How Cloud Hosting Software Programs Can Affect Businesses

Posted on Sep 19 2013 - 10:50am by Adam Prattler

Enterprise Cloud

There is the cliché that goes “not all businesses are created equal”. But, would you be convinced if I tell you that the great equalizer has descended upon us? Guess, all is fair in love and war, now write expert authors about it.

You must’ve heard of the tech jargon cloud computing, lest you are living under the rock. Whether you are a startup funded by angel investors, an overnight social network sensation or a global brand that reaped billions by putting i in everything, cloud hosting services are accessible for all types and sizes of businesses. Cloud enables enterprises to be flexible, cost-efficient and globally competitive.

To better visualize what the cloud is, it’s like renting a space in an apartment and leaving all the “worries” to the building owner. Worries can be defined as paying real-property taxes, maintenance, security etc. Also, you only pay for the space that you rent.

You can also compare to it to staying in the same hotel suite that Justin Bieber occupied in his last trip to Europe. You may not be as rich as this wonder kid, but you will get the exact same service and legit privileges that he experienced with the same tag price.

In the recent past, the big guns with enough resources are the only ones who can heavily invest in costly IT infrastructure to support database management, enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management. To stay in the running, small to medium scale enterprises would have to move their way around a meager IT budget.

For today’s business owners and data scientists, cloud is one of the most important innovation in the last ten or twenty years. If “who can afford it?” is no longer the domain of competitive advantage nowadays, what are some of the effects of cloud hosting to businesses?

1. Saves you a lot of $$$$

With cloud, you get to manage your funds better. This business tool is normally paid on a per-account and per period (monthly or yearly) basis. Since you have an idea of your expenditure, your finance department can better forecast budget allocation for marketing your product and services.

Cloud hosting is also a pay-to-go investment. You don’t need a capital to set-up everything. Imagine the cost you have to pay to put up all these servers and manpower outlays for IT folks to monitor the systems. Cloud is also very easy to deploy and would only entail minimal operating expenses.

2. Everything is faster and better with cloud

Leave it to the experts. This is what you’ll often hear when someone wants something fixed, and no one in the household is fit for the job. The same goes with businesses adopting the cloud.

If you are a bank owner, you would want to concentrate on financial planning and money matters. The least you want to be worried about is IT stuff. Better leave it to the ones who are good at it – there are TONS of managed server hosting services that can deal with your cloud related issues.

Providing cloud services are their bread and butter. For this reason, you can rest assured that you get rapid response and resolution to your IT-related problems. Else, you can tap another service or hosting provider. You will have a lot to choose from nowadays, guaranteed.

3. Puts the T in teamwork

What cloud hosting of software programs can bring to a team is tenacity. You can easily sync documents, presentations and shared apps simultaneously. Collaboration then becomes established. You get to eventually build stronger teams.

You also get updates from your colleagues real-time. You are able to edit files and share it easily whether you are working in the office or out for fieldwork. Collaboration technologies are proven to secure better and faster ROI.

4. Less reasons for not showing up to work

Good news for business owners! If you have made it a mission in life to find ways to cut down the absenteeism rate to 20-30%, then cloud computing must have been heaven-sent.

Bad news for lazy employees! If your company is utilizing cloud hosting services, your repertoire of excuses will be depleted. Unless you are paralyzed or been stricken by level four hurricanes, you can now be asked by your boss to access your system anytime and anywhere, and work.

These are really sound motivations for businesses to migrate to cloud hosting. To be perfectly realistic, strike out all the other three, money alone can be the ultimate driving force.

Are you up in the air with cloud hosting profits? Since I don’t want to frustrate all cynics out there. I’ll turn the other cheek and say that there are two scenarios that can doom cloud computing – when internet suddenly disappears from the face of planet earth or when aliens suck all energy resources (gold, steel, water etc.) away from us.

Kidding aside, let businesses savor the moment of potential glory with cloud hosting services. For all we know, consumers could actually be the end winners.

What’s Your Take?

The cloud era has begun. And, there is no room for in-betweens. Are you one of the cloud hopefuls? Skeptics?

The comment box below is big enough to handle all your thoughts. This is going to be an exciting one!

Photo Credit: Flickr/Dell Inc.

About the Author

Adam Prattler is downright “gung ho” with his advocacy towards teaching people about ethical guest blogging. Join him and his community at Postme and help make a difference in the online community.