Cloud computing can have a significant impact on how you manage your business. When it comes to managing a business in the twenty-first century, being able to access your accounts, important work, papers, and talk and share ideas with colleagues from anywhere in the globe on any device is important.
Using the cloud allows your company’s various departments to collaborate effortlessly, with the flexibility to access information and documents from anywhere, at any time. For instance, marketing and sales. These are two of the most important divisions in your company, but if they aren’t providing each other feedback and working together, it will have a detrimental influence on your bottom line. Sure, you could schedule meetings and distribute papers and documents, but is that really the best use of your time? No, it really isn’t.
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You can ensure that all of your departments are on the same page and that data is simplified and effective by utilising an efficient cloud solution. If you’re not entirely sure how cloud based systems work and how you can best utilise one for your company, you may want to hire some help. Take a look at the benefits of a managed service provider to see what you could be taking advantage of by hiring some help with cloud services.Here are some of the ways that cloud computing can help you increase sales and improve your business.
All of your customers’ data is in one place
Cloud software eliminates the dreaded customer “data silos,” in which sensitive consumer data is distributed across multiple platforms and services. It not only violates some of the GDPR legislation enacted in the EU in May 2018 (more on this below), but it also causes a significant breakdown in communication between departments. The easiest method to overcome this is to create a perfectly clear data funnel in which everyone has access to the same information. Marketing, sales, and customer support can all see what’s going on and use this knowledge to better their strategy.
Use customer information effectively
It’s one thing to have a lot of information about a consumer; it’s another to use that information to help boost your sales. If you have all of the information in one location, you can use it to customize your advertising. If you’re sending out emails, you can include their name, which is always a nice touch, as well as their shopping history to really target them and give them what they believe they want. If they are a stay-at-home mother shopping for educational toys for their children, they are unlikely to want emails promoting beard oil. If people receive emails from you, they expect them to be relevant; otherwise, they will not open them. Look for a business that can help you sync all of your apps and software – if you use MailChimp, for example, make sure they support it.
You can deal with customer issues effectively
This is related to having all of the information in one location so that issues and complaints can be addressed in a timely and effective manner. More than 55% of customers say they will cease doing business with a company if their grievances are not addressed within a reasonable timescale, and 72% say having to explain their concern to several individuals in different departments can make them feel very differently about a brand. With all of the information at their fingertips, whoever is dealing with the complaint can do it swiftly and without causing the customer any further inconvenience. Every business has challenges; what matters is how you deal with them. Customers will return if the process is smooth and relatively straightforward.
Important GDPR rules to remember
When using cloud systems to hold client information, you must ensure that you are in compliance with data protection rules. This went into effect in the EU in May 2018, and if you violate the guidelines, you might face a £10,000 fine per violation. Make sure that you are only keeping data for which your customers have given full consent, and that this consent is explicitly acknowledged. If they request that any information you have on file for them be erased, you must do so immediately. Even if your consumer base is not in the EU, it is still a good practise to follow.
As you can see, cloud computing can be extremely effective in boosting your sales and enhancing your business. Remember if you’re not sure you can use managed service providers for professional help in your business.