How to solve the biggest organizational problems with cloud computing

Every organization in the world has a myriad of objectives, but top on this list is the desire to streamline its operations and become more efficient. This is one objective that cuts across the board, since inefficiencies always lead to lower profits.

What does this mean?

It means that an organization may score highly in terms of bringing in revenues, which is a combined effort among the various departments; from the quality of production or service delivery, then the sales and marketing department does a good job in ensuring that the product sells in the market which results to high revenue. However, imagine a situation where you are performing well in terms of bringing in revenue, but the inefficiencies in the organization reduces all this revenue to a point where you are barely breaking even?

Most of the inefficiencies in organizations are normally as a result of personnel and machinery shortcoming. For example, time wastage is a common contributor of inefficiency in most organizations. Therefore, what we are going to discus in this article is how to bridge these inefficiencies with cloud computing, and make sure that the organization increases its productivity, hence translating to more profit.

Improved performance

Most organizations are always negatively hit by inefficiencies in Information and technology. This normally happens because their IT department or data center is rarely swift in addressing changes in the technology world, such as software and hardware updates, because there is always a chain of command which has to be followed before any changes can be effected. Furthermore, you have to write a proposal to the management, who then forward it to the managing directors, so that they can approve the changes, which means that they have to weigh down the costs of approving such changes, visa-vie the benefits. Additionally, they will also have to approve the budget, so that funds can be allocated. This just shows the long chain has to be followed before any changes in the IT department can be authorized, which is normally a consuming process, and sometimes the board ends up rejecting the proposal. Thus, addressing updates in IT in most organizations which have not adopted cloud computing is always a tall order.

How does cloud computing improve performance?

Cloud computing enables collaborative working among employees since it provides a platform for sharing information. It provides tools for email sharing, instant messaging and data sharing, which therefore reduces time wastage because there is instant feedback from both ends. This also means that directives from top management are easily transferred to every employee in the organization, which therefore speeds up decision making.

Another way, in which cloud computing improves performance in organizations, is through constant software updates in order to keep up with what is current in the market. Unlike in the previous situation where any updates or changes have to be approved from the top; in a cloud computing platform changes are automatic especially on a public cloud. This therefore reduces the possibility of resistance to change, leading to faster implementation of decisions. Even if you are running on a private cloud, organizational changes are effected faster because all you need is a green light from the top decision makers in the organization, and the proposed changes are implemented and effected immediately.

Cloud computing also leads to improved performance based on the fact that employees have a wide variety of resources which they can choose to work with. The biggest advantage with most public clouds,is the fact they have a wide variety of applications and software which they provide for their customers. Since they have the resources to make huge capital investments in the public cloud, they normally have the best tools for their customers.

What does this mean?

It means that the finance department will have the best accounting software and applications, and every other department in the organization will have the best working tools which trickle down to overall enhanced performance in the organization.

The organization is therefore able to keep up with its competitors and also edge out other organizations which have not adopted cloud computing.

Cloud computing thus addresses inefficiencies in all the organizational departments, leading to improved performance.

Ensures faster continuity

This is for operations in case of a disaster such a fire, flood, earthquake and any other type of emergency that may lead to damage of the organization’s operating offices, rendering the entire IT department obsolete.

How does cloud computing address this?

Since the organization’s files are stored on a virtual space, it will still be possible to retrieve the lost files. This is because a common factor which makes cloud computing popular and advantageous is the fact that as an organization, you do not need to invest in external or internal drives for storage space, since all this is provided via the cloud. Therefore if your computers were damaged during a fire, all you will need is to buy new ones and have a stable internet connection, and you will have all your previous data back. However, if you were operating on a private cloud and the data center where the cloud`s servers are located is damaged, it might be hard retrieving your previously stored data. This is why it is always important to invest in a hybrid cloud.