Cloud-based services are rapidly gaining popularity because they’re reliable, flexible, and affordable. They offer you the ability to scale your usage and cost in line with your business needs, therefore if your business grows and you add more employees, you can easily subscribe to additional services. You no longer need to maintain all the software and equipment needed for your business operations in-house. With cloud services, you can simply subscribe to the features you need and access your solutions via the Internet without any on-site installation or hassle. Consider the cloud for these business needs.
Invoicing & Accounting
Submitting timely and accurate invoices is at the core of most businesses. With today’s cloud-based solutions, you can step back from the minutia and let a smart piece of programming handle the details for you. Sign up for an invoice tracker that automatically logs your time on a project, updates invoices, and sends them to clients in a timely manner.
Project Management
Project management is a complex process that’s different for every company. Fortunately, the diverse cloud services available on the market offer solutions that are as unique as your business. Affordable pricing makes these tools a front runner for any small business looking to improve productivity while cutting costs.
Some common features available with cloud-based project management services include:
- Customer relationship management
- Activity tracking
- Deadline management
- Project trackers
- Report generation
- Budgeting
- Performance measurement
- Scheduling
Communications
Cloud communication solutions allow small businesses to take advantage of quality solutions at an affordable price. IP-based voice technology (VoIP) can even bring the benefits of the cloud to voice communications. With cloud communications you enjoy extreme reliability, improved flexibility and mobile enablement because your phone services are managed remotely and run over the Internet. Some providers can even setup your service to run over a private connection so that sound quality and reliability is equal to a regular phone line.
There’s minimal in-house equipment to install, so costs stay low. This technology is incredibly scalable as well, so your phone systems can grow easily with your company. You won’t have to struggle with a call center that’s too small to support your needs. Just upgrade your plan and you’re ready in no time.
Web Conferencing
Cloud-based video conferencing solutions are quickly becoming the product of choice. It’s easy to log in with your service provider from any location, so you can host a video conference from your office, a trade show, a client’s conference room, or your hotel’s business center. Web conferencing lets you streamline collaboration and promote a sense of unity and teamwork even when your team is comprised of remote employees scattered about the province, country, or even the world.
Conference room equipment is both costly and wrought with potential problems. Overscheduling, equipment limitations, and IT problems can all slow down your communications efforts. Cloud-based solutions are more affordable, reliable, and flexible. The conference room becomes any place where you have the space and time to connect.
Human Resources
Human resource functions are a common feature of cloud-based services. Small businesses in particular can benefit from this technology because it offers enhanced functionality even for small teams. You don’t need an entire HR department or a massive installation of specialized software to handle onboarding, training, payroll, and performance tracking professionally. With cloud-based HR services, you utilize top-notch software solutions as well as professional assistance in areas such as benefits or payroll management, freeing up your own HR staff for other matters.
Storage
Cloud storage was one of the first areas to really gain traction in the world of cloud computing, and it’s still a solid service to invest in. Storing important documents on the cloud makes sense for any business. You’re no longer vulnerable to on-site attacks or system failures. Your files stay safe in a remote destination even if your office falls victim to a natural disaster, power outage, or other emergency.
Storing documents on the cloud is also an ideal solution for companies who have remote employees. By saving documents to the cloud, you can make them easily accessible to your employees and partners in a secure manner. Eliminate the exchange of emails bogged down with attachments. Make it easy for anyone in the business to grab the information they need whether they’re working from home, sitting in the office, or checking details on a mobile device as they meet with a new client.
Cloud-based services offer smart solutions for any small business. The investment is small, but the rewards you can reap are impressive for any type of company.
