Too busy running your business to keep up on your IT strategy? Grab a coffee and take two minutes.
Get your business headed to the cloud! It’s easier than you think.
Whether you realize it or not, you're using the cloud in your personal life every day - and have been for years. Most of us started with the most simple of cloud based services - email. Even though today your chunkylover69@yahoo.com account is now storing thousands of Groupon offers, Ticketmaster updates and the occasional Nigerian prince inheritance claim... it was still our introduction to the concept of a web-based function that could follow us all the way to Mexican internet cafes.
Soon after, your cloud experience evolved to social networking... remember Instant Messenger? Your first time trying to figure out Facebook? Or Plenty of Fish?
Business may not have been first group to jump in the cloud but it certainly has made a splash since then, helping companies of all sizes streamline their day to day operations. As Bell business specialists, part of what we do is help customers manage and access their data across multiple platforms, ending with their mobile devices.
Over the last few years, we’ve been directly involved with development of our own cloud based business applications but also working directly with several different off-the-shelf platforms for storage, operational software and business specific applications. These applications are usually referred to as Software as a Service (SAAS). They are generally sold to customers as a subscription with prices ranging from free to several hundred dollars a month, depending on the product.
As the cloud has evolved, additional services have emerged (along with new acronyms). PAAS - Platform as a Service, and IAAS - Infrastructure as a Service can also be considered necessary components of an overall cloud business strategy. But don't feel too overwhelmed, once you get to the point in your upgrade project where it needs to be addressed it will make a lot more sense. If you really want to discuss now though, just send me a note.
When customers have approached us on their IT infrastructure upgrades they are usually surprised about how cost-effective and straightforward cloud migration actually is.
Not only does it reduce infrastructure costs, it allows for a significantly reduced reliance on outsourced IT staff and lower licence fees. Combine your internal ops with an effective mobility strategy – and you will see a remarkable increase in employee productivity.
If you’re running an existing business it’s important to realize competitors starting up are by-passing expensive IT set-ups. They are coming right out of the gate with low-cost cloud services for POS, document storage, fleet management and even fully automated inventory and accounting solutions.
The bottom line is that these systems allow these competitors to do more with less… less labour, less contractor fees and less IT infrastructure – which can result in lower operating costs and the ability to offer lower prices to their (and potentially your) customer.
As a technical solutions company. We specialize in mobile, portable and flexible hardware and software. From procurement, custom software or network implementation, we do it all.
If you are an owner/operator of a small or medium size business and If you’re ready to start transitioning your operations to the cloud – TMS Solutions is here to help.