For every large enterprise in the U.S., there are 1,500 small- to medium-sized businesses, according to a 2013 poll. And while SMBs represent a significant chunk of the business world, they often face obstacles that prevent them from realizing their full potential. But one way for SMB managers or decision makers to cut costly corners and accelerate business is to embrace cloud communications.

So, why does your SMB need to be cloud-bound?

  1. Your competition already is. The percentage of SMBs who currently use cloud software continues to grow—rising from 14 percent in 2009 to 35 percent in 2012.
  2. It may complement your lack of IT. Cloud computing has transformed the role of IT. In fact, some claim that the cloud will be the end of IT altogether. With research showing that 42 percent of SMBs have no IT department, this is a definite reason to consider cloud communications. If, for whatever reason, you don’t have the means to employ an IT department, the cloud enables you to omit all physical, in-house infrastructure, essentially, the need for IT altogether.
  3. You can work anytime, anywhere. Thirty-one percent of small businesses have only one employee and the majority have only three. This means that even one employee out of the office can do serious business damage. Working within the cloud means working efficiently no matter where employees happen to be; all they need is Internet access.
  4. The benefits specifically targeted toward SMBs are plenty. When asked how the cloud supports them most, 38 percent of SMBs said it helps them get new business features faster and 42 percent said it helped reduce their IT workload. Cloud computing has also been shown to reduce IT labor costs by up to 50 percent, as well as save up to 90 percent on energy costs

get great content like this weekly
Ready to talk to sales? Contact us.