The Real Value of Cloud Technology and the Role It Plays in Your Business

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By now, cloud technology is no longer a “new” thing in the world of business but something that has already been well-established and explored by many companies. It has been integrated into countless workflows and provided lots of unique employment opportunities around the world, but it goes without saying that this kind of information has yet to trickle down into smaller businesses and startups. While technology-powered businesses are a common sight now, many entrepreneurs have yet to fully grasp the concept of cloud technology and the benefits it provides their companies.

So in this article, we’ll be informing you of the real value of cloud technology and the important role it plays in your business.

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How cloud technology improves productivity

One of the biggest advantages of cloud technology is its ability to improve the general productivity of your workplace. Cloud technologies such as Google Drive allow your employees to access and take their work wherever they go, resulting in the ability to consistently update and iterate their work regardless of their location. This is arguably one of the most productive and enticing things about switching to a workflow that is supported by cloud-based technologies and services, but it can go much further than simply being a way to create and edit work on-the-go with laptops.

Cloud technologies can also be used to power tools and software that would otherwise require a powerful computer. Although laptops are incredibly convenient thanks to their portability, they do lack in terms of processing power unless you spend over a thousand on the laptop itself. This means that certain tools are not feasible for portable use, but this is where cloud technology can come into play.

Cloud technology allows you to remotely control powerful computers in the workplace that not only have better hardware but are also connected to your office network which means you can access files and processes that would normally require you to be physically connected to your office network. Some uses of this include accessing rendering software for video production teams, it could be editing large spreadsheets that contain millions of lines or even operating sophisticated machines with a software interface that you have developed specifically for your office.

With this in mind, it should be easy to see just how productive you can be with the help of cloud technology. By giving your employees the opportunity to utilize powerful hardware no matter where they are, they can get work done much more quickly and efficiently. It also helps to offer your staff the chance to work from home, a coffee shop or even on the train during their commute to work. The added flexibility is fantastic for the overall wellbeing of your staff and it helps to encourage your employees to work in an environment that is comfortable for them.

The cost savings of cloud technology

There are countless IT services that companies need to hire in order to take advantage of cloud-based technologies. Whether it’s renting out powerful servers and hardware which can be used remotely to power demanding processes or even the travel costs involved in transferring documents physically from one employee to another, there are business-related costs that can be lessened with the help of cloud-based technologies.

Cloud-based technologies also have the advantage of being incredibly secure especially if you’re planning to utilize an enterprise-grade solution. These industry-standard cloud-based technologies are secured with incredibly sophisticated security solutions. Whether it’s software-based antivirus software or hardware-based monitoring that helps to identify threats and defend against them, you can be sure that your data and your network are kept safe with the help of cloud technology.

Another cost-saving advantage of cloud-based technology is in the way it handles automation. Many cloud technologies can help to automate processes that would usually take a dedicated employee to manage. This can include routine tasks like email marketing, document storage or even acting on marketing and business trends as soon as they’re detected. Automating these tasks can take a certain level of user input, but more sophisticated solutions are ready out of the box and can be implemented into your workflow almost immediately.

In short, cloud-based technologies are fantastic for helping you cut the costs of operating your business. A lot of people get carried away when it comes to cloud technology and they might try to change their work processes or modify how data flows through the business to accommodate cloud technologies. However, you’ll find that modifying things too much can often create annoyances for your employees, especially if it’s a change that doesn’t seem productive or adds more frustrations that hinder your employee’s ability to work. As such, you need to strike a good balance of traditional and cloud-based solutions to create a productive business.

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Embracing the flexibility that cloud technologies can offer

Another big advantage of cloud technology is in the flexibility it gives your workforce. We’ve mentioned already that cloud technology can help establish remote working opportunities for your employees, but what we’ve yet to touch on is how flexible this makes your workforce. This is something that can offer huge potential growth as it allows your employees to not only work at their own pace and in a comfortable environment but also means that you can hire from all over the world assuming the work is doable without a strict schedule to adhere to.

Being able to hire from all over the world means that your business can operate 24/7 without any slowing down. Of course, this is more feasible if you have managers and senior staff that can help you monitor and direct your employees that are working from all over the world. However, just the idea of being able to create a flexible and adaptable workforce is usually enough to convince an entrepreneur to switch to cloud-based solutions. This isn’t applicable to every type of business, but it can be a huge consideration for businesses that are able to operate around the clock. This can include content creation, offering consultation services or even customer support.

Giving your staff some degree of freedom can also be a huge employee benefit. This often results in enhanced performance, high-quality work and also better overall wellbeing. It does remove the personal aspect of managing your staff, but if you’re a small business looking to grow then it’s vital to take advantage of the flexibility of cloud-based solutions. For savvy international businesses that want an edge over their national competitors, hiring a global workforce can be a massive advantage that helps them stay competitive while operating on a much lower budget.

Some final words regarding cloud technology

Cloud technology is something that can easily be implemented into any business, but being able to use it effectively to improve productivity, offer flexibility and also lower costs is another story. By following these tips, you’ll hopefully be able to take better advantage of cloud technology and learn to use it efficiently. When people first start to implement cloud-based solutions, they might find that they’re spending more money than they initially planned to which can result in countless problems.

Effective use of cloud technology means gauging its usefulness, developing strategies and work processes that revolve around the use of cloud solutions and implementing it in ways that won’t hinder your existing work processes or frustrate your employees. Regardless of how you use cloud technology, it’s important to keep these considerations in mind.

How 21st-Century Solutions Could Save Your Business

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Owning a business nowadays can be a struggle. It can cause stress, worry and be a financial burden. Today we are going to be looking at how you can alleviate some of those daily stresses just by updating some of the ways you do things.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How 21st-Century Solutions Could Save Your Business

Outsource

Trying to do everything yourself is something every entrepreneur is guilty of. The result is always the same, exhaustion and burn out which results in a very moody boss.

The solution to this has been made ever more available, especially over the last 10 years. Outsourcing no longer has to be an outside consultant, prancing his way around your offices telling you what you should do.

It is now a fantastic option when it comes to adapting to survive. The key to succeeding in business is simple, it’s all about cash flow. So you can save some money, that’s perfect, right?

You can have your leading expenses outsourced and have all of your IT solutions dealt with from an outside company. You can even have a company operate a customer service solution for you. These companies are great and over the space of twelve months, they can save you an average of around 60% on what you would generally be spending on a salary.

Cloud

The cloud has become one of the most valuable tools we can use as business people. It can offer so many solutions.

Most people still think of the cloud as just a space for storage. In reality, it is so much more. Nowadays we can have cloud-based bespoke customer management systems that we can access on an international level. We have access to cloud-based accounting systems that allow us to manage international finances all in one place. We even have companies like SimplyClouds that will allow us all in one license service on our software.

Turning to the cloud can not just help you as a business, as far as 21st-century solutions go, you should be utilizing it at every turn. It will allow you to operate from anywhere in the world, at any time.

Should you be looking to expand, all of your data is in one place and easy to duplicate to a second or even third location.

Social Media

Gone are the days of expensive, bank-breaking advertizing campaigns. You now have the power of social media at your fingertips.

Social media is so much more important than you think. If we go back 20 years, it would cost huge rates just to reach a few thousand people. Now, with a little bit of knowledge and the right campaign, we can hit millions overnight.

Companies have built their reputation built on nothing more than Facebook videos, vines, and Youtube videos. The perfect thing about these videos, they not only cost nothing, given the right amount of hits, but the videos also start to bring in revenue for you.

Although it is a tough market to hit, you should consider approaching a social media mogul who can push your campaign. One thing you should not do is ignore the power of social media, it could be your winning move.

How To Run A More Successful Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | How To Run A More Successful BusinessIt’s important that you’re always trying to improve if you want to run a more successful business. You may be getting by as it stands today but this type of approach isn’t what’s going to help you grow and reach your full potential in the long run.

It’s important to take matters into your own hands and figure out ways for how you can set and achieve your goals in a timely manner. You’ll find your job that much more rewarding when you’re able to overcome obstacles you’re facing and reach new heights. Avoid wondering what could be, and instead focus on putting the following ideas into action so you can experience future success at your business.

Deliver on Your Promise

One way to deliver on your promise is to have a strategy in place that you can execute on time and time again. Always provide great service and never let your reputation or quality of work and products come into question. For example, check out how one company came up with a winning formula for solving problems related to designing Silicone wound care products for their customers. The more consistently you deliver on your promise the more business you’re going to be able to retain and win over.

Hire Leaders

Your company will experience greater success when you have leaders in place who are supporting you with your endeavors. As you expand your company over the years, you’re not going to be able to execute on all you want to do by yourself. You’ll need individuals in influential roles who can help you move the needle in a forward and positive direction and ensure that your company becomes a leader in your industry.

Organize Your Finances

Run a more successful business by understanding your financial situation and what money you have going out and coming in each month. Know where the majority of your profits are stemming from and take time to recognize and cut unnecessary spending. You’ll find that your company performs a lot better when you’re making wise financial decisions and avoiding making assumptions when it comes to your books and record keeping.

Take Calculated Risks

Another way to run a more successful business includes being willing to take calculated risks when the situation calls for it. Sitting back waiting for opportunities to come to you will likely leave you feeling defeated and frustrated at the end of the day. So, it’s important to step up and take initiative, and to figure out ways for how you can outsmart your competitors and innovate your products or services to show you’re committed to evolving over time and not settling for a mediocre business.

Conclusion

Your business will become more successful when you’re willing to fix problem areas and focus on the right types of projects. Use these tips as a starting point for coming up with a winning formula that will make a real difference in your performance and customer satisfaction scores. Be sure to track your progress so you can see exactly which modifications are bringing you the greatest rewards.

Keep These 7 Office Moving and Building Tips in Mind for Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Keep These 7 Office Moving and Building Tips in Mind for Your BusinessHave you made the decision to build a new office for your business?

Want to make sure you have an easy time moving? Then choosing a business moving company is the perfect solution for you.

An office move can be a difficult thing if you don’t know how to do it right, but it can be especially difficult if you’re building a brand new office yourself. It’s important that you give both your new building design as well as the moving process a lot of thought to ensure you and your employees have a smooth transition.

Luckily, we’re here to help. Below are the 7 top office moving and building tips that you should keep in mind when moving your business.

1. Take Time For Planning the Move

Before moving to a new building or office, it’s important that you do as much planning as possible beforehand. You need to make sure that you’re not only planning the new office design but that you’re also thinking thoroughly about the moving process.

It’s a good idea to use a checklist and to make a list of everything you need to move to the new location whether that includes office furniture, equipment, files, or inventory. You should also create a thorough timeline that will help guide you as the moving day approaches.

2. Hire Professional Movers

While you may think you’ll be able to handle an office move on your own, it’s usually best to get professional help instead. Be sure to look at reviews online and do your research to find great movers for the job.

Hiring professional movers is often well worth the money you’ll spend and can help move into your new space much more efficiently and effortlessly. Professionals will have the skills and expertise to make a move much less stressful for you.

This also ensures that you don’t miss a beat with your everyday activities.

3. Do Some Serious Labeling

While it may seem like a small thing, doing some serious labeling on your moving boxes is one thing that will make your move much easier to handle. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to find a specific item and having to dig through a lot of different boxes to find what you’re looking for.

Labeling your boxes will make it much easier for you to find what you’re looking for once you arrive at your new building. Doing so can help make setting up your new office a much simpler process.

Be sure you label things thoroughly when packing up your current office and your move will be easier than you may expect.

4. Get Rid of Unneeded Items

When you’re building a new office or you’re moving to different office space, it’s a great time to get rid of some of your old supplies and equipment. You should consider getting rid of anything you don’t need anymore.

Chances are that your office has some furniture around that has seen better days and could stand to be replaced or some equipment that you simply don’t use often enough. Instead of taking this stuff with you to your new space, it may be time to sell or donate them.

5. Secure Your Job Site

It’s important that you secure your equipment and materials before moving. Theft can be a serious problem for a job site and you’ll need to take measures to protect against it. Be sure that you take all of the necessary precautions when building a new office.

Particularly if you’re working with valuable materials such as copper, you need to have a plan for protecting it against thieves. Using portable storage containers can help prevent theft on job sites and will help ensure that the construction of your building goes on without a hitch.

6. Take Measurements

Whether you’re building a new building or you’re moving to a new rental space, take accurate measurements when relocating. You need to do the groundwork necessary to ensure you’ll have enough space for everything.

You’ll want to measure the furniture and equipment you’re taking with you and compare your current office space to your new one. By taking the necessary measurements of the space and planning out the layout thoroughly, you’ll avoid having space problems later on.

7. Optimize the Layout for Productivity

When moving into a new space, you should also make sure you think critically about its layout. Chances are you’ll want to alter it from what you currently have.

Most of all, you should be aiming to create a layout that helps foster productivity and efficiency and helps make daily tasks easier to accomplish.

Positioning equipment, supplies, and employees either closer together or further apart can have a big impact on your office. Be sure to think about the layout carefully to ensure you’re creating an office that meets your needs.

Making the Most of These Office Moving Tips

If you’re going through an office move or building a new office building then you need to do your due diligence and plan carefully. By using the office moving tips above, you’ll have the best chance of having a smooth transition to your new space.

Looking for more office and business tips? Explore our blog!

Streamline Your Business Technology In 4 Easy Steps

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Investing in the right technology is essential for any business, but it only benefits your company if you do it correctly. Overcomplicating their IT systems is one of the more common mistakes that businesses make and it leads to a lot of wasted money and confusing processes which harm productivity. But if you can streamline your business technology, you’ll find that it works far more effectively and you’ll save some money at the same time. Here’s how you can streamline your business technology in 4 easy steps.

StrategyDriven | Managing Your Business | Streamline Your Business Technology In 4 Easy Steps

Understand Your Current System

Before you can start making any changes, you need to understand your current system. You might be thinking that you already understand all of the technology that your business uses, but chances are, you don’t. You need to speak with your employees and understand how they are using technology day to day, and how it improves their ability to work productively. You also need to look through a breakdown of everything that you’re paying for and ask yourself what benefit each piece of software or hardware brings to the business. If you can’t work out how something benefits the business, why are you spending money on it? Once you have a good idea of where you stand, you can start finding ways to streamline things.

Identify Your Needs

Often, businesses overcomplicate their technology because they do not consider their needs when purchasing software. Instead, they are drawn in by marketing and they buy things on the promise that it will improve their business, even if they don’t really need it. It’s important that you use a needs based approach and think about the problems in your business that need to be solved, then invest in software to meet those needs. If you do it that way, you will be able to make technology investments that improve your business and stop wasting money on things that you don’t need.

Invest In Cloud Solutions

Keeping all of your systems updated is important, but when you overcomplicate things, it can be difficult to stay on top of it all. But if you invest in the right cloud computing services, you can have them manage all of your systems and keep them updated, rather than handling it in-house. That makes things a lot simpler for you, but you still get the benefit of using the latest technology.

Integrate Software

The best way to simplify your business technology is to integrate your software. When you are buying new software, you should always look for applications that work seamlessly with the software that you already have in place. Trying to use multiple programs that don’t work well together will really slow things down for your employees. But if you can integrate everything properly, it will all work perfectly and you should see an increase in productivity. Trying to manage integration can be tough, especially if you don’t really know what you’re doing, so it is best to call in an IT consulting company to implement everything for you.

Follow these steps and you can successfully streamline your business technology and save yourself a lot of time and money.