As a small business owner, you need to always be on the lookout for tools and strategies that can help your business remain relevant and continue its growth. Cloud computing is not a trend, it is a matter of necessity because you may find yourself out of business if you don’t leverage its power.
However, the topic of choosing the right cloud provider is not as straightforward as the question of whether you need one. There are a lot of things to consider and choices to make because making the wrong choice can cost you more than just money. With that in mind, here are a few pointers to keep in mind when choosing the best cloud provider for your business.
Research the Costs and Prep your Budget
As with any product or service that you wish to acquire, the wisest thing is to first and foremost, make sure you can afford it. If a free cloud service is all you can afford, you can start with that and move to the paying level as your business grows, but that solution is not applicable for any business with a demanding workload.
Also, since the price doesn’t guarantee the quality, ensure you look at all your options, ask around, see whose services other businesses are using, and compare everything so that you can make an informed decision your business can benefit from. Think about the monthly fees and whether you will be able to cover them without your business’s finances suffering. So, your first step needs to be an assessment of your budget and your options so that you can make the right decision.
Choose a Provider that can Support your Growth
Most business owners dream about expanding their business and raising awareness about the brand. The reach differs and so do their strategies, but the prerequisite to any type of growth and global expansion is a stable structure. The structure that stores your data and hosts the applications you use must be reliable in the sense that it has to be flexible yet strong enough to grow with your business.
Another thing to look into is whether another package from the same provider would resolve this situation. You need to research the packages since most businesses cannot afford to find out they are limited just because they choose a package which was not that suitable. Perhaps it is best to be open with providers: tell them about your plans and needs and let them propose their offer. After a close inspection of the terms and prices, you can then make a decision that would suit your business most.
Consider the Safety of your Data
Perhaps one of the most crucial elements of your search for a cloud service provider is security. Outgrowing your provider is tricky but not unsolvable and you can always change the provider but if the private customer data or your sensitive business’s information are exposed, your business may be severely threatened.
Naturally, you need to be careful about who has access to sensitive data, but sometimes cloud computing architecture can be complex and therefore slow and unresponsive. Many business owners opt for private cloud providers that understand the need for a simplified architecture that guarantees data safety and is, at the same time, easy to maneuver. When you add scalability to this mix, you get a comprehensive service provider that is tailored to your business needs and not the other way around. If any confidential data is revealed, your reputation might be irrevocably damaged in terms of customers but also partners and suppliers.
Think about Cloud-to-Cloud Backup
Software as a service (SaaS) platforms have become increasingly popular and for valid reasons: you get a highly responsive and efficient software for only a fraction of the price and there is no need for complicated installation processes or maintenance. Your cloud service provider tends to everything so that you can scratch that off your list.
However, have you considered your data backup? Archiving your data is not the same as backing them up and a lot of business owners only check that with their providers when something has already happened. At that point, it is too late: the archive is not something you can restore quickly and your business will lose money and time until you get everything up and running again. Therefore, cloud-to-cloud (C2C) backup is an essential feature that enables your data from one cloud to be backed up to another cloud. Also, since there is no need for on-site infrastructure, you can have this portion covered quickly and inexpensively.
Final Thoughts
One of the reasons why the choice of a cloud service provider is so vital is because it is a long-term impacting decision. You can change your provider if you discover that that company cannot fulfill your needs, but it is always better to make the right choice from the get-go because that would provide you with continuity. If it still happens that you might need to change providers, what you should look for is a seamless transition.
Do your research, assess the costs, your budget, packages, and terms, and give yourself time since such decisions shouldn’t be rushed. Once you are ready, choose a provider and start leveraging the power of cloud computing!
