Computing in the cloud became ubiquitous in the last few years, making working from anywhere a possibility. No longer do you fall behind while traveling on business. Software as a Service (SaaS) enables the entire organization from receptionists to chief executive officers to accomplish their work remotely.
Benefits of the Cloud
Cloud-based technology’s impact on modern-day business appears throughout the fabric of business life. While keeping up on the go may be the most widely known benefit to business, many exist. If your firm isn’t already using cloud-based solutions, here’s why change is good.
- It improves and streamlines operations
- It improves productivity
- It provides more effective customer service
- It creates a flexible workplace
- It saves the firm on infrastructure costs
- It provides safer data storage
- It enables cloud logging for all your applications.
Cloud Software Suggestions
It’s easy to tout benefits, but tangible examples you can turn into tangible results mean even more. These free or reasonably priced SaaS solutions let you enable your whole office to work remotely.
Google Services
The pervasive Google Docs lets you create, upload, share, and download or print documents. It provides a word processor similar to Microsoft Word but has always been online. Microsoft later copied Google’s notion of online storage and creation. Both the cloud app Google offers and Microsoft’s online format offer full office suites, so your employees can create documents, .pdfs, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and publications. Google offers a web hosting option called Google Sites that lets you create and host Web sites or intranets. Also, with Google Drive, you’ll never again need to say you left that file on your desk or computer.
POS Solutions
Enable sales in the field. Using SaaS solutions like Partech’s point of sale software (POS software), your employees can take payments from anywhere, using any Internet-capable mobile device. This means even the smallest business can easily grow by going from cash only to accepting credit cards. A neighborhood lawn mowing business can service city-wide, accept deposits on work, and charge the customer from their front yard when the work is done using this POSQuote.com. Businesses can set up online and mobile ordering, as well as loyalty programs. Designed for scalability, the software works with businesses from sole proprietor to large chains.
Accounting Solutions
Balance your books and pay employees from the cloud. Like Microsoft, venerable technology solution provider Quickbooks moved to the cloud. It still offers its software for purchase in stores, but you can also buy a SaaS version that lets you or your accountant handle everything online and store it there on secure servers. Better yet, at tax time, the cloud version automatically puts your tax information in a proper format for you to give to your accountant or tax preparer. It even produces a few forms for you, a fact your CPA will probably appreciate.
Hiring Solutions
Hiring will never again seem a nightmare, nor will onboarding employees if you start using a cloud solution like Upwork. The service vets’ potential employees, tests their claimed skills, publicize their scores on their profile and handles all hiring paperwork. You list job openings on the service and its independent contractors apply for them. It provides a free virtual desk with chat, Voice Over IP, and video calls. You can interview within it. You choose whether to pay hourly or by the project. Upwork holds project funds in escrow until the employee you hired completes the work and you approve it. The service offers a full range of independent contractors from attorneys to publicists to computer programmers. Many Fortune 500 companies already use the service, so why aren’t you?
The cloud changed business for the better. It keeps data safer, but always accessible. It enables flexible work schedules and locations. It ramps up productivity by making it easy to share information and collaborate simultaneously. Get started with cloud-based technology to grow your business.
