Go to the Cloud: Cut Costs and Scale Your Business

New cloud computing companies can help you cut costs and rapidly scale your business for launch, rapid expansion or even franchising.

Help ensure your business is free to redirect its resources for exceptional service, delivery and product innovation giving you a long-term competitive advantage in the market:

1. Trim your startup costs: Setting up the necessary technology is a vital yet expensive step for an early stage business. Many businesses opt for cloud solutions when getting their company off the ground, as it reduces the upfront investment for email, web and document hosting, and even phone systems.
2. Lower setup and deployment expenses: Cloud technologies are synonymous with lower software and tech maintenance requirements. They will help you avoid the costs and challenges associated with traditional, on-premise deployment.
3. Streamline operations: Another perceived cost benefit of cloud communications is streamlining business processes that can be difficult to automate. By cleaning up areas of inefficiency, you can streamline operations and spend more time growing your business.
4. Improve flexibility: The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) transition and its implications for workplace mobility (like telecommuting) have accelerated the need to get devices, applications and data up and running in the cloud. Cloud communications enable teams to share, download and sync files from anywhere, improving collaboration and igniting innovation. This can be achieved from a smartphone, tablet, desktop or anywhere else with WiFi or high-speed Internet access.
5. Secure important data: Because your information is stored remotely in the cloud, you can retrieve the latest versions of your data in case of an on-site system failure or a disaster. With automatic and free updates, you don’t have to worry about losing important information.
6. Expand reach: The changing nature of the modern workplace means that your operations no longer have to be destination or office-based. Cloud communications gives you access to top technical talent without paying for full-time IT staff.
7. Modernize infrastructure: Given its elasticity and self-service nature, the cloud has become a popular alternative to expensive storage or disaster recovery infrastructure. Cloud-based services are often more sustainable than services delivered on premise, especially if your servers or other hardware are aging.
8. Optimize resources: The cloud can save you money and time by managing the important parts of your business from procurement to finance, inventory to talent so you can optimize resource planning. Since cloud technologies offer solutions to some core business challenges, using them can help you make the most of your limited resources.
9. Manage growth: SMBs using cloud technology to overcome initial challenges grow 26 percent faster and deliver 21 percent higher gross profits. Moving your business to the cloud gives you the ability to scale and standardize across locations.
10. Minimize risks: With the ability to test and try products and the availability of immediate upgrades, cloud technology quickens the development of ideas and leads to better decision making, minimizing future risks for your company.

Also on StartupNation.com: Transition Your Business to the Cloud

Low cost, high value cloud computing services:

• Messaging: Slack: a private and secure communication platform that replaces messaging on social media, email and popular apps.
• Monitoring employees: Hubstaff: a desktop application used to track time for remote teams. Reports can show clients and managers screenshots of activity for proof of work and progress.
• Managing projects: Basecamp, Asana or Pivitol Tracker are project management platforms that keep track of everything your teams are doing. Keeping deadlines is a priority and clicking on completing assignments is very fulfilling.
• Presentations: UberConference, Zoom or FreeConferenceCalls offer free or affordable web and video conferencing capabilities along with recording features to capture training or presentations that need to be shared again later.
• Surveys and quizzes: creating fun, mobile and interactive quizzes and surveys is easy with Survey Anyplace. The easy to use tools allow you to engage with your audience and leaves room for your own brand identity. If you need to survey an existing group of consumers, try Show Of Hands.
• Seamless phone service: Google Voice offers inclusive phone service with clear and transparent pricing, so you always know what you’re paying for. Google is ideal for the solo entrepreneur.
• File storage and sharing: One Drive, DropBox and Google Drive allow access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more.