As we discussed in the previous article, ensuring your business technology boosts your commercial ambitions is more vital than ever. From solutions which empower remote, flexible workforces to automation tools, there are a wide range of options for organisations looking to lean-down their I.T spend and unlock new profit-boosting potential.
In this article we’ll briefly explore 4 of the most profit-friendly solutions which require little upfront commitment, yet offer great cost-saving, revenue-boosting potential.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting refers to the housing of traditionally on-premise apps and services in the cloud – a global network of on-demand, internet-accessed computing resources.
Traditionally, hosting a website, email server or application meant provisioning the required server capacity and housing the setup in your office. Today, the cloud offers software, development platforms, storage and bare infrastructure on-demand, with the underlying hardware managed for you by the cloud service provider. The innate flexibility of the cloud means you’re able to access malleable computing resources that adapt to business demands.
Economies of scale make cloud-hosting more cost effective than on-premise solutions. Equipment powering and cooling, hardware maintenance and data centre physical security are implemented on a vast scale and shared among the many tenants using the site. The result is lower operating costs versus a traditional on-premise setup.
Microsoft 365
Launched in 2011 as “Office 365,” Microsoft 365 has grown to become the world’s pre-eminent workplace productivity suite. Encompassing the tried-and-tested office apps and combining them with collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, 365 provides an all-in-one workplace collaboration and communication platform with access-anywhere capabilities thanks to cloud hosting.
365 comes pre-loaded with many tools designed to empower remote teams and boost workplace productivity. Here are a handful of the key platforms:
Microsoft Teams provides a seamless, all-in-one collaboration interface. Schedule meetings, co-edit documents in real-time, enjoy shared document libraries, and chat via the instant messaging feature: Teams brings group project work into a single platform for improved productivity and remote engagement.
SharePoint provides collaborative storage and the possibility to create informative intranet sites. A SharePoint site acts as an informative “hub” around which a project or business department can be centred. Secure, organised and customisable, SharePoint will keep your team in-the-know and provide easy access to the resources they need.
Outlook is the email platform that acts as a cornerstone of the Microsoft 365 experience. With intuitive calendaring capabilities, integration with other 365 platforms and automation features which assist with email handling, Outlook is one of the most user-friendly and feature-rich email services out there.
Microsoft 365 is an example of a SaaS (software-as-a-service) product, with subscription packages available on a per-user basis. This means you can adopt a package that suits your business needs, and pay monthly in accordance with the number of team members who require access.
Cloud-hosted VoIP
With the imminent decommissioning of the UK’s legacy telephone infrastructure, organisations are looking for ways to futureproof their phone systems. Cloud-hosted VoIP is one such solution, combining low-cost calling with almost no hardware overheads resulting in an option that makes a lot of financial sense.
Scalable and flexible, hosted VoIP services allow you to take your office phone system with you wherever you are: since the host infrastructure is located in the cloud all you need is an internet connection. The systems come packed with features such auto attendants, call queues, call recording, voicemail-to-email and much more. There’s even the option to incorporate other communication media – such as video conferencing, instant messaging and email – into your phone system: a concept known as “unified communications.”
Cloud-hosted VoIP is a great way to save money. The systems incorporate “soft phones” which allow your existing endpoint devices to function as access points to the phone system. This means that you can get started with zero additional infrastructure investment, and this infrastructure-lite approach also means there’s no ongoing maintenance to deal with. Competitively priced call bundles make calling much more affordable, particularly when calling overseas.
Managed Security
Managing data security infrastructure and developing strategies to safeguard sensitive information can be a costly and time-consuming affair. Your time is valuable, so why not offload the burden of cyber security to an experienced managed security provider and free yourself to focus tasks that will drive the profitability of your business?
A managed security provider can establish an effective data backup and continuity strategy, ensure your endpoints are protected by a range of technical devices and monitor your network for vulnerabilities and act on threats as they appear. It is possible to do all of the above in-house, but the costs in terms of time, staff training and acquiring the necessary technical tools makes outsourcing security a more cost-efficient option.
As we mentioned in the previous article, with severe financial penalties a possibility, data security cannot be left to chance. An experienced security service provider can save your business money in the short term, and also reduce the likelihood of a financially crippling cyber-attack.
Commercially-savvy I.T, the Everon way
Here at Everon our multi-sector experience makes us uniquely aware of the varying commercial pressures organisations face. The current economic climate has amplified these pressures, making it more vital than ever that your business’s technology aids your commercial goals and doesn’t constitute a financial burden.
Get in touch to learn more, and we can set your business on the path to higher profit margins and financial resilience, through the strategic deployment of technology.