According to a study by Exact Software and Pb7 Research, small businesses that embrace cloud technology eventually double their profits and see a 25 percent growth in revenue. That’s good news for any business looking to increase its bottom line, while rebooting its technology presence. So how does cloud computing make such a big impact on business?
Well, there’s definitely more than one way to answer that question, especially when it comes to businesses specializing in website design. But the answers tend to lean toward how the cloud can simultaneously simplify business processes and increase productivity. Here are five reasons cloud computing plays an important role in website design.
Enhances Security
The Internet is rife with tales of data breaches and hacking, but that shouldn’t be the only concern amongst Web designers. Lost information and backup sources can also tank your business. And that’s not good news for any company’s future. According to PwC, 70 percent of businesses that experience a major data loss go out of business within a year.
Then again, backing up your data on your own dime can be costly, time-consuming and all-around difficult. Instead, turn to a reliable, encrypted third-party cloud backup service to do all the heavy lifting for you. Mozy, for example, offers cloud backups for devices and services alike. Choose to back up your devices on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and safely restore these devices when you need them.
Provides Real-Time Collaboration
Relying on cloud-based apps, tools and processes makes it easier for design teams to collaborate in real time. But that goes beyond making changes in the cloud and watching them sync and update. Instead of passing files back and forth, upgrade to a service like Trello to manage workplace projects. The platform allows you to assign team members to certain projects, give clients access to view specific project deliverables, and seamlessly exchange information back and forth through the cloud platform.Trello can also help your company map out an entire design strategy using visual cards and notations, so the entire team can collaborate from a central hub.
Increases Productivity
Working in the cloud can dramatically increase productivity by keeping more processes nimble. For example, there’s no need to shuffle through client contracts and proposals when you can upload them to Dropbox and see them sync up in real time. Or send a contract with Adobe Sign so clients can sign contracts via email without having to download, sign and then scan the contract.
Designers can also focus on their business instead of answering every phone call or email related to an IT disaster. Cloud-based tools are largely impervious to global blackouts and major bugs that would take down your company. And when problems do arise, it’s the cloud-based service’s responsibility to fix them while you focus on designing.
Speeds Up Elasticity
Rapidly scaling your services falls under the category of “nice problem to have,” but can actually tank your business without cloud-based technology. Hiring remote workers is easy when you can use tools like Slack to project manage your latest jobs. Meanwhile, outgrowing your server and disk space is easily remedied by moving onto the cloud and relying on third parties to do it for you.
Enhances the Overall User Experience
There’s not much argument about whether businesses benefit from the cloud, or the growing trend in moving into cloud-based services. But there is something else to consider. Designers are now operating in a cloud-based culture where it’s the norm to run everything from their smartphone messaging apps to multi-executive video calls in the cloud. Offering your clients the latest cloud-based tools can keep your business aligned with the competition. Otherwise, you’re left behind before you’ve even produced your first round of design.
