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Many organizations are shifting their IT resources to the cloud. In fact, 78% of companies forecast they will adopt the cloud in some way by 2020. However, it’s important to take a moment and evaluate the business case for the cloud, and its potential impact on your unique environment.
The good news is that the tidal wave of support for moving to the cloud continues to grow, and now, there is more data than ever to support that move. For small-to-medium-sized organizations, the shift to the cloud can represent a substantial change in operations which can be concerning to owners. But, with the proper planning and support (either from an internal IT team or MSPs), SMB owners can begin to feel more confident about shifting to the cloud and the benefits thereof. So, what exactly is the value in shifting to the cloud?
A Look at the Business Case for the Cloud
More Time to Focus on Core Competencies
A key benefit of shifting to the cloud is that it enables organizations to focus on what is important to them by allowing them to outsource tasks that aren’t unique to their business. As a result, organizations gain more time to develop the competitive parts of their business. For many companies, running their IT infrastructure is a means to an end and not necessarily how they generate their competitive position in the market. Leveraging cloud infrastructure and web applications is a great way to refocus the internal resources where they matter most. By doing so, you could experience as much as a 20% average improvement in time to market.
Increased Productivity
More than ever before, IT solutions are a way that end users accomplish their jobs. With cloud-based IT tools that can help virtually any kind of professional and worker, people are accomplishing more than ever. For example, 86% of end users found that web-based applications help them do their jobs better, with many reporting a 49% reduction in emails, 30% fewer scheduled meetings, and a 25% increase in customer satisfaction. As a whole, organizations can gain an 18% average increase in process efficiency when they adopt cloud IT resources.
Cost Savings and Cash Flow
As if the benefits of more focus and increased productivity aren’t enough, the cloud also leads to less costs over time. IT spending alone can decrease by 15% because the total cost of ownership of a cloud resource is much lower compared to on-prem solutions. For example, by shifting to the cloud, you no longer have a need for hardware, networking equipment, data center space, software, and internal management and maintenance. By eliminating these components, the cost benefits are significant.
The other benefit for many small-to-medium-sized organizations has to do with cash flow. Many cloud and web solutions are purchased on an on-going subscription basis reducing the cash needed up-front to leverage the solution.
The Business Case is Clear
It really isn’t hard anymore to make a strong business case for the cloud. SMBs gain tremendous competitive advantages by being able to focus on the right tasks, increase productivity, and reduce costs. To gain the maximum benefits of moving to the cloud, though, make sure you have a cloud-based directory service like JumpCloud® in place. Without one, security and productivity will suffer and you won’t be saving nearly as much on costs.
Why JumpCloud?
JumpCloud Directory-as-a-Service® securely connects users to virtually all of the IT resources they need to Make Work Happen™, including systems, applications, file storage, and networks. This in turn provides IT admins or MSPs with the necessary control, security, and centralization they require to keep their environment in tip-top shape. Additionally, this cloud identity management solution requires zero on-prem hardware, increases productivity for end users and IT admins, and helps reduce costs. So, it’s the perfect partner for SMBs looking to shift to the cloud.
Explore More
If you have more questions related to the business case for the cloud and how JumpCloud can help, drop us a note. We’ll gladly work with you to see how a cloud-forward IT environment can elevate your organization. If you’re more interested in finding out how JumpCloud works, sign up for our weekly introductory webinar. Lastly, if you’re ready to try our identity management solution for yourself, JumpCloud offers a free account that comes with ten users free forever and unlimited access to the platform. You can get started here.
