Traditional business applications are invariably very expensive, and the amount of software and
hardware required can often discourage small
businesses from investing in them. Cloud Technology has opened up a world of opportunities for SMEs to access such applications.

The costs of Cloud Technology are easily measurable with no unexpected add-on-costs or a maintenance fee to worry about, the user only pays for what they require. This makes Cloud Technology a viable option for any small business.

7 benefits your business could profit from by adopting Cloud Technology:

•       It provides companies with a flexible working environment, by allowing employees to access their desktops from home.

•       It can hugely reduce the amount you spend on IT services. As suggested above in most cases you pay a flat monthly rate which is linked directly to your company’s requirements.

•       Cloud technology is very easy to access, no installations or downloads are needed. Furthermore, no additional hardware or software is required in house.

•       You can subscribe to an application and be using it within minutes, it is as easy as setting up a Gmail account!

•       You can scale your companies storage needs seamlessly rather than having to go out and purchase expensive hardware.

•       Employees can access information wherever they are, which makes it ideal for companies who have mobile workers.

•       The application updates automatically, so there is no need to worry about having to deal with any future installations.

In the short term future it is expected more and more businesses will be adopting cloud based systems. Research by The Cloud Industry Forum shows that 53% of organizations polled already consciously use cloud computing in some shape or form within their organization, this is a 10% growth in the last nine months. The matter factor for adopting Cloud Technology is the flexibility is can offer, with 46% of the sample stating this reason for converting. However the three main concerns organizations have with Cloud Technology are date security, privacy and sovereignty.

SMEs who have adopted Cloud Technology can now spend more time and resources on product development, sales, marketing, and other revenue-generating areas for their business. This in turn makes the business easier to manage and can also allow it to run more efficiently too.

It is however important to remember that cloud computing isn't a quick fix solution that will save any business that adopts it. Nevertheless, cloud-based software and services can be powerful solutions that offer fantastic benefits to companies – both large and small – that use them wisely. If SMEs are looking for a way to improve their IT infrastructure in the trying economic times we're facing, the cloud may just be their best bet.

breatheHR is a powerful cloud-based HR system that gives small businesses the tools to manage HR-related admin more efficiently. It has been specifically developed to free up time to allow business owners to concentrate on growing their business.