The fastest growing, most efficient and resilient businesses usually have one thing in common – they have all implemented cloud-based technologies. From start-ups to large-scale corporations, the benefits of cloud-based communications are undeniable and offer organisations a competitive edge against others.
A new normal – adopting a hybrid model
The past 12 months have made it abundantly clear that we’re on the cusp of a whole new way of working. The future of office life for many organisations will be a hybrid model, balancing working from home with office-based activities that can be completed more effectively through face-to-face interaction, for example for meetings and brainstorming. For those adopting a hybrid model, effective use of cloud technologies will be an essential tool in the armoury – facilitating agile working and collaboration amongst employees, as well as opening up endless opportunities for a company’s workforce. The ability to get online to access files and emails at any time or place has never been more important, and those that don’t adapt will pay the price when it comes to productivity and business growth.
Cloud reduces costs
Cloud-based solutions reduce operating costs for businesses. Replacing the need to purchase expensive hardware with simple and transparent pay-as-you-go subscription services means that companies can reinvest their profits more strategically. The return on investment alone should make business leaders seriously consider switching to a cloud-based solution. If a business is hoping to rapidly grow and evolve over the coming years, then they’ll need to keep abreast of technological trends and advancements in order to thrive.
Prioritising customer service
Keeping customers happy in 2021 has never been more important, and those that maintain high standards of customer service will be ahead of the game. Transforming from a legacy contact centre to having all inbound and outbound customer communications handled in one central cloud-based solution allows businesses to talk to more customers and have better, more meaningful, and ultimately profitable conversations. This is something we’ve seen first-hand with Yopa, a full-service estate agent, that we helped transform. The automated contact centre solution that we implemented syncs all call data, ensuring agents are connected with specific leads that are most likely to generate sales, before moving on to dial the next lead with the best conversion potential. As a direct result, the company has seen a 75% increase in monthly talk time, improving from 400 to 700 hours of productive talk time over the course of the year.
Secure, flexible solutions that help your business thrive
This year, businesses must minimise operational challenges through implementing solutions that offer complete flexibility. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a start-up or large enterprise, cloud solutions can be scaled up or down depending on the ever-changing demands of a business. Not only does this give business leaders a competitive edge, but it also minimises the risks related to operational maintenance issues while saving on the costs of changing and purchasing physical infrastructure.
Playing it safe
Arguably, what’s really put the spotlight on cloud-based solutions this year is its disaster recovery capabilities. Storing data in the cloud means that it is always available, regardless of what happens to your team’s equipment. No matter what the emergency, the fast and efficient data recovery provided by cloud-solutions will ensure it’s business as usual for both staff and customers and there’s no downtime experienced.
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that businesses need to be ready for the unexpected, and cloud-based solutions have shown that they’re the most effective way of achieving this. It doesn’t matter how big your company is – security breaches can effect anyone. Authentication access control or data encryption are just some examples of how data can be protected in the cloud, but any businesses leader looking to cement a competitive edge mustn’t let cybercrime set them back on their path to success.
The need for businesses to be more resilient is more apparent now than ever before. Whilst the future’s unknown, leaders need to ensure that they don’t have their heads in the sand when it comes to reviewing their business operations and technology. In order to achieve long-term strategic goals, offer protection and increase efficiency, businesses must make the switch to cloud-based solutions before they’re left behind.
