7 Reasons Why Migrating To The Cloud Is A Smart Move

Editor’s Note: ‘7 Reasons Why Migrating To The Cloud Is A Smart Move‘ is a guest article written by Huubap.

Hello everyone, this is Aason from Huubap. We are a SaaS company which focuses on workforce management – Time attendance, leave and schedule management. Today I will be talking about Cloud Computing. Everyone generally has a loose idea of what cloud computing is. However, I think it is better if I make a clear definition at the beginning of this article.

Cloud computing is basically on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power. I think most people would have heard of Dropbox and Google Drive and know exactly what they do. They basically provide storage on the internet. However, not many are aware that there are software applications on the Cloud. 

This is where your CPU computing the calculations takes place on the Internet. Your browser still displays the output and the computer still functions as an input; however, your processing will be done on the server-side.

So, why should we care about cloud computing?

Cloud computing is helping society cope with future issues like managing large amounts of data. By using the cloud, we are better equipped to access emerging technologies; this could include Artificial Intelligence, when it becomes available as services through cloud computing. 

Innovations based on cloud computing (e.g. cloud automation, the Industry cloud) are rapidly developing.  We are introducing cloud to specific industrial activities which will help to streamline various operations even more efficiently. Cloud computing is known to help organisations improve their products and/or services delivery.

Companies with a cloud-ready infrastructure will be able to tap on the 5G capabilities come 2025. This is when 5G would roll out fully and these companies will be able to capitalize on the growth potential.

There are several benefits to using Cloud and we will be exploring that in this article together:

1. New Releases

A country can change their payroll policy from time to time and this presents a challenge to traditional payroll software. Having to install new updates to individual computers used to be the challenge. This is before we even factor in the OS compatibility!

The governing authority would often share the effective date earlier so that companies would have time to prepare for it. Likewise, for the software company, they would have to prepare the patch to cater to the new requirements. The date of the switch can be complicated as well. 

The software provider may choose to have customers install an entirely new software instead of updating. There are multiple points where issues can occur.

But with a cloud system, the transition would be seamless. From the user’s perspective, everything happens overnight. For the service provider, implementation can happen ahead of the required date to perform a stress test ahead of time.

The cost and effort associated with new releases are lower than that of the traditional model. The traditional model typically forces users to buy an upgraded package, install it and get its environment upgraded as needed.

Hassle is greatly diminished and turnaround time for troubleshooting can be cut down by days or even weeks. Would you not agree that this is a great user experience for the administrator?

2. Cost-Effectiveness

The second point I would like to bring up is the cost-effectiveness of using a cloud system.

Using traditional software for payroll is often not a one-time fee. Support fee is an industrial norm as continuous support for any troubleshooting is often a requirement. Even though these support fees aren’t hefty, paying these fees usually isn’t worth it as it is challenging to have software errors resolved over the phone. Furthermore, one can incur additional fees when the service provider eventually sends someone down to have a look. 

Additionally, whenever there is a need for an update, these service providers can choose to charge extra for it.

However, when we are comparing it with the prevailing industry standards for Software as a Service, the fees are upfront. This means that there are no surprise charges. Also, troubleshooting can take place over the Internet via live chat or email.

With traditional software many SMEs may not be able to use it due to the high cost of the license. 

Additionally also because the adoption and switching costs are so low,the SaaS industry itself offers an extremely competitive price.

3. Automated Trial

In the case of Payroll, there is little need for a sales agent to be involved in the process. Many people actually prefer to dive straight in and get hands-on in the process without human interaction.

Previously with traditional software, it is not possible to start a trial without having to meet a sales representative. 

With an automated trial, companies will no longer have to sit through multiple meetings before getting hands-on.

The administrator will be able to access the software after registering and the transition into paid service is much simpler. From there, payments are automatically charged on a monthly basis as well.

4. Scalability

SaaS is charged at a pay-as-you-go method. The entry price is really affordable if you are a startup or a small company.

As your business grows many SaaS companies actually offer a discount as your number gets higher. For example, HR cloud software Talenox offers affordable fees capped at $400/month. That is the equivalent of paying for 50 employees. This is great news for big companies as they would scale with higher efficiency.

5. Accessibility

This is especially relevant since we are in the midst of a pandemic and software tools should be accessible from home.

Besides the staff, the department head will also be able to monitor it remotely as well. 

It is also likely that in a post-COVID world, there will be an increasing demand for software accessibility. Already we have seen that the lockdown in recent months has accelerated digital transformation. What could have been years of transition for industries was delivered in a matter of months.

Being accessible remotely also meant that troubleshooting of any issues can be done quicker and faster as well. The service provider can also attend to any reported issue immediately.

Now you no longer have to worry about waiting for weeks before service provider attend to the issue.

This pooled resource of knowledge and service by all the subscribing companies makes SaaS an economical solution.

6. Data Redundancy

Cloud-based architecture is disaster tolerant. A cloud-based platform with built-in redundancy can save the business from data loss. It keeps the data secure, backed-up and easily accessible. 

An e-commerce business, for example, depends hugely on the data of its customers. During catastrophic data losses or security threats, redundancy helps to overcome the disaster and resume the business quickly.

7. Ease of Collaboration

This does not necessarily apply for a payroll solution but there are many SaaS out there that enable this. When you centrally maintain data on the cloud, physical distance is no longer a factor that hampers efficiency. This is especially useful in scenarios when your company has tasks for a group of employees.

Managers can also have an overview in real-time. Not to mention, managers can assign tasks on-the-go. This enhances collaboration and coordination between employees.

The best example for this category is undoubtedly Google Office Suite: Google Docs, Google Slides and Google Sheet. I am sure your company uses spreadsheets and documents software. There will be situations when collaborative work will be more productive and a welcomed option.