When did you first hear about “the cloud” for technology? What started off as a bit of a buzzword for new technology has now become pretty ubiquitous as cloud-based systems are pretty much the new standard.
So when it comes to your CRM software, shouldn’t you also be in the cloud? Not everyone has switched over, and with something as critical as the entire system your business runs on, it’s no surprise that some people are hesitant to change.
One drawback with older systems is that you are often working out of spreadsheets, and various disconnected local systems. While this method doesn’t necessarily mean a business can’t succeed, it may not give you the modern advantages you want, especially as a small to medium-sized business.
At CloudMyBiz (as the name suggests) we are all about bringing people and businesses onto the cloud. We think it really is the best solution for any sized company, no matter what industry or vertical they are in. So with that in mind, here are our top 7 benefits of using a cloud-based system:
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1. Say goodbye to IT
If you have a local system at your company, you need to have a reliable IT team. They have a number of essential tasks to keep everything running smoothly, including:
- Software installation and updates
- Security measures
- Hardware maintenance and upgrades
- Routine backups with redundancy across locations
- Application integration and management
However, if you move your business to the cloud, you can free up these extensive resources, and often drastically reduce the size of the IT team. With a cloud-based CRM, you simply need an internet connection to conduct business. You sign in through an online portal, and that’s it, everything is there and ready to go. No servers, no hardware, and no physical office space needed to house and store your data.
2. So much flexibility
When you buy a hardcoded system that sits on a local server, it doesn’t change much. And when you do want it to change, you need to have your IT team write a bunch of code, test, and then deploy.
On the other hand, most cloud CRM’s are built as a sort of scalable framework, where you can start with the bare bones of what you need, and build and add to it as you grow. There are so many productivity and business apps that can be integrated, such as email clients, marketing apps, office apps, sales trackers… etc. If you are an auto parts manufacturer, there are apps and integrations just for you. Same goes for lenders, restaurants, shipping industry, and on and on.
The flexibility of a cloud CRM allows you to use the best products on the market for each respective task, and have them all sync at the same central hub. And of course, the CRM itself can usually be customized by a qualified partner if you need more customization than just adding on a couple of apps.
The icing on the cake is that these upgrades happen just as fast as you can click “download and install”. So when business is moving faster and faster, your CRM can move just as fast and accommodate whatever changes the future may hold.
3. 24/7 access
While not everyone likes taking their work home, it sure is nice to have the option to do so if you need it. With a cloud CRM, your team can access everything wherever and whenever they need to.
This can be quite a game changer when it comes to staying on top of any essential deal or communication. When you have a cloud CRM, you have access to your central database at all times, meaning you can truly take control of your business and make it work for you.
4. Direct and faster lead integration
For sales teams, having a quality CRM can revolutionize their whole process. In 2018, it’s probably safe to say that a lot of lead prospecting and research is done online. Not to mention that just about every business has a website, and wants to attract potential customers to their website through marketing.
A cloud CRM gives many options for inputting and tracking lead information. From online web forms to webinars or in-person events, there are many ways that important contact info will be direct and inputted to the system. Once the info is uploaded, you can build out assignment and notification rules based on all sorts of specifications, from the region to the language, to ensure that none of these hard-won leads falls through the cracks.
5. Affordability
As we noted earlier, cloud CRM’s don’t require any significant investment in hardware. This can save a lot of money, especially for any company that wants to scale and scale quickly.
No need to buy new servers, or worry about upgrading hardware that has become outdated. With cloud-based systems, you simply pay recurring monthly fees for the software license. Which means a much smaller up-front investment and reduced risk.
6. Plenty of Security
This is one of those cases, where, because there is a perceived vulnerability, that you may actually get overcompensation to negate the problem.
For most companies, their biggest hesitation with cloud systems is keeping all of their data secure and backed up. Cloud service providers know this, and so they take extra precautions to ensure that nothing goes wrong. After all, they are the ones who bear the legal responsibility of something did happen. They also usually offer automated backup plans and make data recovery straightforward and easy. So in the end, cloud services usually have more security measures in place than an average local IT room.
7. Extremely Reliable
Having your entire system crash is the stuff of nightmares. And while it may seem risky not having your system physically located where you can keep an eye on it, this is just a mental concern more than anything.
Cloud CRM’s are generally more reliable than local systems, and almost never go down. Why? Because in the cloud, we can have multiple backups and replicas of every component running and ready to go. This means that if any part is to fail, a replacement will take its place almost immediately and keep the system from being disrupted.
So, with all of these amazing reason, the only question left is, why wouldn’t you switch to a cloud CRM?
-Ryan and the CloudMyBiz Team
Ready to switch to a cloud-based CRM? Already have Salesforce but need some improvements?
Whatever your needs, we have you covered. Contact one of our Salesforce experts and we will find you a better business solution.
CEO of CloudMyBiz Salesforce CRM consulting services with a deep knowledge in the lending industry. Taking keen interest in the project management side of operations, playing a vital role in the 31% YOY company growth. Strategic leader, mastering the ability to problem solve at every level of the business, providing effective solutions for clients.