Freedom in the cloud: Micro-businesses, this means YOU

Time is money, so everyone says. And small businesses may know it best. When you’ve bet your success (and all the capital you can get your hands on) on a personal vision, there isn’t a lot of time or money left over to sweat the details. Even if you’re aware getting the details right could help you save money down the road. Micro-businesses (1-9 employees) in particular face challenges in balancing their business planning and IT needs. Sure, we all know technology does remarkable stuff. And there’s something called the cloud that’s revolutionizing all of it. But it all sounds very lofty and big-business, when you’re too busy serving customers and bringing in revenue to dig into the details. Plus there’s an email inbox to keep up with, and next month’s rent to pay. What does cloud technology have to do with you? The answer is: A lot. You are the market When you see promotions and ads for cloud technology, you could easily conclude that cloud technology was designed for enterprise-level companies. In fact, most cloud solutions have been built for businesses of all sizes. And, believe it or not, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) represent the biggest market for cloud services and applications because of the business efficiencies they can deliver at an affordable price. Look at it this way: As a consumer, you’ve probably owned a computer for most of your life. You install software, you fix problems, and you update things when cryptic messages tell you to do so. In between, you send email, create documents and files, and look at the Web. When you became a business owner, your needs for business productivity expanded. So did the complications, including the number of computers and applications you needed to buy and maintain for your staff. Managing IT, in your world, is the same optimization challenge it is for the big shops. Like them, you need to get the most out of your systems, while minimizing the time and expense of buying and maintaining hardware and software. You rely on your phone, your tablet, your home computer, and various online services to stay connected and organized as you juggle your day-to-day operations. Cloud services provide a way to centralize your applications in a place that isn’t on any computer you own. Instead you use a secure, personalized cloud environment where you and your employees can access and use applications, with whatever device you are using. Best of all, cloud productivity is based on the “pay as you go” model. You pay only for the services you actually use. If you have an accounting or architecture practice whose staff size fluctuates seasonally, pay-as-you-go means you can expand or reduce your software consumption expenses day-by-day. Or if you own the flower shop on the corner, mobile access means you can track orders and update delivery schedules while you’re out driving the van without going back to the office. The bottom line: freedom What is the bottom line of cloud technologies for smaller companies? In a word: Freedom. The success and growth of any small business depends on the freedom to execute your vision, effectively and efficiently, every day. Your star can shine because you’ve minimized the burden of managing and maintaining the IT that supports your business. You save time and money. Even better, you gain the freedom to focus on your original project: making customers happy and building your business to match your personal vision. Article courtesy of Microsoft