Tag Archives: #Cloud

Moving to the Cloud Promotes Business Growth

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Cybersecurity, Data Backup, Security, Technology, , , , ,

The number of companies moving to cloud operations is rising each year. This is not a surprise because cloud solutions are now a vital instrument for the growth and development of businesses in today’s digital world. If you have been looking for a way to scale your business and haven’t tried cloud technology, there is no better time to take the plunge than now.

How Moving to the Cloud Affects Business Growth

A multitude of businesses all over the world will attest that cloud computing has helped them grow. But how did it help? What areas of your business can benefit the most if you move your operations to the cloud? Here are the most notable positive changes that you might expect.

Scalability

This feature ranks as one of the best advantages of moving to the cloud, which people look forward to the most. Before the cloud, business expansions were almost always massive and tedious operations that required heavy investment in terms of infrastructure and hardware. But with the extensive selection of cloud resources available, growing your business has never been easier!

Should you need to downgrade for any reason, it is just as easy on the cloud. You can cancel your subscription to services you don’t need so that you can operate on a smaller scale without having to incur unnecessary losses.

Financial Savings

It is interesting how many people assume that cloud services are expensive when the opposite is true. The prices vary, as this depends on the provider. But they will only charge you for the services or resources that you use. How can you be more cost-efficient than that?

Also, moving to the cloud means you no longer need to purchase expensive on-site equipment, which can also be costly to maintain. So, businesses really can save an incredible amount by shifting their operations to the cloud.

Efficiency

A distinctive feature of cloud applications is that they are accessible from anywhere if you have the internet. So, employees don’t need to go to the office to work. They can just do their jobs from home or any other location. There is also the benefit of using automation tools, which you can set up to lessen the demand for and reliance on manual labor.

Security when Moving to the Cloud

Whether you are just starting or are well on your way to conquering your industry, there is no need to worry about security in cloud-based solutions. Impressive security features abound on the cloud, including high-tech encryption, advanced threat detection, and multi-factor authentication, which protect your data and ultimately speed up business growth.

Innovation

The cloud gives easy access to all the latest innovations in technology as soon as they come out, which is vital for growing your business. Everything, from the latest versions of applications and operating systems to the latest hardware releases in the market, will be right at your fingertips if you are on the cloud.

There you have it—the top reasons cloud technology is crucial to business growth. Through cloud computing, growing your business can be faster, simpler, more cost-efficient, and perfectly aligned with your organization’s goals.

If you would like more information, you can download this infographic of ours called “The Benefits of Moving to the Cloud.” Here, you will see everything that you will miss out on if you pass on this opportunity! Do also contact us today where we will have thorough and very enlightening discussions with your businesses today.

Why Are Business Owners Afraid to Move to the Cloud?

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Cybersecurity, Technology, , ,

It has been years since cloud technology was released. While thousands of businesses all over the world have eagerly upgraded their operations with cloud solutions. Thousands more still remain wary of this new technology to move to the cloud. Many people are still reluctant, despite the many proven benefits of the cloud for business. Why is this so? That is what we are going to talk about today.

Reasons for Holding Back to Move to the Cloud

We’ve asked around and come across some common concerns from hesitant business owners about why they are still holding back, even though there is now insurmountable evidence that the cloud presents many viable opportunities for business growth. Here are the reasons for holding back to move to the cloud.

Security

With the continued rise in cyberattacks and data breaches, it makes sense to be highly concerned about security. These attacks are rampant, even on in-house servers and data storage. How much more would there be if you stored the data in a cloud, outside of your company’s security controls? Won’t the data and the entire company be more at risk of being infiltrated by hackers? If any information gets into the wrong hands, there’s no telling what kind of damage your company will face.

Privacy If You Move to the Cloud

In the same way, companies fear the loss of data privacy. This fear is a specific concern for businesses in industries that collect and store confidential information. Health and medical records of patients, financial transactions that contain bank accounts and statements, and even personal data of clients and employees are examples of sensitive data that are frequent targets of online attackers. Putting these in cloud storage might seem risky in the minds of many.

Reliability

Another fear owners have about when they move to the cloud is that it might not always be reliable. What if the internet connection is too slow or erratic? What if the cloud provider experiences a period of downtime on their side? Surely, these events could be highly detrimental to business operations.

Cost If You Move to the Cloud

Cloud technology these days is very high-tech and diverse, which causes many business owners to think these services are expensive. Because of this assumption, they choose to stick to conventional systems rather than take a chance on modern cloud solutions, which can ironically pave the way for massive financial savings.

Complexity

There has always been a historical fear of new things, especially related to technology. When computers first became popular, many people were afraid to even touch them because they seemed too complex. It happened again a few years later when email and online messaging became popular. Now, the same fear of complexity applies to the cloud. Companies are worried they might not see the benefit to their operations.

The 5 Benefits of the Cloud

These fears make sense and are all perfectly valid. But the good news is that the cloud technology we have today has these issues covered. So if your hesitation to move to the cloud is based on any of these reasons, we can ease your mind.

We invite you to download our Free Infographic on the Cloud. You’ll discover a wealth of information, including the vast benefits of moving to the cloud and how the migration can be made simpler with the help of a reliable MSP.

A whole new world is waiting in the cloud for businesses, and we are very excited for you to take control of it. Call us anytime! We will guide you in transitioning so you can finally enjoy all the benefits and opportunities this new technology has in store for your company.

Business Continuity Tips for Solopreneurs

Data Backup, , , , , ,
Solopreneur using a laptop to research for her business' backup recovery plan

Researching for your business’ backup recovery plan.

Business continuity is what keeps your company running even when interruptions occur and disaster strikes. From holidays to natural disasters, your brand needs to remain available and functional at all times. Here in the digital era, customers expect 24/7 access and support. For larger businesses, this type of continuity is par for the course. But for solopreneurs and small businesses, it can be tough to keep your business online and rolling 100% of the time.

Fortunately, there are plenty of tools and services you can implement to automate your business process and protect yourself from business interruptions.

Conduct Business on the Cloud

The cloud is the single most useful development for small and solo-run businesses today. Cloud services and data storage make it much more difficult for information to be lost or for your online services to go offline. A website server on the cloud will serve itself more efficiently to customers across the globe and cloud-based services will be more consistently available to you and your customers.

The more you can do on the cloud, the better. Just be sure you are working with high-quality and cyber-secure cloud partners.

Customer Self-Service Technology

Online self-service has finally put the 24/7 into small business availability. While you may need to sleep and attend to personal matters, your customers can still attend to their own needs through online tools. A good search feature and information database (or just a well-written FAQ) page can minimize your customer’s need for direct live assistance, while a smooth e-commerce site can continue taking in orders even when you the business owner are offline.

Stay Flexible with Co-Working Spaces

Being a solo business owner can mean needing to check in on business no matter where you are – or if there’s an office available. When you’re traveling, your computer breaks, your internet is interrupted, or your home office is down for maintenance; remember that there are always co-working spaces available in every city. There you can find all the office equipment and high-speed internet connection you may need. With co-working spaces, you can continue to conduct business when your normal office access is interrupted.

Partner with Department Outsourcing

Solopreneurs and many small businesses don’t have the staff to provide full departmental services. You don’t have a customer service call center, an accounting and legal department, or a marketing team. Fortunately, the outsourcing industry was designed for entrepreneurs to hire on any department they need for however long the work is needed. While your business is growing from the ground up, you can achieve full-service business continuity by partnering with outsourced department services.

Always Have a Backup-Recovery Plan

Last but certainly not least is backup recovery. A backup recovery plan is a two-prong method to ensure your digital assets are never at risk of being lost or ransomed from you. Take regular (daily/weekly/monthly) backups of your work computer(s) and all your files. Archive these backups and develop a quick-engaging plan to deploy these backups as needed. Whether data is lost to encrypting ransomware, an error in your server, or an accidental tap of the ‘delete’ key, you can always ‘reload from save with a well-built backup and recovery plan.

Running a business on your own is exhilarating, challenging, and also impossible for one person to do 24/7. Fortunately, there are business services available to expand your one-person team with outsourcing, cloud access, automation, and even co-working spaces if your normal business location is disrupted. Most importantly, know when to reach out and outsource at the right times. Here at SystemsNet, we are proud to offer IT services to small and medium businesses and would be proud to be your go-to source for IT support for your solo business. Contact us today to start talking about your company’s IT needs.

The Primary Reasons to Choose VoIP Services for Your Business

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IP Telephony cloud pbx concept, telephone device with illustration icon of voip services

Is it time for an upgrade of your phone system?

Voice over Internet Protocol (or VoIP as it is more commonly known) is a telephony system that allows users to make and receive calls using a broadband internet connection rather than a conventional analog phone system. VoIP works by recording audio and converting it into a digital signal that can be transmitted over an internet connection. Recent years have seen a vast expansion of VoIP both amongst residential and commercial users, as VoIP phone systems tend to provide a higher level of service than traditional phone systems at a much lower cost. However, if your business still uses a traditional phone system, you may be unaware of the benefits VoIP can provide, and you may be wondering why there is so much talk about VoIP. If your company still utilizes an analog phone system, here are just a few of the reasons you should consider switching to VoIP.

VoIP Can Save You Money

One of the primary reasons that so many businesses are switching to VoIP phone systems is due to the substantial financial savings that doing so can represent. The fact is that traditional phone systems are expensive to set up, alter, and maintain. Not only are most set up and maintenance costs averted with VoIP, but also, placing calls is much more affordable using a VoIP system. Many VoIP phone systems include unlimited domestic calling for free, and many even include all of North America. When international calls are placed, it is at a much more affordable rate than offered by the mainstream phone companies, which can mean significant savings if you do a lot of international business. The great thing about VoIP is that you do not have to sacrifice call quality for these cost savings. VoIP systems provide clear sound quality that rivals traditional phone lines in most instances, depending on your internet connection.

VoIP is Easy to Install and Maintain

One of the greatest hassles of traditional phone systems is that they are difficult, costly, and time-consuming to set up as someone has to come and run wiring throughout your facility and set up the necessary hardware. Alternatively, setting up a VoIP phone system is often as easy as connecting them to your computer or internet connection, making it easy for you to set these systems up yourself. No hardware or software needs to be installed before you can start using your IP phone system.

It Scales Up and Down Easily

Another problem with traditional phone systems is that they can be difficult and costly to scale up and down. The fact is that it is not always easy to predict how many phone lines you will need to add in the coming year, or where you will need these lines in your facility. This can lead to costly changes if you need to add or move a line. With a VoIP phone system, adding a new line can be done instantly, wherever you need it, as soon as you bring on a new employee, and the phone line can just as easily be removed if they leave. Additionally, moving a phone line with VoIP is as simple as placing it where you need it to go, without the need for any rewiring.

VoIP Supports a Variety of Features

Another benefit of VoIP phone systems is they often come standard with a variety of features that are either extra, or not available, in a traditional phone system. Features that are included or available on many VoIP phone systems include: call holding, call transfers, caller ID, voicemail, visual voicemail, and conference calling. VoIP phone systems also allow for video conferencing, allowing you to conduct business meetings remotely, which can reduce travel expenses.

VoIP phone systems are truly transforming the way in which companies conduct business by providing a variety of useful benefits, only a few of which we have been able to highlight here. Contact us to learn more about VoIP and the reasons why you should consider converting your business to a VoIP phone system.