Booster
• Remote Work Friendly
• Minimal Maintenance
• Disaster Recovery
• Productivity Booster

Data Protection

Data security is one of the top concerns of many business owners, and in contrast to what most believe, the cloud is extremely secure. Data is sacred, and security should always be the highest priority.

The rising frequency of cybersecurity attacks bolstered by the global pandemic has caused major concerns; SaaS or PaaS are solutions that can ease your worries. Major companies such as Microsoft and Amazon have advanced security measures designed to proactively protect, detect, and eliminate cyber threats.

As a small business, it’s hard to establish an expansive cybersecurity team and invest in many hardware and software to protect your data. Cloud IT services have cutting-edge systems that aim to keep your data safe 24/7.

Scalability

The cloud is a scalable solution, simple as that. See, your data grows as your business grows. That means your systems need to improve constantly. Cloud IT services relieve you from the burden of maintaining, updating, and scaling your own infrastructure. You will no longer need to buy more expensive hardware to support your growing data centers. 

Cloud computing services are also perfect for handling influxes as they can be scaled down or up depending on your needs. You can keep up with data influx during peak seasons or temporary demand rush.

Cost Reduction

In conjunction with the second point, the fact that you won’t need to buy servers and allot office space, you can save thousands of dollars on that alone. Monthly subscription fees are way more cost-friendly than maintaining physical assets. Contrary to what some believe, investing in your own data systems is not worth it, especially for small businesses. 

Whichever way you look at it, cloud computing is cheaper than any traditional means of data storage. You can store data at a relatively lower cost without worrying about hiring more professionals to manage your systems and buying the latest equipment that comes with hefty price tags.

Allocating resources for your IT needs can be a challenge. Read here to know more about how to create a cost-efficient budget: How to Create an IT Budget [With Template]

Sustainability

Businesses nowadays live by a mission, whether that’s to support the environment or promote wise energy consumption. With cloud IT services, you won’t have to break that vow. 

Cloud computing is a sustainable solution because it allows your business to reduce the carbon footprint that comes with burning electricity for cooling and hardware. You will only need a stable internet connection and not systems that run all day and night.

For anyone doubting its sustainability, it was found that more than 59 million tons of CO2 were saved as more companies embrace the solution. Also, the less energy your business consumes, the more you can save on electricity bills. 

Sources: earth5r

Remote Work Friendly

Since the pandemic, more workers have been leaning towards work-from-home opportunities or hybrid setups. In the past, business owners would have been concerned about how such arrangements could go. However, the recent work trends show that employees can be trusted to work on their own. 

Cloud IT services have greatly contributed to how businesses can operate remotely. It helps increase productivity because of its accessibility and transparency. Cloud-based apps work nonstop, so, employees only need a good laptop or desktop and a stable internet connection to get the job done. 

You can make your employees happier and give them the freedom to work wherever they like. Plus, you can also hire professionals from different locations to work for your small business. 

Minimal Maintenance

After three years or so, any IT hardware will most likely be outdated. One of the biggest benefits of cloud computing is that it eliminates the need for constant maintenance. Unlike conventional in-house data and IT infrastructure that needs upgrades and fixes, the cloud is a cost-saving and stress-free solution.

Cloud service providers automatically work hard to provide software updates and improve their offerings, so you can rest easy knowing that you will always get the best for your subscription.

That peace of mind is invaluable to any small business, as buying more state-of-the-art equipment can be a huge burden on their budgets and resources.

Disaster Recovery

Downtime and data loss are headaches that are not good for any small business. Frankly, downtime leads to a loss in productivity and wasted money. It can also leave sensitive data, like confidential customer information, vulnerable to security risks. 

Operating in the cloud ensures you don’t experience downtime and that you can recover quickly. When an unprecedented disaster occurs, you can still rest assured knowing that you will still have access to all the crucial data that you stored in remote servers.

Productivity Booster

Productivity is essential to small businesses, especially as they strive to grow and boost their sales. One advantage of cloud computing is that it allows collaboration and effective communication. Team members can track the work done by others without the need to be in a single workspace.

Cloud-based customer relationship management software (CRM) offers real-time functions like sales processing and file sharing. The potential for cloud technology is endless!

Tips for Maximizing Cloud IT Services

It’s easy to list the benefits of cloud computing, but if you don’t know how to maximize the service you’re subscribing to, you won’t reap those advantages. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of the cloud-based solutions you’re paying for:

• Don’t subscribe to excess data capacity you don’t need yet. The beauty of cloud computing is that you can maneuver freely and scale as you go.
• Along with your main web-based solution, consider mobile-friendly cloud implementations as they can be helpful to your employees working remotely.
• Train your team extensively on how to use the cloud. The more proficient they are with the solution, the more they can feel confident and comfortable using it.
• Hire a cloud consultant to help you identify opportunities to best integrate the solution you’re subscribing to. 
• Set up two-factor authentication. No matter how proven these cloud service providers are, it won’t hurt if you ensure everything is twice as safe.
• Understand the difference between a public or private cloud to know which works best for your business needs.

The Cloud is for Small Businesses Too

There are infinite possibilities you can explore and opportunities you can seize as your business grows with the right cloud IT service. Every small business owners want to give their company an advantage, and embracing cloud computing can be that edge.

Make the move to the cloud. Team up with the best cloud consulting companies on The Manifest.

Additional Readings:

• Pros and Cons of Public Cloud Solutions for Startups
• 7 SaaS Marketing Strategies to Attract Customers Online 
• 3 Benefits Of Hiring A Data Cleaning Company