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The Best Cloud Service to
Help Your Business Thrive

November 19 2019 / i-Tech

If you’re not already using a cloud service, your business is probably in the minority. By 2020, an estimated 83% of workloads will be in the cloud. With cloud services proving so popular, it’s clear that most businesses need to make a shift toward using one. Whether you’re due to use the cloud or you want to change your existing service, here are some of the best ones to help your business thrive.

Microsoft OneDrive for Business

With licenses starting at just $5 per month, Microsoft OneDrive for business is one of the cheapest options out there. It’s available if you already use SharePoint or Office 365 and it allows you to seamlessly bring your storage into the cloud.

In addition to being able to share files with co-workers, you can share folders. As an administrator, you’re able to execute document control and grant permissions for who can see documents and who can edit them. The most basic packages allow for 1TB of storage per user, although you can increase that to 5TB of storage for an additional fee.

The security features of Microsoft OneDrive for Business are an asset to anyone who’s serious about data protection. Upon uploading a file, it’s immediately set to private. From there, you can control who can see files on a per-user basis.

Dropbox Business

Dropbox is a household name that many people associate with cloud storage. When it comes to cloud storage for businesses, it’s one of the most cost-friendly solutions out there too. Packages start at $12.50 per user per month, with a generous 3TB of storage included in the price.

With a 120-day file recovery period, DropBox makes it easy to recover from accidental deletions. If you’re an Office 365 user, you can integrate it with DropBox business. Unfortunately, it doesn’t allow you to edit files from a distance. But you can sync files between users, making it easy for members of your workforce to access the data they need when they’re not in the office.

As an added bonus, there’s a strong chance that a lot of your employees will already be familiar with DropBox. Because of this, you may not need to provide much training in order for them to use it effectively.

Amazon S3

As one of the oldest cloud storage providers out there, Amazon is a firm favorite among business owners. In terms of security, it’s difficult to rival. Additionally, it’s incredibly reliable, which means there’s not much chance of you having to battle the challenges that come with downtime.

Amazon S3 is cost-effective and efficient, which makes it a go-to cloud service for a lot of businesses. It has a variety of desktop functions to choose from too. However, many of them depend on third-party apps, which can be frustrating when they’re experiencing problems.

Although Amazon S3 is cheap, the pricing plans can be a little confusing. Make sure the price you’re paying does give you all the features you’re looking for before agreeing to a subscription.

By 2020, an estimated 83% of workloads will be in the cloud

– Forbes

Asana

When you’re on a budget and you want to experiment with your cloud services provider before signing up for anything, try Asana. Asana is like an amalgamation of a to-do list manager and a company chat platform. You can delegate tasks across different teams, assign project managers, and watch as the projects progress.

Asana takes away the headaches that come with manually tracking project progress using worksheets. Additionally, it gives everyone the chance to see what’s happening live rather than depending on receiving emails and texts. If you have any questions or want to introduce a new stream of work to your project, you can discuss your intentions using Asana and let everyone see those updates live too.

You can use Asana for free with up to 15 members. The free package does have limited features, so you’ll need to upgrade to access extras. For example, customizable dashboards are only available on the paid package. You can run a basic paid version of Asana for $9.99 a month or you can pay more to try the enterprise features instead.

GSuite/Google Cloud for Work

Much like DropBox, most people are familiar with Google’s online office apps. Whether you’ve written a proposal in Google Docs or you’ve created a spreadsheet using Google Sheets, you and your employees probably already know how to use a lot of G Suite’s features.

Google’s business packages start at just $12 per month per user. In exchange for that, you’ll enjoy an enhanced office suite that’s designed to support your business collaboration efforts. If you have fewer than five users signed up, each person will receive 1TB of storage. When you use six or more, you get bottomless storage.

Collaborating using GSuite couldn’t be easier. You can use Google’s chat software, Google Hangouts. Shared calendars and team messaging are also available, making it easy for you to see who’s doing what and request their participation in a project. As GSuite is compatible with most portable device operating systems, it’s ideal for flexible expansion/working too.

CloudPhone

When you have several employees who are working at a distance, Cloudphone is an invaluable asset. It allows those who work for you to make business phone calls from a central system. As a result, there’s some uniformity when they contact customers and clients. As people tend to love consistency and see it as a marker of organization, achieving uniformity is important.

Cloudphone’s packages start at $12 per month for a single phone number and three extensions. The highest packages allow for five local numbers and unlimited extensions. If you’re wondering whether having a set phone number is necessary, it is. Around 60% of customers prefer small businesses to have a phone number they can call. By using Cloudphone, you’ll do yourself a big favor.

With the right cloud services, you can make life in your business easier. Around 50% of businesses now have a cloud-first policy, so you may go in the same direction. From collaboration through to centralizing everyday processes, there’s a lot you can do with the right cloud.

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