5 reasons your peers are moving to cloud software
With huge advances in technology and the increasing benefits to be reaped, cloud software solutions are allowing many charities to move away from maintaining and supporting their CRM systems in-house.
With Gartner predicting that the global software-as-a-service (SaaS) market will grow by 18.5% in 2019 to $94.8 billion, it’s clear that many organisations are opting to go down this route.
For many Charities, it no longer makes sense to carry the burden of managing IT infrastructure and software in-house. With cloud-based software promising agility, scalability and increased efficiency, it’s easy to see why for many it’s a must for keeping ahead of the curve.
So, here are five reasons your fellow NFP Organisations are moving to cloud software, and why you should be considering it too:
1. Remote access to business systems
The flexibility of cloud-based software ensures employees can carry out their work wherever they’re based. From answering customer or co-worker queries and collaboration on projects to accessing real-time data on the go, location is no longer a barrier to productivity.
Data from the Office of National Statistics has revealed that as much as 50% of the UK workforce could be remote by 2020 and with a vast range of benefits from reduced office costs to increased staff retention, providing tools and software that support remote working will undoubtedly create competitive advantage.
2. Robust disaster recovery and security
No organisation wants to experience downtime. Whether it’s a security breach or a technical hiccup, having solid disaster recovery (DR) and security in place can ensure your data stays protected and any business disruption is kept to a minimum.
Reputable cloud service providers will have accreditations such as ISO 27001 and PCI DSS, and will be on constant guard for security or other issues. Such accreditations are part of the attraction of a cloud software purchase, avoiding the need for charities to invest heavily in the resource and hardware to meet this obligation themselves.
3. Ability to scale the business faster
With cloud software, organisations can grow more easily. Expanding your range of products and services, or onboarding new volunteers no longer needs a wealth of operational and admin teams. With the right cloud based software, growth can be facilitated with ease, both locally and globally. This is helped by the speed with which it’s possible to mobilise new teams – in any geographic location – and provide them with the software functionality they need.
Not only will your charity be more agile as a result, you can also focus on improving your core business to create a greater competitive edge.
4. Increased cost efficiency
With cloud-based systems, there is little upfront cost. This cuts out capital expenditure such as servers and hardware. It also means less need to hire IT staff (or provide continuous training) to keep systems up-to-date and running smoothly.
With everything covered in one monthly cost, there’s the comfort of knowing that support, upgrades, patches and maintenance are included in the price – along with the initial investment in infrastructure and software being made on your behalf. Paying only for what you use, cloud avoids bloated internal costs, leaving more working capital to spend on attracting new donors or serving your existing donors better than your peers.
5. Run your business on the latest, cutting-edge tech
From high-grade servers and robust security to an array of new software functionality, the best cloud-based software will have a definitive roadmap in place. Operating on the latest tech can increase workforce productivity, automate and streamline processes and allow everyone to work smarter, smoother and faster.
What’s more, the software is updated automatically – including regular new features and functionality – without your organisation having to lift a finger. This leaves more time for your workforce to focus on reaching organisational goals and growing the business.
The best part? The size of your organisation is no longer a predictor to how viable it can be. Powerful cloud-based software, with functionality once only available to enterprise level businesses, is now within reach of charities. This is enabling them not only to maintain their competitive edge, but surpass it.
If you want to find out how cloud-based business software can help you stand out from the competition, book a call with your account manager today.
