For small businesses, getting good value for money out of IT and
communications systems in vital. While large companies may be able to
absorb the costs of an error in judgment when bringing in a new system,
or of higher than expected maintenance costs, smaller firms often
cannot. Small businesses - especially in the current economic climate -
are often living on a financial knife-edge. That can make them resistant
to change. However, it's important to remember that sometimes, it's
important to keep up with the pace, even if it is unfamiliar, as it can
lead to business benefits.
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An example of just such a change is the move towards the use of cloud
services, rather than standard business IT infrastructure using a server
and client model. Cloud computing is perfect for small businesses, as
it allows them to avoid expensive physical infrastructure and software
that needs to be maintained by specialists, and it helps improve staff
productivity. Cloud services are ways of sharing files or data using
internet based applications, similar to webmail or social media
programs, but more advanced. They allow users to communicate and share
in real time and access the system from anywhere, from laptops or
smartphones. Because they are not limited by the need to connect to a
physical network, staff have more freedom and control over when and how
they communicate.
Small businesses without the ability to invest in costly infrastructure
will find cloud services affordable. They also don't have to sign up to
using them for all their IT, but take on the bits that they want or
need. Some businesses might benefit from particular specialist cloud
services, such as project management systems or sales software. More
generally, every day services such as email and word-processing can be
done on a cloud. The initial outlay when buying in these services is
generally small, meaning that even the smallest of firms can experiment.
They can also save a considerable amount of money. Not only are the
day-to-day costs of maintaining IT infrastructure removed, but the costs
of dealing with unexpected problems are too. If a server breaks down or
is damaged, the costs in terms of repair and potential loss of business
and damage to reputation could be considerable. Because services on the
cloud are maintained elsewhere, businesses do not have that worry. For a
small company, that could be the difference between sinking and
swimming, especially when times are tough as they are now.
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