When it comes to the cloud and today’s business, we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, cloud computing is a cost-effective tool readily available to any business regardless of its size. The bad news is, your competition knows this as well!
So how can you use the cloud to make your business stand head and shoulders above the crowd? Here are some ways that you can make it happen.
You Can Make Your Supply Chain More Efficient
How many sales blow up on the launchpad because there’s no inventory available? Sure, a customer could simply wait until you place an order to restock, but more likely, that sale will simply slip away and wind up in the hands of your better-supplied competitor.
As the article “3 Ways To Leverage Cloud Services to Gain a Competitive Advantage” helpfully points out, “You can expand your supplier network outreach into new markets by capitalizing on the accessibility and networking capabilities of the cloud.” The article also notes that companies have come to the realization that the most successful programs are the ones that integrate with and capture supplier management performance.
The cloud can help you keep track of inventory at every stage, as well as facilitate ordering additional units before you actually run out. No more lost sales there!
Faster Application Launching
The power of the cloud enables you to launch new applications such as customer relationship management (CRM) or predictive analytics faster, to bypass the potentially cumbersome and time-consuming installation process of the pre-cloud era.
By getting these applications up and running faster, an ambitious business can get a much-needed head start on the competition. Anything that gets you in good with the customers will distinguish your company from the pack.
Third-Party Partnerships
By using the cloud, a business can release an application-programming interface (API) that enables third-party partners to access the host business’ product information for selling those products off their own sites. So for instance, if your business sells science fiction-related games and memorabilia, a website dedicated to geek culture could post links to that business’ products, including a “buy now” option.
So in essence, this whole deal allows partners to plug into your company’s cloud. In the race to be the best, it doesn’t hurt to have some partners giving you a boost now and then. Additionally, this increased collaboration also alerts visitors to those partner sites about your company’s existence, and could result in more customers visiting your site directly.
Your Company Is Greener!
The environment is a big deal these days and justifiably so. Consumers ideally want to be able to avail themselves of the goods and services offered by today’s businesses, but also wish to do something good for the environment, even if it’s a small passive gesture. Every little bit helps, right? As your cloud needs rise and fall, your server capacity correspondingly increases or decreases, and that means your carbon footprint is smaller. Make sure that point is made, and you’ll stand out as being just a bit more environmentally conscious.
By employing the above tactics, your business can use the cloud to draw positive attention to itself and be recognized as different, innovative, and a real leader.