In today’s world, cloud computing has the ability to make a huge impact on small businesses. Previously, SMBs have been limited in their options, unable to access the same resources that large companies do. But with greater accessibility and affordability, things are changing and SMBs now have the ability to compete alongside their leading counterparts. In fact, they might even have the competitive edge.
As individuals, many of us enjoy the benefits of cloud-based technology on a daily basis. Using applications like Dropbox and Google Drive we no longer have to worry about the cost of expensive technology and locked-in contracts, and instead we have reliable cloud storage, easy access and collaboration at our fingertips.
Similarly, these cloud benefits exist for businesses too - helping to save time and money with all kinds of applications such as Amazon Connect for contact center operations, Xero for accounting, Salesforce for CRM systems, Dropbox for document storage and Slack for internal communications.
But until recently, the assumption has been that cloud-based technology is only for those big businesses that can afford it. That simply isn’t true. Cloud-based technology is the perfect solution for SMBs and in this article we outline why.
Is moving to the cloud worth it?
Here are six reasons why the cloud is better than on-premise technology for SMBs:
1. Financial
Cloud-based technology is cap-ex free. There’s no longer an upfront investment for hardware or ongoing costs for updates. Implementation and management is quick, easy and cost effective. Best of all, subscription pricing allows businesses to pay as they go - a great advantage and cost certainty for any SMB keeping an eye on cash flow. There are several financial benefits to moving a contact center to the cloud:
Lower upfront costs: Cloud-based contact centers typically have lower upfront costs compared to on-premises solutions, as there is no need to purchase and install hardware or software.
Pay-as-you-go pricing: Cloud-based contact centers often offer a pay-as-you-go pricing model, which means you only pay for the resources you use. This can be more cost-effective than purchasing and maintaining your own hardware and software.
Financial Scalability: Cloud-based contact centers can easily scale up or down to meet changing customer demand, without the need for additional hardware or infrastructure. This can help to reduce costs by allowing you to adjust your capacity as needed.
Reduced maintenance expenses: Cloud-based contact centers are typically managed and maintained by the provider, which can reduce the cost of ongoing maintenance and support.
Increased efficiency: Cloud-based contact centers can improve efficiency by providing agents with the tools and resources they need to deliver excellent customer service. This can lead to cost savings by reducing the need for additional staff or training.
2. Scalability
Unlike large corporations, SMBs don’t always have the cash reserves to ride out business fluctuations or seasonal changes. Cloud-based infrastructure gives agility to SMBs with the ability to scale up and back down as needed. There’s no more buying additional servers, only to find a month later that you’re wasting money on unused resources. SMBs can make changes fast, scale operations to meet changing business needs, and only pay for what they need, when they need it. There are several benefits to scalability when moving a contact center to the cloud:
Increased capacity: Cloud-based contact centers can easily scale up or down to meet changing customer demand, without the need for additional hardware or infrastructure. This means that during peak times, the contact center can handle more calls and inquiries without experiencing delays or system outages.
Flexibility: Cloud-based contact centers allow you to easily adjust the number of agents and resources you have available, depending on your needs. This can help to reduce costs during slower periods and ensure that you have the capacity to handle increased demand when it arises.
Quick deployment: With a cloud-based contact center, you can get up and running quickly, without the need to purchase and set up hardware or software. This means that you can start serving customers faster and respond more quickly to changes in demand.
Easy expansion: If your business grows or you need to expand into new markets, a cloud-based contact center can easily scale with you. This can save you the time and expense of setting up a new on-premises contact center or upgrading your existing infrastructure.
Improved reliability: Cloud-based contact centers are typically hosted on highly redundant, secure servers, which can help to ensure that your contact center is always available to your customers. This can improve the overall reliability of your customer service operations.
3. Accessibility and collaboration
With cloud-based infrastructure and a reliable internet connection, staff can access the tools they need to work from anywhere. SMBs no longer need to be based in big cities, paying expensive office rent. Instead, SMBs can hire remote workers, reduce capital expenses, and offer flexible working conditions to improve the employee experience. Even better, there’s no longer an excuse for siloed information between staff and departments. With the right integrations in place, teams can do more together - and do it better. Data sharing becomes effortless and the customer experience can truly be supercharged. There are several collaboration benefits to moving a contact center to the cloud:
Improved communication: Cloud-based contact centers often have built-in communication and collaboration tools, such as instant messaging and video conferencing, that allow agents to easily communicate and collaborate with each other and with other teams within the organization.
Better integration: Cloud-based contact centers can easily integrate with other business systems and tools, such as CRM and marketing automation software, to provide a more seamless experience for agents. This can make it easier for agents to access customer information and streamline their workflows.
Greater accessibility: Cloud-based contact centers allow agents to access customer information and other resources from any device, as long as they have an internet connection. This can make it easier for agents to work on the go and collaborate with colleagues from any location.
4. Security
Data security is more important than ever and constantly monitoring this is not something SMBs can practically manage without the help of a third-party. Leading cloud-based software providers follow strict security configurations and are compliant with both local and global standards. This means that data stored on the cloud is often far more secure than on-premise protection managed independently by businesses. Even SMBs operating in highly regulated industries will benefit from the security and compliance offered by cloud service providers. There are several security benefits to moving a contact center to the cloud:
Improved security measures: Cloud-based contact centers typically have robust security measures in place to protect customer data, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and data encryption. These measures may be more comprehensive and up-to-date than what a company could provide on its own.
Enhanced compliance: Cloud-based contact centers often have to meet strict compliance standards, such as SOC 2, to ensure that they are handling sensitive customer data securely. This can provide reassurance to customers that their data is being handled in a compliant and secure manner.
Reduced risk of data breaches: Cloud-based contact centers typically have multiple layers of security in place to prevent data breaches, which can reduce the risk of sensitive customer data being accessed by unauthorized parties.
Improved disaster recovery: Cloud-based contact centers often have robust disaster recovery systems in place, which can help to ensure that customer data is still accessible in the event of a disaster. This can reduce the risk of data loss and improve business continuity.
Better security monitoring: Cloud-based contact centers often have dedicated security teams that monitor systems for vulnerabilities and respond to security threats in a timely manner. This can help to ensure that customer data is protected at all times.
5. Support and maintenance
Not many SMBs have an internal IT department. Instead, someone who once helped fix the office printer suddenly became the go-to IT expert (in addition to doing their own job). With cloud-based software, this volunteer is finally freed of their added responsibilities. All maintenance and support sits with the cloud supplier who offers fast customer support, ongoing maintenance and regular software updates. There are several maintenance benefits to moving a contact center to the cloud:
Reduced IT burden: When you move your contact center to the cloud, the provider is responsible for maintaining and updating the hardware and software. This can reduce the burden on your IT team and allow them to focus on other priorities.
Automatic updates: Cloud-based contact centers are typically updated automatically, which means you don't have to worry about manually installing patches or updates. This can help to reduce downtime and ensure that your systems are always running the latest version.
Improved uptime: Cloud-based contact centers often have redundant systems in place to ensure high availability. This means that if one system goes down, there are backup systems in place to keep the contact center operational.
Better disaster recovery: Cloud-based contact centers often have robust disaster recovery plans in place to ensure that you can quickly recover from any disruptions.
Enhanced security: Cloud-based contact centers typically have robust security measures in place to protect against cyber threats and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
6. Competitive edge
The barriers no longer exist. SMBs can play amongst the big dogs now. With access to enterprise level technology on an affordable pay-as-you-go basis, SMBs are no longer held back by expensive and disparate legacy systems. In an instant, business continuity measures are addressed, security is enhanced, operations are streamlined and all at a fraction of the cost.
So... it’s no longer a question of ‘should you move to the cloud?’ it’s when. And the answer is now. By transitioning to the cloud, SMBs can be innovative, remain competitive and deliver a better employee and customer experience to drive business growth.
For SMBs looking to improve customer support operations with a cloud-based contact center solution, Local Measure Engage for Amazon Connect offers a quick and easy transition to the cloud to improve agent efficiency and transform customer experience.
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