Cloud Computing is Taking Over Businesses in Plymouth

A huge shift towards cloud computing has been a big trend among small businesses in the area. The trend started earlier this year, with more businesses in Plymouth choosing to outsource many of their business operations to cloud-based services. There are more solutions to choose from too, making the move more beneficial.

A Rewarding Shift

There are plenty of reasons why businesses – from small coffee shops to retail stores and factories – are moving to the cloud. For starters, cloud-based services are much more affordable than the currently available in-house solutions.

Accounting, for instance, can be much easier to do and a lot less costly with the help of accounting software running from the cloud. There is no need to hire an accountant, since the solution will guide you through the process of documenting everything properly.

The same can be said for sales, especially among major retailers in the area. Multiple branches can be connecting to the same cloud solution without the need to invest in a big server or other supporting infrastructure. This means managers and owners can access an integrated report from all branches centrally.

Aside from being cheaper and more streamlined, cloud computing also helps smaller businesses meet certain operating standards and regulations. There are wizards and guides attached to every process to make the whole ecosystem more suitable for small to medium enterprises.

Many Solutions to Choose From

There are more solutions to choose from, each offering a unique set of features to add to the business’s workflow. SalesForce, one of the biggest names in cloud-based solutions, is offering a set of tools that will help you maintain customer relationships. If your business needs to maintain a database of customers, use the information to do sales visits or calls and perform other sales-related tasks, then SalesForce is a solution that will make everything easier.

There are also cloud-based HR systems, designed to help make the whole process of finding, recruiting and maintaining employees so much easier to do. These solutions also make having good HR management more affordable, since there is no need to maintain an in-house team of HR specialists all the time.
Other solutions focus on ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and marketing, as well as other parts of the business. There is no business model that cannot be moved to the cloud today.

The Impact on Local Economy

When experts first spotted this cloud computing trend, many predicted that it would harm jobs and the local economy. As we get nearer to the end of the year, it is obvious that the presence of cloud-based solutions only makes small businesses more competitive. Paired with the fact that Plymouth’s best brands are now selling their products and services online, and we have an even stronger economic climate than ever.

It is interesting to see how far cloud computing will affect small businesses in the region. There are new solutions – cheaper, faster and better in many ways – being introduced periodically, which means things can only get better.