Are you still working entirely on premise*? Want to address your business challenges of mobility, cost, and limited IT knowledge?
Find out why deploying your systems in the cloud can be the best solution!
(*Your software installs and runs on your premises. Examples include Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.)
Mobility
With cloud computing, users can access applications, documents, and files at any time*.
This is particularly important for users who travel often. Nobody wants to carry their work laptops about!
Many applications have mobile versions for even greater convenience. Users can review and enter data during their daily commute to and from work, or even on vacation!
(*As long as they have internet access.)
Data Sharing
Let’s say you happen to meet a customer or prospect at an event or some other unexpected place. Perhaps you have some data to share, or they have asked you for some information. Imagine if you store all your data on premise. You wouldn’t be able to access it! Even if you could recall some data, you’re unlikely to answer that accurately.
Now let’s picture all your data in a system on the cloud. You can provide information in an instant!
We used to have to search through shelves of books to find the information we need – and now we have Google. Wouldn’t you love to perform a Google search on all your business data on the go?
Don’t forget – humans have even less of an attention span than a goldfish these days!
Make your potential customer wait for longer than 9 seconds and you have probably just lost a deal.
Yeah… We have a harder time focusing than this little guy.
Cost
Nowadays, demand for IT skills and services is rising, leading to rising costs. Most SMEs don’t have the capacity for an IT department. Many have at most one dedicated staff member responsible for all IT needs. They take care of everything from installation, configuration, to troubleshooting.
Unfortunately, your sole IT staff may not have specialized skills for your business applications. Resolving issues can be tedious, slow, and even harmful if your staff doesn’t know exactly what to do. Their skills can even become obsolete quickly should you choose to migrate to different software!
In a cloud, you don’t own your server and so don’t have to maintain it. Your cloud provider keeps software updated while supporting you on all technical issues.
Collaboration
Cloud computing empowers individuals to become more productive and flexible in their work. But we hardly work in isolation. Working on a cloud also facilitates collaboration between team members. Just think what Skype has done for group projects. You no longer have to cancel a meeting because a groupmate is somewhere else that day!
Are your employees and customers located in different parts of the world? Cloud collaboration is key when it is difficult or impossible to get everyone in the same room.
Ability to Scale
Can your on premise solution really scale up for your needs?
On premise solutions are on their way out for many reasons, including high upfront costs. Cloud solutions not only cost less up front, you take on much less risk should you decide to switch.
You can scale up and down as and when necessary, which is generally more difficult with on premise solutions. Cloud solutions are typically billed on a subscription basis, so you do not face losing a heavy chunk of your investment on sunk costs.
Don’t want to use the service any longer? All you need to do is terminate your subscription, and you will not be billed during the following billing cycle.
So.. Cloud sounds pretty fantastic right about now.
But wait! You might have heard the term “supplier lock-in” when it comes to cloud systems.
You’d be right to be cautious, too.
Some unscrupulous cloud providers make it extremely difficult to migrate to a new system, or charge heavy fees to do so.
Here’s how you can protect yourself.
Read the fine print!
Many of us are guilty of skimming through or completely ignoring the terms and conditions page when signing up for just about anything. Don’t understand technical jargon, or still need some assurance? Get in touch with the sales or technical team to make sure you get exactly what you want to pay for!
Find out about the processes and costs (if any) associated with data migration, so that you are not caught offguard if and when you decide to move to a new system.
Weigh your options.
Being “locked in” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. New technology is springing up all the time, but some services remain essential for your business. Are you going to continue using the services for the foreseeable future? If your answer is yes, then you can probably take the risk. After all, your risk in terms of cost is lower than with an on-premise solution.
Furthermore, cloud solutions are typically updated with new features frequently, usually at no additional cost. Go through the FAQs. Look at the videos. Study the features pages. Read the reviews. Compare a few solution providers until you are satisfied with your choice!
Get your free Cloud ERP report to find out why growing companies are turning to cloud solutions!
So you’ve decided to move into the cloud… Now what?
Contact us, that’s what!
If you can’t get through when calling us next Friday (15 July 2016), it’s because our phone lines will be down while we move to our new office!
Please update our contact details in your systems with our new address:
MAPEX #08-08 37 Jalan Pemimpin Singapore 577177