Why we are in love with Cloud Computing
Since its advent, cloud computing has continued to gain prominence in workplaces, triggering a disruptive digital migration from traditional IT infrastructure to cloud-based services. As a result, cloud computing has become indispensable in many ways, from retail, call centres, healthcare, communications, and travel to e-commerce and financial services. Experts talk about cloud computing as a technological revolution that creates exciting growth opportunities for businesses at all levels.
Cloud computing reduces operational costs by eliminating the need for installing an IT infrastructure. In this post, we explore how Cloud computing makes it easy to adopt new technologies that enhance customer service delivery, bypassing the need for IT. But first, let’s start by answering the basic question. How does cloud-based computational revolution transcend Information Technology? Read on to learn more.
Cloud Computing as a Facilitator
Conventionally, IT involves using electronic devices such as computers to store, modify, transmit, and retrieve data/information. However, with cloud computing, you do not necessarily need to own a computer. Cloud-based solutions such as VoIP are all about delivering on-demand services over the web in real-time. With a hosted VoIP, you do not need an office telephone.
Most cloud computing services pursue a pay-as-go model, in which case, you only pay for what you use. Then, all you need is access to a cloud service provider from anywhere in the world. The following are the main forms of cloud computing:
Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is foundational in cloud computing. You could call it the mainstay of everything in the Cloud. Through IaaS, you get access to cloud storage, IT servers, Operating systems, networks, and more. Moreover, IaaS delivers all the computational power you need in the Cloud so you can accomplish even the most complicated tasks at a low cost.
Software as a service (SaaS) is another popular form of cloud computing that gives you access to software on the web. The SaaS provider manages services accessible on the SaaS platform. It means you do not have to install the software. By eliminating problems like software maintenance and incompatibility that other solutions often struggle with, SaaS provides a streamlined focus for businesses while working as a lead generation at the same time. A perfect SaaS provider is Google giving you access to cloud-based Google Docs or an IT helpdesk.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) is the third type of cloud computing. Through PaaS, developers and companies have access to the tools they need to build web apps. PaaS also makes it possible to deploy, host, and operate applications in the Cloud, eliminating the need for physical IT infrastructures such as servers, computer networks, and databases.
Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) is another form of cloud computing that delivers cloud-based communication solutions/services such as VoIP, video conference, email, and other web-based communication services on demand. With UCaaS, the provider hosts the service, eliminating the need for any communication hardware or infrastructure.
Thus far, and with a deeper sense of how Cloud computing works, understanding how it simplifies the adoption of new technologies becomes our next focus.
How Cloud Computing simplifies Adoption of New Technologies
Every year, a new technology sends shockwaves around the world. For someone who runs a business or company, a technology that improves customer services is worth adopting. However, if you go the traditional route of deploying IT infrastructure to, for example, power PBX operations, the costs can be overwhelming. You will end up spending billions of dollars in setting up servers, data centres, and computer networks. And so you ask, what’s the alternative route? Cloud computing!
Cloud computing makes the process of adopting new technologies seamless and less costly. Think about it in the context of using a word document processor installed on your computer and the option of accessing the same in the Cloud. The caveat is that a cloud-based word processor eliminates delays that come with updating software every often and other associated security risks. Simply put, everything is managed by the provider, and you only pay for what you use.
Big Data & Cloud Computing for effective workplace data analysis
Big Data is a technology that is as useful to customer service and sales departments as marketing and advertising agencies. The significance of big data in customer service is especially evident in keeping client records. In addition, it helps customer service departments deploy effective communication strategies tailored to meet the specific needs of clients.
Sales and marketing professionals use Big Data as part of their all-in-one sales and marketing automation platform. These platforms are based on huge Business Databases filled with Big Data (information) on millions of companies and contacts worldwide. They usually have integrated tools for lead generation, prospecting, sending automated email campaigns for multichannel sales outreach, lead nurturing, email marketing, and much more. These SaaS platforms are cloud-based, and to access them, you usually pay a subscription for the already developed, cloud-based software application via the internet.
Due to the complex nature of big data, cloud-based data processing solutions simplify filtration and analyze large data sets. Even more importantly, accessing data in the Cloud presents the advantage of extra security and real-time access. There is also the advantage of operations scalability and data storage when you adopt big data using cloud computing.
Cloud Computing In Improving Artificial Intelligence at Workplaces
Cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) are technologies that go together. It is especially evident in modern workplaces where chatbots and AI assistants gain traction in Sales, Content Marketing, and Customer Service departments. Tech giants such as IBM, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are at the forefront in merging AI and cloud computing capabilities to realize more efficiency in data analytics at workplaces.
The best examples are Natural Language APIs, Machine Learning, and Microsoft Cognitive Services, which are becoming increasingly useful to organizations seeking to streamline customer services. Web-based chatbots and live chats that are mostly cloud-based present another perspective of exploring how Cloud computing merges with AI capabilities such as Machine Learning (ML) to streamline customer service.
The Future of Augmented Reality (AR) Is Cloud Computing
While Augmented Reality started as technology dependent on IT products such as Google Smart Glass, things are changing. You can confidently say that the future of Augmented Reality development is based on cloud computing. In a big way, Augmented Reality improves customer service, especially when walking a client through product features. Ongoing research on AR cloud paints a picture of a revolutionary technological merger both from a communication and selling/marketing perspective.
In short, while cloud computing only became hugely manifest in workplaces in early 2000, it is now a deeply-rooted technology that continues to evolve in many unimaginable ways. But, even more importantly, it remains the focal point in adopting new technologies that will change workplaces forever.
Maria Mladenovska, Content Manager at DigitalNovas, has collaborated with our blog in this post.
