Cloud computing: it’s a term you’ve heard bandied about for the last couple of years. It’s one of those terms that are accompanied by phrases like: Year of the Cloud; and Best Business Management Solution. It’s been so hyped up, in fact, that IT researcher Raj Mudaliar has coined a new term, “cloud fatigue”. It’s when business owners and managers are so saturated with cloud marketing spiel that they get turned off the idea of moving their business process.
This is bad news for companies that offer cloud computing services; at least, it’s bad news for some companies. Mudaliar points out three shining examples in the cloud: Telstra, Hewlett-Packard and Fujitsu, with Telstra saving some major companies in the region of $1 million dollars over a three-year period (The Australian).
Reputation is everything
The secret to these companies’ success is not a secret at all. It’s the cornerstone of every single successful business and that is they do their jobs very well. They’re supremely good at managing and maintaining their data centres and keeping all the data contained secure. These companies have built reputations for reliability, efficiency and efficacy. A solid reputation, such as theirs, is essential if you want to win over people who are slightly nervous about venturing into the cloud.
Advantages of the cloud
- A recent survey by MYOB has found that 53% of SMEs who have migrated to the cloud in the last 12 months have experienced an increase in revenue. (Yet only 14% of SMEs have actually made the move.)
- It’s easier to manage every single aspect of customer relations because all the information is readily available to anyone who needs it in one place. Information is updated in real-time so you don’t have to worry about inaccurate facts or figures.
- It provides a great deal of flexibility. With all the data available anytime and anywhere, employees can easily work from home – or the nearest coffee shop if they so choose. It increases the risk of always-on, always-available burn-out, but it does mean that when your department head is off sick, she can still check in to see that everything is running smoothly.
- It provides extra data security. Vendors’ reputations depend on their ability to keep data secure; this means that they put in heaps of extra effort to maintain world-class security systems. Systems that are much more sophisticated than the ones that you would find in your average SME.
- It’s affordable because it’s scalable. Packages are available for business of all kinds and sizes. If you’re a five-man plumbing company you don’t need to fork out for the same package as KPMG.
These are just some of the advantages inherent in cloud computing. There are heaps more. But you have to take the plunge to find out exactly how the cloud can help your business.
This guest post was written on behalf of SAP Careers by Sandy Cosser. SAP Careers is a niche job portal that helps SAP professionals find jobs in the USA, UK and Australia.