Are you using cloud computing? If not, you’re missing out on a technology that could be a real boon for your business.
Here are our five reasons for embracing the cloud:

Accessibility

Real-time, up-to-date information is at your fingertips any time and any place that you have an internet connection and an internet-enabled device. Instead of deciding whether to take the work laptop home or save everything you need on an unreliable (and easy to lose!) memory stick, you can just use the apps and information you need on your own devices.

Collaboration

Enhanced accessibility is invaluable when it comes to collaborative working. You and your colleagues can communicate, work on the same document and see the same data simultaneously.

Physical safety

Laptops, memory sticks, tablets and portable hard drives can be stolen, lost or damaged. Those PCs at work could be stolen or damaged by flood, fire or electrical problems. If your programs and latest data are only held on one of these devices, what happens when it’s damaged, in someone else’s hands or enjoying a solo trip on the 7.45 to King’s Cross?

Keeping your data and apps on the cloud ensures that they’re always there for you, no matter what happens to your devices or storage. Instead of being held locally, they’re stored on multiple servers on multiple locations, meaning that even if disaster strikes at one server site, your information is still safe.

Cyber security

Using the cloud gives you another line of defence. The only people who can access your data in the cloud are those to whom you’ve given permission, allowing them to set up two or three step authentication credentials.

Beyond this, the security of your data on the cloud servers is down to your cloud service provider, giving you one less worry.

Cost

Cloud services and apps tend to cost less because they’re subscription based. Some subscriptions are renewed month by month, allowing you to downscale and upscale your usage to suit your needs, and IT support, software and security updates come as part of the package.

Cloud computing can save you a fortune in software licences, updates, renewals, IT support and even hardware.

Why? Because once you’re computing in the cloud, you will have no need for servers in the office and may be able to reduce other hardware too – and this will in turn reduce your energy bill. Win-win!

Are you using the cloud? Tell us what the biggest benefit has been.

Not using the cloud? Tell us what’s making you hesitate.