With cloud computing, businesses can increase efficiencies, save on IT costs, and scale with ease. Whether you’re migrating workloads to the cloud or relying on cloud services to work smarter, this technology is expanding the scope of what’s possible. It’s no surprise then that organizations of all sizes have adopted cloud solutions.

Already, 94 percent of enterprises are using cloud services, and 80 percent of small businesses in the US will deploy cloud computing in 2020. The Covid-19 outbreak has accelerated adoption. With many businesses shifting to remote work, investing in technology that makes collaboration and communication possible from anywhere is almost a necessity. A recent survey conducted by Flexera found that many businesses expect cloud usage to increase because of the pandemic.

Not sure how far the cloud can take your business? Here are five ways that cloud computing can change the way you do business.

Mobile workforce

With cloud computing, employees can work from home. This has obvious benefits while social distancing recommendations and rules are in place, but it also allows your company to create a more flexible work culture in the long-term. It’s possible to:

Hire top talent, even if they don’t live near the office
Give employees more freedom to decide when and where they work
Tackle time-sensitive projects with ease because work can be done outside of normal business hours

Heightened productivity

From cloud-based collaboration apps to file sharing, cloud solutions remove traditional limits when it comes to productivity and efficiency. Staff can access all the tools they need to get work done from one integrated app. They can collaborate on documents without having to switch to a different device. Integrated cloud services allow single sign-on functionality, making it easy to move between various work applications while having access to the same data and analytics.

Enhanced customer support

With cloud services, your business can be there for customers 24/7. They can contact support for help or get answers to their questions via chat or voice. With cloud-based call center technology, even small businesses can ensure there’s always someone available. By integrating customer support software with other business applications such as your CRM, you can also analyze data, and easily track your customer journeys, arming your company with valuable business intelligence.

Empowered HR

Cloud solutions don’t just make it easier to be productive and to serve customers. They also empower your HR department. With access to data stored in the cloud, HR professionals can organize the recruitment process and keep better track of employees’ attendance, compensation, and rewards. They can also automate time-consuming tasks such as payroll and easily identify and remedy paycheck errors before they become expensive problems.

Predictable IT costs

One of the initial attractions of cloud computing is the cost savings. Because you’re storing data on cloud servers, your business doesn’t have to pay for the purchase, maintenance, and security of in-house servers. Also, with cloud-based services, you can cut down on IT spend by opting for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) subscriptions rather than investing in on-premise systems that are traditionally expensive and hard to implement.

Cloud solutions keep your business connected

Cloud computing makes the immense benefits of today’s most advanced technology accessible to all. From increased business productivity and more intelligent decisions to streamlined operations and cost savings, cloud solutions are changing the way businesses operate. The way your organization leverages the power of the cloud is up to you.