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3 Ways the Cloud Can Help Your Small Business

The cloud and cloud computing have become popular buzzwords lately. As Sequoya Technologies notes, the cloud is basically a description for computer software or services that people can utilize on the Internet, but without having to install any software first. Because all of the data is stored on a central server instead of an actual computer, people can access the cloud from any computer or device that has an Internet connection.

As a small business owner, how can the cloud benefit your company? It depends. While the cloud is great for many reasons and it can help different companies in various ways, it’s not a one-size-fits-all sort of technology, notes Entrepreneur. The following examples will help illustrate how the cloud can be helpful for a small business:

Have Access and Flexibility

If some or all of your company’s data, information and projects are stored on the cloud, you and your employees can access it anytime and from anyplace with the cloud. This sort of portability can be terrific if some of your business is conducted away from your office or if you work from home from time to time. Instead of having to log into the company computer to work, you can use the cloud to telecommute from home or the Starbucks down the road and still have access to everything you need. Furthermore, telecommuting can be healthy for your business by increasing productivity and improving morale, states 1 Million for Work Flexibility. Plus, if you ever need to meet a client at a remote location—for example, if you are a photographer and you have an appointment with client at a rural winery—you can still access your contracts and website from your tablet or phone.

Save Money

As a small business owner, you are probably always on the lookout for ways to cut costs. As the Wall Street Journal notes, using cloud computing is a great way to do just that. In general, the cloud can help you save money because you will not have to purchase servers, programs and other related equipment—servers can run anywhere between $2,000 and $6,000, and as your small business gets bigger, you might have to add on additional computers. If your company is still on the small side, these expenses can be a massive part of your budget, so switching to the cloud can make a lot of financial sense. To get an idea of how friendly the cloud can be to your business wallet, check out a website like Top10CloudStorage to see and compare prices. Sites like this also show information on storage space, download speeds and customer reviews.

Prevent Data Disasters

As a small business owner, chances are you are busy with a myriad of tasks every day. As a result, you might not have the time to back up your company’s data as often as you should. This means that if there is some type of disaster—computer crashes or damages, for example—you can experience a catastrophic loss of information. By choosing a cloud-based service like Carbonite that will automatically back up your data, you can rest assured that this important task will be taken care of on a regular basis.

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