The transition to the cloud has become inevitable for businesses everywhere. Software and applications are simply not available on an end-to-end framework without using cloud-based systems. However, that does not mean that the transition has gone smoothly for all businesses. We have encountered plenty of organizations that have experienced various types of hiccups in their adoption of cloud-based programs. If your business has found that bringing in cloud-based applications has not gone as smoothly as you would have liked, here is what you need to know.
Challenges Companies Face in the Cloud
When you have people at an organization who have become accustomed to doing something a certain way, generally on the premises, it can require a serious ramp-up period for them to learn how to do things in a new way.
Therefore, one of the biggest challenges businesses face is a lack of understanding regarding what needs to be done and how to have reasonable expectations regarding the process. If you don’t fully understand what the cloud systems are designed to accomplish and have zero experiences or expectations with how this will all work together when the systems are in place, it can be a very painful transition.
How businesses can begin to overcome this challenge
One of the best strategies for businesses to move forward lies in working with a partner. Having a partner who has gone through this process before is your ticket to success. They can offer guidance as well as help businesses see the end goal of cloud services. Protocol Networks guides organizations through this process every day. We work with companies to help them understand how to implement the cloud and how to put it to work once they are on board.
Complaints We Hear About Businesses’ Current Cloud Systems
There are a few complaints that we hear more often than others from new clients. One of the biggest and most common reasons for dissatisfaction is the cost. This issue deserves more thorough exploration.
Specifically, if you think the cloud is too expensive, what are you comparing it to? What other programs can offer you the benefits and services that the cloud does for a better price?
You must know what options and programs are available to you. If you are the head of IT, you need to have connections and people in your professional life that you can bounce ideas off of. They might be people you met at a conference or that old friend from high school who started working in a related industry. Talk to them regularly about the cloud solutions they employ and learn more about what is available to provide your business with needed services.
One of the benefits of the cloud also lies in its scalability. You can precisely secure the level of service you will use and not pay for that which you will not use. This can help make the entire system more affordable and allow you to tailor your costs to what you need. A cloud provider partner can help you better understand precisely what you need and how to scale your services accordingly.
How to overcome your challenges
Having a trusted ear to answer your questions, as described, is your best strategy for overcoming your challenges. You can learn more about what type of solutions will work for your business. You can also discover more about how you can get the most out of the services you have adopted so that you can better see the ROI.
People in the tech world are not too fond of saying that they do not know something, but challenges arise. It is important for professionals to be honest when something is unclear for them and to have trusted partners they can lean on for insight and information. This can set your expectations right when it comes to price and capabilities in the cloud.
Protocol Networks provides these services for people regularly. We have countless conversations with people who just want to bounce ideas, discuss options, and learn more about how to use the cloud for their business.
Signs That It Is Time to Switch Cloud Providers or Solutions
We also do see customers who genuinely need to make a change in their cloud provider. Knowing when the time has come to make a change can help you have a positive experience with the cloud.
If you want to know when the time has come to make a switch, the first question you need to ask yourself is: “Are my expectations reasonable?”
You have no obligation to stay with your current provider. If you do your research, including speaking to the trusted network we discussed before, and you find that your expectations are reasonable, that is a sign you might want to start looking at another provider. On the other hand, if you find that your expectations are not reasonable, you might want to look more closely at what can be done to bring your expectations in line with what’s possible and how you can leverage these opportunities for business growth.
Maintain those open lines of business communication, both internally with your organization and with people in your industry, so that you remain tapped into what technology is possible and how it can benefit your business. You want to make sure you have the right solutions lined up. If you feel as though everything is “perfect” and you finally have your tech “set up,” that can be a pretty good indicator that you have begun to be complacent. IT continually changes, and you need to stay on top of these changes to lead your industry.
What Protocol Networks Can Offer You To Improve Your Cloud Setup
At Protocol Networks, we work to make the entire cloud experience more understandable and actionable for customers. We can help companies grasp the full value of the systems they have in place.
As a cloud provider, we converse with customers to help them see the cloud solutions that they actually need, set expectations of what steps to take to fully integrate the system, and set them on the path to get the full value from their investment.
If you want to learn more about cloud solutions and what they can bring to businesses like yours, reach out to us today. We look forward to hearing from you.