Top 12 Most Looked Benefits of Cloud Computing for Business

Cloud computing has been around for two decades and despite data pointing towards business efficiencies, cost advantages and competitive advantages, it is the old-fashioned way of business, with a large portion of the business community operating the old-fashioned way. According to a study by the International Data Group, 69 percent of businesses are already using cloud technology in some capacity, and 18 percent say they plan to implement cloud-computing solutions at some point . At the same time, according to Dell's report, companies investing in big data, cloud, mobility and security get 53% faster revenue growth than their competitors. As this data clearly shows, a growing number of tech-savvy businesses and industry leaders are recognizing the many benefits of the cloud computing trend. But more than that, they are using this technology to run their organizations more efficiently, better serve their customers and dramatically increase their overall profit margins.

All of this indicates that there has never been a better time to get your head in the cloud, given the clear direction in which the industry is headed. Cloud computing is a term that has gained widespread use over the years. With the exponential increase in data usage with the transition of digital to 21st century society, it is becoming increasingly difficult for individuals and organizations to get all their important information, programs and systems on and running in-house computer servers. . The solution to this problem is one that has been around the Internet for a long time, but it has recently gained widespread application for businesses.

Cloud computing works on the same principle as a web-based email client, allowing users to access all the features and files of the system on their computers without having to place a large portion of that system. In fact, most people already use a variety of cloud computing services, even without realizing Gmail, Google Drive, TurboTax, and even Facebook and Instagram are all cloud-based. For all these services, users are sending their personal data to a cloud-hosted server that stores information for later access. And as useful as these applications are for personal use, they become even more valuable for businesses that need to be able to access large amounts of data over a secure, online network connection.

For example, it is easy for employees to access customer information via cloud-based CRM software such as Salesforce, whether at home or on the go, from their smartphones or tablets, and instantly access that information with other authorized parties anywhere in the world, sharing it is very easy. Still, there are leaders who are hesitant to make cloud computing solutions for their organizations. Therefore, we want to take a few minutes, and share the 12 business benefits of cloud computing.

1. Cost Savings

If you're worried about the price tag that comes with switching to cloud computing, you're not alone; 20 percent of organizations are concerned about the initial cost of implementing cloud-based servers. But those trying to weigh the pros and cons of using the cloud need to consider more factors than just the starting price; They need to consider ROI.

Once you are on the cloud, if you have easy access to your company's data, the project will help both start-ups save time and money. And, for those who are concerned that they will pay for the features they neither need nor want, most cloud computing services are pay-as-you-go. This means that if you don't take advantage of the cloud offering, at least you won't have to leave money on it.

The pay-as-you-go system also applies to the data storage space needed to serve your stakeholders and customers, meaning you will get as much space as you need, and will not be charged for any space that You do not. Overall, the use of these factors results in lower costs as well as higher returns. More than half of all CIOs and IT leaders surveyed by Bitglass benefited from the reported cost savings in 2015 as a result of using cloud-based applications.

2. Security

Many organizations have a major hang up security issue when it comes to adopting cloud computing solutions. After all, when files, programs, and other data are not stored safely on the site, how can you know that they are being protected? If you can remote access your data, who's stopping a cybercriminal from doing the same thing? Well, a little bit, really.

The full-time task of cloud hosts is to carefully monitor for security, which proves to be significantly more efficient than traditional in-house systems, where an organization is mandated to divide its efforts among a myriad of IT concerns, and in which Security is also included. And while most businesses don't like to openly consider the possibility of internal data theft, the truth is that a staggeringly high percentage of data theft occurs internally and is perpetrated by employees. When this happens, keeping sensitive information off-site may actually be more secure. Of course, this is all very pithy, so let's consider some concrete figures.

RapidScale claims that 94% of businesses have experienced considerable security improvements after switching to the cloud, and 91% believe that the cloud has proven to be very useful in meeting government compliance requirements. The key to this amped-up protection is the encryption of data transmitted over the network and stored in the database. Using encryption, the information is less accessible by hackers or anyone not authorized to view your data. As an additional security measure, as with most cloud-based services, different security settings can be set based on the user.

3. Flexibility

Your business has only a limited amount of focus to divide it among all its responsibilities. If your current IT solutions are forcing you to pay too much attention to the issue of computers and data-storage, then you will not be able to focus on reaching business goals and satisfying customers. On the other hand, by relying on an external organization to take care of all IT hosting and infrastructure, you will definitely have more time to devote to those aspects of your business that are directly affecting your bottom line.

Cloud provides businesses with more flexibility than hosting on local servers. And, if you need additional bandwidth, a cloud-based service can quickly meet that demand, rather than having to undergo a complex (and expensive) update to your IT infrastructure. This improved independence and flexibility can make a significant difference to the overall efficiency of your organization. A 65% majority of respondents to the Information Week survey stated that 'ability to meet business demands quickly' was one of the most important reasons businesses should move to a cloud environment.

4. Mobility

Cloud computing allows mobile access to corporate data via smartphones and devices, which today, using more than 2.6 billion smartphones globally, is a great way to ensure that no one is out of the loop. Employees with busy schedules, or who live far away from the corporate office, can use this feature to keep up-to-date with customers and colleagues immediately.

Through the cloud, you can provide easily accessible information to sales staff, freelance employees, or remote employees traveling for better work-life balance. Therefore, it is not surprising to see that organizations with employee satisfaction listed as a priority have a higher likelihood of expanding cloud usage by 24 percent.

5. Insight

Today, as we enter the digital age, it is becoming clear that the old saying 'knowledge is power' has taken a more modern and precise form, such as 'Data is money.' There are nuggets of invaluable, actionable information hidden within the millions of bits of data surrounding your customer transactions and business processes that are waiting to be identified and processed. In fact, unless you have the means to access the right cloud computing solution, it becomes very difficult to go through that data to find these kernels.

Integrated cloud analytics are provided for a bird's eye view of your data through multiple cloud-based storage solutions. Depending on your information stored in the cloud, it is easy to implement a tracking mechanism that makes it easy to extract customized reports for information organization-wide analysis. With those insights, it is possible for you to increase efficiency and also prepare an action plan to meet organizational goals. For example, beverage company Sunny Delight was able to increase profits by approximately $ 2 million per year through cloud-based business insights and cut $ 195,000 in staffing costs.

6. Increased Cooperation

If you have two or more employees in your business, then you should make collaboration a top priority. After all, there is no point in being a team if it is unable to function like a team. Cloud computing makes collaboration a simpler process. Team members can easily and securely view complete information and also share on cloud-based platforms. Some cloud-based services also provide collaborative social space to connect employees throughout your organization, thereby increasing interest and engagement. Collaboration may be possible without cloud computing solutions, but it will never be that easy or as effective.

7. Quality Control

Few things like poor quality, inconsistent reporting are detrimental to business success. In cloud-based systems, all documents are stored in one place and in the same format. With everyone having the same information, you can maintain consistency in the data, avoid human error, and keep a clear record of any modifications or updates. Conversely, managing information in silos allows employees to accidentally save different versions of documents, causing confusion and thinning data.

8. Disaster Recovery

It is one of the factors contributing to the success of a business as a control. Unfortunately, no matter how much your organization is in control of its processes, there will always be things that are completely out of your control, and in today's market, a small amount of unproductive downtime is also able to cause extreme negative effects. Downtime in your services also increases the potential for loss of productivity, revenue and brand reputation.

But while you may not have a way to prevent or anticipate disasters that potentially harm your organization, there is something you can do to help speed up your recovery. Instant data recovery is provided for all types of emergency scenarios from natural disasters to power outages through cloud-based services. While 20% of cloud users claim disaster recovery in four hours or less, only 9 percent of non-cloud users are able to claim it. In a recent survey, 43% of IT executives said they are thinking about investing in or improving cloud-based disaster recovery solutions.

9. Loss Prevention

If your organization is not investing in a cloud-computing solution, all of your valuable data is inseparably connected to the office computer in which it resides. This may not seem like a problem, but the reality is that if your local hardware experiences a problem, you may lose your data permanently. As you can understand, this is a much more common problem than that; Computers can go bad for many reasons, from viral infections to age-related hardware malfunctions, to simple user errors. Or, despite best intentions, they can be lost or stolen.

If you are not on the cloud, there is a risk of losing all the information you have saved locally. However, with a cloud-based server, all the information you upload to the cloud remains secure and easily accessible from any computer with an Internet connection, even if the computer you use regularly isn't working.

10. Automatic software update

For those who have a lot to do, there is nothing more annoying than waiting for a system update to be installed. Cloud-based applications are automatically refreshed and updated instead of forcing an IT department to perform manual organization-wide updates. This saves valuable IT staff time and money spent outside of IT consulting. PCWorld lists that 50 percent of cloud adopters cited the need for fewer internal IT resources as a cloud advantage.

11. Competitive Edge

While cloud computing is growing in popularity, there are still people who like to keep everything local. This is their choice, but in doing so they have a distinct disadvantage when competing with those who have the advantage of the cloud at their fingertips. If you implement cloud-based solutions in front of your competitors, by the time they catch up, you will be on the learning curve. A recent study by Verizon showed that 77 percent of businesses think cloud technology gives them a competitive advantage, and 16 percent believe this advantage is 'significant'.

12. Sustainability

Given the current state of the environment, it is not enough for organizations to have a recycling bin in the breakroom and claim that they are doing their part to help the planet. Real sustainability requires solutions that address wastage at every level of the business. Hosting on the cloud is more environmentally friendly, and results in a lower carbon footprint.

Cloud infrastructure supports environmental activism, empowers virtual services rather than physical products and hardware, and cuts paper waste, improves energy efficiency, and (given that it provides employees with an Internet connection Allows access to from anywhere with) reduces commuter-related emissions. A report by Pike Research predicted that data centre energy consumption would decline by 31 percent from 2010 to 2020, depending on the adoption of cloud computing and other virtual data options.