Growing a business in the post-COVID-19 era is quite challenging. You must overcome fierce competition and manage a larger remote workforce. Thankfully, cloud technology can provide solutions to streamline your day-to-day operations, expand your business and boost revenue. Check out these five cloud computing tips for business growth.

1. Assess Your Business Needs

Using cloud-based applications and storage can save you a significant amount of money. But that happens when you outline your needs in advance. Why?

Many cloud technology vendors offer different packages that only work well with applications they own or market. This is true about companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.

So decide the applications you need first, then choose a provider that offers them along with sufficient file storage and security for your business. At the very least, the service you select should provide tools and apps for communication, file sharing, office suite, web hosting, video conferencing, project management, database management, and ample storage space.

2. Set Policies to Prevent Inefficient Usage

To truly save costs, you need to utilize cloud resources effectively. That means you must set guidelines for each department to communicate, collaborate, work with applications, and manage storage space.

Here are some tips for efficient cloud usage:

• Don’t sign up for multiple applications that perform similar functions
• Use applications that have robust collaboration features
• Estimate storage needs carefully and pay for what you need

3. Establish Security Guidelines

You can’t afford a data breach in your business. In March 2020, due to COVID-19, online scams increased by 400%, and IBM reports that remote work due to the pandemic raised data breach costs in the U.S. by $137,000.

If a data breach occurs on your cloud computing network, your customers may sympathize with you, but they will take their business elsewhere.

• Do a security audit of your on-premise and cloud network to know the security vulnerabilities you have.
• Then work with a network security expert to establish strict security guidelines.
• Avoid using unsafe applications, change passwords regularly, and beware of phishing scams by email.
• Enable 2-Factor authentication on your cloud accounts.

In addition to providing cybersecurity, you must also have a regular backup schedule. Having a backup on another cloud storage gives you an additional layer of protection against file corruption.

4. Use Apps to Boost Marketing and Sales

Cloud-based marketing automation and sales management tools can help you to grow your business. Use them to attract more leads, do quick follow up, and close more sales.

5. Invest in Training

Cloud-based software can speed up many operations and improve the productivity of your workforce. But that does not happen automatically.

To improve operational efficiency and get your team to do more in less time, you need to invest in training.

Show them how to use the software to communicate effectively and respond to alerts without resorting to email. Empower your team to use more mobile apps safely from any location and build a remote team that delivers more work on schedule.

Get a Reliable Cloud Technology Partner

If you want to grow your business through efficient cloud computing, we can help you manage and secure your cloud IT infrastructure. Call Garden State Computing at 973-636-7350 to book a free consultation and demo.