Whether you’re uploading family photos from your smartphone or archiving work emails, an hour doesn’t pass without you retrieving something from the cloud or offering something up to it.
For business owners, however, the cloud offers more than just convenient storage. In the digital age, the need for lean operational efficiency has led to a surge in demand for cloud computing and data centre services. But what are the exact benefits of investing in cloud computing for small business owners specifically? Let’s unpack the benefits of cloud computing for Aussie SMEs.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing effectively refers to an IT resource model where users pay for network and server power that’s kept off their business premises. This decentralised approach to tech infrastructure for your business makes it easier for smaller enterprises to scale up their digital footprint without having to spend big bucks on data servers first. Typically, cloud computing operates as an on-demand, pay-as-you-go model for computer services, so you’re only ever paying for what you need.
5 Benefits of Cloud Computing for your Small Business
For this guide, we’ll stick to five common and proven benefits of cloud computing. That said, cloud computing rewards curiosity; the more you explore its features, the more benefits you find. It’s all about keeping an open mind.
It improves cost efficiency
Efficiency is a broad term. Every benefit listed here will support your company’s efficiency, be it directly or indirectly. The benefit you’re likely to notice first is the reduction in hardware investment. With cloud computing, you can repurpose your business’ server room and better utilise your company’s floor space. You can also do away with the hit to your quarterly utility bills, as servers eat up a shocking amount of electricity.
You pay for what you use with cloud computing; this lack of excess spending translates to a more efficient operation. No amount of spin will convince you differently. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a good example. It’s flexible, inexpensive, and reliable, boxes every small business initiative should tick.
It lets you scale your small business
Keeping your business agile boasts many of its own intrinsic advantages. For starters, keeping your overhead costs low means you’ll have more capital on-hand for growth strategising – so you’re more ready to respond to time-sensitive commercial opportunities. You also have more capital on-hand to invest in areas that really require more investment, like cybersecurity, which has become a growing concern for Aussie small business owners. In other words, don’t pay for your server power. Pay for great VPNs and firewalls instead!
And speaking of keeping operational costs low, the pay-as-you-go structure of many data centre contracts means that using cloud computing enables you to scale up when traffic spikes and scale back when things get quiet.
In short, a business that continually improves its efficiency is scalable. Cloud computing allows you to maintain that scalability in a major way, freeing up your time, space, and financial resources for where they’re likely to be impactful.
It increases accessibility and mobility
Having access to your operations from any device, anywhere, is a boon that promotes an agile business approach. And for a small business, agility is key, especially in saturated, competitive markets.
Imagine your small business provides electrical maintenance to rural areas. You have a small team that travels vast distances to help communities with limited resources. Having all your critical data in the cloud lets your team access what they need when they need it without the delay caused by returning to the office.
It enhances collaboration
When your small business enjoys better accessibility, it enhances your team’s ability to collaborate. Real-time sharing, editing, and development are benefits that help ensure your business stays current with market trends and innovations. Again, cloud computing allows these activities to unfold seamlessly, regardless of where each colleague is physically collaborating from.
Google Workspace is the example you already know, and one that’s been widely used here in Australia for its universal accessibility and adaptability. Creating documents with your colleagues in real-time and on screens of all sizes lets you get work done quicker and from anywhere – not just in the office.
Of course, it isn’t a race, but if you can streamline more of these processes, the time you’d normally spend sending documents back and forth for approval can be put to better use.
You can back things up
Be honest: this was the benefit that caught your attention the first time you heard about cloud computing, and with good reason. Physical hardware has a finite storage room; the internet does not. Cloud computing gives you a bottomless filing cabinet, one you never need to sift through trying to find an elusive file.
If your small business has grown to the point where you need to upgrade your premises, having everything saved in the cloud means less for the movers to deal with. It’s a one-time benefit, yes, but it highlights how cloud computing can remove unnecessary tasks from your daily operations.
The flipside to having unlimited storage potential? The potential for your data to be stolen. This is a risk with any online activity. Just make sure the cloud services you choose have a reliable security framework. And again, use some of your extra cash from doing away with your server room to invest in great cybersecurity measures for your office network.
Harness the Power of Cloud Computing for your Enterprise
Even if your small business boasts an equally small online footprint, it’s hard to deny the benefits you enjoy when you make cloud computing a part of your daily operations. It’s just too flexible and accessible to ignore. Clutter is an original enemy of productivity; by keeping a good chunk of your admin in the clouds, you’re decluttering your small business, literally and figuratively.
You’re also future-proofing your operations. Online technology evolves in one direction: up. Embracing cloud computing is a step toward taking the same trajectory.
