12 Benefits of Cloud Computing for RMC Producers
Cloud computing has been around for approximately two decades.
An increasing number of concrete producers are recognizing the many benefits of the cloud-computing trend. More than that, they are using cloud technology to more efficiently run their organizations, better serve their customers, and dramatically increase their overall profit margins. All this seems to indicate that given where the industry is heading, now is a great time to get in the cloud.
Cloud computing has become increasingly popular over the past few years. The exponential increase in data usage associated with society’s transition to the digital age has made it increasingly difficult for individuals and organizations to keep all of their essential information, programs, and systems running on in-house servers. The solution to this problem is one that has been around for nearly as long as the internet, but that has only recently gained widespread use by businesses.
By using cloud computing, users have access to all of the system’s features and files without having to keep the bulk of the system on their own computer. Most people already use cloud computing services without even realizing it – Google Drive, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are all cloud-based services. For all of these services, users are sending their personal data to a cloud-hosted server that stores the information for later access. As useful as these applications are for personal use, they are even more so for businesses that require secure, online access to large amounts of data.
For example, after having set up their database or integrating with CRM software, employees can access customer information via ConcreteGO from their smartphone or tablet at home or while traveling, and can quickly share that information with other authorized parties anywhere in the world.
Nevertheless, some leaders remain hesitant about committing to cloud computing for their organizations. In this article, we will share with you 12 business advantages of cloud computing.
- Cost Savings
- Security
- Flexibility
- Mobility
- Insight
- Increased Collaboration
- Quality Control
- Disaster Recovery
- Loss Prevention
- Automatic Software Updates
- Competitive Edge
- Sustainability
Cost Savings: You’re not alone if you’re concerned about the cost of moving to the cloud. 20% of organizations are concerned about the upfront cost of implementing a cloud-based server. When you are attempting to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using the cloud, make sure to consider more than just the initial cost – also consider the ROI.
Security: Cloud computing is often viewed with security concerns by organizations. If you can access your data remotely, then what’s stopping a cybercriminal from doing the same? Quite a bit, actually…It is the job of a cloud host to carefully monitor security, which is much more efficient than in-house infrastructure, which requires a company to divide its resources between various IT concerns, including security.
According to RapidScale, 94% of businesses noticed improved security after switching to the cloud, and 91% say it makes meeting government compliance requirements easier.
Flexibility: Your company has a limited amount of focus to divide between all of its responsibilities. If your current IT solutions require too much attention to computer and storage issues, you will not be able to focus on achieving business goals and satisfying customers. In contrast, by relying on an outside organization to handle all your IT hosting and infrastructure, you can devote more of your time to aspects of your business that directly impact your bottom line.
Overall, the cloud offers businesses more flexibility than hosting on a local server. Rather than overhauling your IT infrastructure, a cloud-based service can satisfy that additional bandwidth demand instantly. Your company can benefit significantly from this improved freedom and flexibility. In a survey by InformationWeek, 65% of respondents indicated that “the ability to quickly meet business demands” is one of the most important reasons a business should move to the cloud.
Mobility: A cloud computing platform enables mobile access to corporate data via smartphones, which ensures that no one is left out of the loop. Through the cloud, you can offer conveniently accessible information to managers and clients to simplify operations. As a result, it’s not surprising to learn that companies that prioritize employee satisfaction are up to 24% more likely to expand cloud usage.
Insight: In the digital age, what was once understood as “knowledge is power” has evolved into: “Data is money.” Within the millions of bits of data that surround your customer transactions and business processes lies actionable information just waiting to be discovered. Unless you have the right cloud-computing solution, it can be very difficult to sift through the data to find this information.
With your information stored in the cloud, you can easily generate custom reports to analyze company-wide data. From those insights, you can increase efficiencies and build action plans to meet organizational goals. For example, the beverage company Sunny Delight was able to increase profits by about $2 million a year and cut $195,000 in staffing costs through cloud-based business insights.
Increased Collaboration: Collaboration should be a priority for companies with two or more employees. If your concrete production company has less than two employees, please share your secret. Cloud computing makes collaboration a simple process – Team members can view and share information easily and securely. Collaboration is possible without a cloud-computing solution, but it will never be as easy, nor as effective.
Quality Control: There are few things as detrimental to the success of a RMC company as poor quality and inconsistent reporting. In a cloud-based system, all documents are stored in one place and in a single format. By allowing everyone to access the same information, you can maintain consistency in data, avoid human error, and have a clear record of any revisions or updates. In contrast, managing information in different places can cause employees to save different versions of documents, leading to data confusion and diluted information.
Disaster Recovery: Control is one factor that contributes to a business’s success. In today’s market, even a very small amount of unproductive downtime can have a resoundingly negative effect, no matter how in control your company is when it comes to its own processes. Downtime in your services leads to losses in productivity, revenue, and reputation.
Even if you can’t prevent or even anticipate disasters that may seriously damage your company, you can take steps to speed your recovery. The cloud provides quick data recovery in all types of emergency situations, from natural disasters to power outages. 20% of cloud users claim disaster recovery within four hours or less, but only 9% of non-cloud users can claim the same. A recent survey found that 43% of IT executives intend to invest in or improve cloud-based disaster recovery solutions.
Loss Prevention: Without a cloud-computing solution, your valuable data is tied to the office computers it resides on. Even though this may not seem like a big deal, if your local hardware fails, you are likely to lose your data forever. Computers can malfunction for a multitude of reasons, from aging hardware to user error. Or, even if you have the best intentions, they can be lost or stolen (over 10,000 laptops are reported lost every week at major airports).
With a cloud-based server, however, all the information you’ve uploaded to the cloud remains safe and easily accessible from any computer with an internet connection, even if the computer you regularly use isn’t working.
Automatic Software Updates: When you have a lot to get done, nothing is more frustrating than waiting for system updates to install. Instead of requiring IT to manually update applications, cloud-based applications automatically update themselves. This saves valuable IT staff time and money spent on outside IT consultation. PCWorld reports that 50% of cloud adopters cite fewer internal IT resources as a benefit of cloud computing.
Competitive Edge: The popularity of cloud computing is increasing, but there are still those who prefer to keep everything local. This is their choice, but it places them at an undeniable disadvantage when competing with those that have access to the cloud. If you implement a cloud-based solution before your competitors, you’ll be further along the learning curve by the time they catch up. According to a recent study by Verizon, 77% of businesses believe cloud technology gives them a competitive advantage, with 16% seeing it as a significant advantage.
Sustainability: With the current state of the environment, companies can no longer merely put a recycling bin in the breakroom and claim that they are doing their part to help the environment. Sustainable business practices involve addressing wastefulness at all levels. Hosting in the cloud is environmentally friendly since there is less carbon footprint. In addition to reducing paper waste, improving energy efficiency, and (given that employees can access them from anywhere with internet access) reducing commuter-related emissions, cloud infrastructures support environmental proactivity.
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