Cloud Services — A Lifeline for Businesses in Remote Work
Over the past decade, the term "cloud services" has gradually but persistently become ingrained in the business world. Nowadays, almost every office worker, upon hearing this term, understands that it refers to an information technology concept, not meteorology. However, the ever-growing number of cloud computing service types continues to confuse people, which was evident in mid-March when companies rushed to find the most suitable remote work solutions.
The choice of "cloud" largely determines how smoothly work will flow within a company, so it must be made carefully. Especially because implementing a solution — whether transferring data or training employees — requires time. No entrepreneur would want to experiment at the expense of the entire team, "jumping" from one service provider to another. So — where to start?
Accessible Storage for Employees
The majority of cloud services intended for businesses can be divided into three categories. The first is data storage. Undoubtedly necessary for companies, but quite limited in terms of functionality. Most computer and smart device users have likely noticed Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and similar solutions that save the day when a device's built-in memory is full. All of these service providers also offer business versions, where, for a few dozen or hundred euros per year, important company documents can be securely stored and accessed whenever needed, from whatever device is at hand. As long as there is an internet connection and the password hasn't been forgotten. Other noteworthy alternatives include Egnyte Business, Zoolz BigMind for Business, Box, Jungle Disk, and Wasabi.
Although these sites are officially referred to as cloud storage, they are not merely data repositories. Integration with various programs has made them convenient document exchange solutions, where employees can place contracts, reports, presentations, photos, and everything else needed for work in shared folders. Documents can also be edited and saved, with the system registering who made changes and when. However, overall, these solutions primarily serve archival functions, as changes are mainly made on one's computer, and ready, stored documents are placed in the folders.
Working Together. Each in Their Own Home
The next step in evolution is the so-called co-creation platforms, where collaboration among colleagues is more akin to daily office work. These platforms allow documents to be updated online, with other participants immediately seeing the changes, as well as chatting in shared or individual conversations. Among these solutions, the most widely known are Google Docs and Microsoft Office Online, though there are plenty of alternatives. Some of them are even free.
Similar to Google's product in terms of functionality are ONLYOFFICE, Paper by Dropbox, Zoho Docs, and CryptPad. Also noteworthy is Collabora, built on the LibraOffice platform, which visually resembles MS Office office programs and offers comprehensive collaboration options for joint document development.
Among tools with narrower specializations, Coda stands out, while Quip, specially adapted for use on all types of devices — both computers and smartphones — is worth mentioning.
The third group includes various systems designed for work organization, project management, or similar purposes. All activities in these systems take place within the environment provided by the cloud service provider, where all information is also stored. This environment could be compared to chemistry or biology labs in schools, where students perform specific tasks. Users access these platforms by opening a web browser or mobile app and logging in with a username and password. Popular solutions in this group include project management systems like Asana, Zoho Projects, Teamwork Projects, Wrike, and others. For those seeking customer management systems, I recommend exploring Salesforce, HubSpot, and Sales Creatio. For small businesses, Apptivo or Freshsales are suitable, while for company accounting and financial reporting — our very own Tildes Jumis Pro.
As you can see, the choice is vast, so it's important not to rush the decision. Talk to colleagues, understand what you need most, how ready you are to incorporate cloud solutions into daily work, and select the platforms that best meet your requirements. Then critically evaluate the created list and narrow it down to 2 or 3 programs that satisfy both functionality and price, and experiment with them during the free trial period. Within a couple of weeks, it should become clear which system will work best.
This article was first published on the iBirojs portal, 10.08.2020