We all know that opportunity favors those who are prepared. However, preparation is only part of the equation. Another is being flexible enough to act on unforeseen challenges or opportunities quickly and effectively.
You have probably heard that cloud computing is a way to save money, but have you thought about how it can provide your business greater agility?
“Flexibility is the primary reason for the ‘cloud imperative’ — the necessity to strategically adopt cloud-based software applications for your business,” says Mark Swanson, the CEO of Telovations Inc., who has been working with the cloud since before it was even called the cloud, starting one of the first companies that focused on cloud computing over a decade ago.
Smart Business spoke with Swanson about the cloud imperative and why the cloud should be every business’s “Plan B.”
What do you think is the biggest benefit of switching to cloud-based offerings?
Most business owners don’t think of this, but the real value of cloud-based offerings isn’t so much in the advanced technology or the cost savings, but in the flexibility that it offers your business. Because cloud-based technologies can be implemented and decommissioned quickly, with little or no capital outlay, managers can try new ideas and execute them without the fear of failure. It essentially lowers the cost of failure, helping to change the culture of a business to one that is more willing to try new things. The flexibility of cloud-based offerings allows your business to be much more nimble and aggressive and, ultimately, develop a mindset for success.
