Remember the term, internet speed? Back in the late ’90s, many observers used that term to describe the new, rapid pace of business. Email and instant messaging became standards at the expense of postal mail and phone calls. Search engines largely eliminated the need to sift through books or documents in a library. Doing business became easier, more efficient and, most of all, faster.
Today, however, internet speed is too slow. Today, you need cloud speed.
Why? Because collaboration in the cloud lets you run your firm or business at maximum velocity without worrying about security or reliability.
If you’re still running your business at internet speed, you’re falling behind. Sharing files via email is insecure and can lead to data errors and problems with version control. Instant messaging has largely given way to texting, which is a major new target for cybercriminals. Even phone calls and voicemails can be prone to security risks with the advent of new artificial intelligence applications.
Those methods of communication are also slow and uneven in a business climate in which clients expect immediate answers to queries. What your firm or business needs in 2023 and beyond is the cloud. When you communicate with both clients and employees in a hosted model, you know you’re using the fastest and most secure form of collaboration possible.
Why Collaboration in the Cloud is Essential for Firms and Businesses
Running QuickBooks® Desktop and other critical business and tax applications in the cloud enables you to collaborate quickly and safely both inside your firm or business and with clients. Collaboration in the cloud offers the following advantages.
A secure work environment protected by cybersecurity professionals
Email attachments are becoming a real danger. Consider ransomware alone, which usually originates with an email attachment. One study revealed that two-thirds of businesses reported being hit by a ransomware attack in the last year. Nearly half of the businesses that suffered an attack paid the ransom, but only 4% of that group got all their data back. The average cost to remediate a ransomware attack? $1.4 million.
It’s almost impossible for even the most dedicated IT people in your firm or business to protect you adequately from phishing and other common cyberattacks. Even large software vendors get hit by so-called zero-day attacks that exploit security vulnerabilities the vendors didn’t know existed in their applications.
With collaboration in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about security. The right cloud provider has seasoned professionals who update application security for you and monitor your system for potential data breaches. If a breach does occur, the provider can detect and neutralize it before it does any damage or before you lose any of your clients’ data. Partnering with a cloud provider is really investing in peace of mind, knowing you can collaborate safely inside and outside your firm or business.
The ability for multiple people to work safely in the same files at the same time
In the cloud, the days of emailing files and having employees work on them one at a time are over. So are the days of difficulty with data errors and version control. When employees can work in the same QuickBooks Desktop file at the same time from anywhere, everyone is always on the same page. You won’t have files with names like “clientwork_final_finalv2_FINAL_FINALV3” anymore. Everybody works simultaneously in one file.
The same goes for other applications, including many of your favorite business and tax apps. And for sharing information with clients, you have a cloud portal that’s safer, more efficient and faster than using email. Collaboration in the cloud enables you to easily and safely communicate with clients at any time and keep track of all of your interactions. You leave nothing to chance.
A system for document management that enables everyone to find everything
Have you ever had trouble finding a file? Maybe it’s stored in an individual laptop or buried in an email server somewhere. And are you sure that’s the right version of the file? In the cloud, you can be sure to easily find the right file every time—and easily share it with your client.
Document management from your cloud provider is a service that speeds collaboration in the cloud by storing files securely and making them easy to find and share. It’s essential for any firm or business that wants to move beyond internet speed and into cloud speed. Your files are always ready for sharing with clients in your cloud-based client portal. There’s no need to scramble to find a critical document or workbook.
Enablement of remote work and remote hiring
By now, you probably have at least a few employees working at home—or maybe all of them. In the cloud, remote work is safe and easy. Employees can work from anywhere at any time with complete synchronization. With a cloud provider handling security, you don’t have to worry about losing data. The provider backs up all of your key information in top-tier data centers.
With collaboration in the cloud, your firm or business has no borders. If you’re having staffing issues, you can hire remote employees from any location. You can safely outsource either domestically or abroad. And you can even pitch clients without worrying about geographical limitations. The cloud takes your collaboration capabilities global and expands the scope of your business to just about anywhere.
Collaboration in the Cloud Lets You Run Your Firm or Business at Top Speed
Internet speed as we once knew it is too slow for modern firms and businesses. You need to run at cloud speed, collaborating safely and efficiently at any time and from anywhere. With critical apps running in the cloud, you bring your employees and clients together in a secure, managed environment that offers both speed and peace of mind.
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Are you ready to collaborate safely and quickly? Get started today.