Cloud email continues to revolutionise how businesses operate and communicate. By moving email to the cloud, businesses reduce costs, increase scalability, and more.
The most substantial benefit of cloud email is its scalability. Cloud based email providers can easily meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, from small businesses with just a few employees to large enterprises with thousands of employees. This makes cloud email a good choice for businesses of all sizes, regardless of their growth plans.
To understand the benefits of cloud email for businesses, we analysed many articles and reports from a variety of sources. Our analysis found that cloud emails not only help businesses improve their productivity, but a high proportion of businesses are overdue for a cloud email solution.
Understanding Cloud Email Solutions
Cloud email is a web-based email service that is hosted by a third-party provider. Users can access their email account from any device with an internet connection, using a web browser or email client.
On-premise solutions are hosted on local servers and require running software applications on organisational machines. This means that the organisation is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and security of the email servers. On the other hand, cloud email is more flexible and affordable.
In the modern, hyperconnected world, cloud emails support efficient communication regardless of locations or devices being used, making it crucial for contemporary business operations.
The Top Benefits of Cloud Email
Cloud email is already the standard for personal email accounts, but businesses are still behind.
1) Remote email access
You’d expect to log in to your personal Gmail account from anywhere, so why should business email be any different? Cloud email offers you access from wherever you go and on any device. All you need is internet access (and ideally MFA for extra security.)
This level of accessibility is a huge advantage for businesses of all sizes. It allows employees to work remotely, from anywhere in the world. This can lead to increased productivity and flexibility, as employees are no longer tied to a desk in the office.
2) Lower cost
One of the most significant upsides of cloud email is its lower cost. Cloud email providers offer subscription models, meaning businesses pay a monthly or annual fee to access the service. This eliminates the need for businesses to invest in expensive hardware and software initially. It also reduces the operating costs associated with maintenance and electricity.
In contrast, on-premise email servers require a significant upfront investment in hardware and software. Businesses also need to hire IT staff to manage the servers and ensure they are secure. This can be a costly proposition, especially for small businesses.
3) Increased team productivity
Easy and efficient ways to communicate with our colleagues improve productivity, especially in workspaces where collaboration is essential. Cloud emailing is on and accessible 24/7, so your team can work flexibly from anywhere in the world.
You can even use other tools within the Microsoft Outlook or Google Suite space, integrations that go beyond just emails. Cloud emailing can also store large files, so you’ll never have to worry about sending your colleague that massive document again.
4) Cloud email hosting security
Security is a big selling point and problem when dealing with confidential emails and messages. This means that one data leak can cost a company its reputation and customer trust. So, most cloud email service providers put a lot of emphasis on security and invest in robust security measures to protect data.
These cloud based email solutions also need to follow regulations like GDPR and keep customer’s data sequestered and secure.
Cloud based email providers have a lot to lose, more than any IT professional you can hire to manage your own email system.
5) Business cloud email data recovery
If something goes wrong, your data is always backed up and recoverable. The built-in redundancy feature means you never have to worry should you find yourself in a disaster situation, and usually, these cloud email solutions have quick disaster recovery response times.
Messages, contacts, and any data are always recovered. This forms a vital part of our IT Support London services.
6) Easy administration and cloud email support
Gone are the days when you (or your in-house IT) had to maintain your own email server. One less thing for you to worry about means more time to focus on your business’s more critical needs. Cloud email providers take care of all server maintenance and administration tasks. This frees up businesses to focus on their core competencies.
Cloud email providers typically offer 24/7 support to their customers. This means businesses can get help with any email problems they may have at any time of day or night.
7) Business scalability
Growing businesses can easily scale their infrastructure to accommodate new hires, both on-site and remotely. Any updates and adjustments to licences and storage capacity take moments with a cloud based email solution. With the click of a button you can upgrade (or sometimes downscale depending on your agreements) the number of employees with access to email.
Your cloud based email service can help you find the most cost-effective way to manage your email accounts and cloud storage, so you’re scaling efficiently and planning for future costs.
8) First class service
Cloud subscription models make for a productive long-term customer service experience. There’s real accountability from email providers, and global security standards and regulations mean you can be assured that your company’s compliant.
Cloud email means your business can flow smoothly with lower costs and fewer concerns. It’s reliable 24/7 from anywhere. When disaster happens (it’s 2023, after all), there’s little to worry about.
For more on Microsoft business cloud computing solutions (which we install and manage for you), read Microsoft’s “5 ways cloud email hosting is a must-have for your business“.
Considerations of Moving to A Cloud Based Email Provider
A cloud based email solution isn’t the ultimate email system in the world. The business benefits of cloud email solutions like lower cost and remote access comes at 3 major considerations:
Loss of Control
One of the main concerns that businesses have about moving to a cloud-based email provider is the loss of control. When businesses host their own email servers, they have complete control over their email environment. This includes control over the hardware, software, security, and data.
When businesses move to a cloud-based email provider, they are essentially outsourcing the management of their email environment to the cloud provider. This means that they lose some control over their email environment. However, most cloud-based email providers offer a variety of features and controls that allow businesses to customise their email environments to meet their specific needs.
Dependence on Internet Connectivity
A stable internet connection is crucial for sending and receiving emails, making businesses reliant on internet availability. If a business’s internet connection goes down, they cannot send or receive emails.
On-premise solutions can send and receive internal emails even if the internet connection goes down. However, just like cloud emails, external emails will not be able to be sent or received until the internet connection is restored.
This is usually a lesser concern for businesses that are scaling, though, because medium to large-sized businesses typically have more than one internet service provider.
Migration Complexity:
The migration process from on-premise to cloud-based email can be complex and risky. If the migration is not done correctly, it can lead to service disruptions and data loss. Businesses should carefully plan and execute the migration process.
It is a good idea to hire a managed IT service provider to help with the migration. Managed IT service providers have the experience and expertise to ensure a smooth and successful migration to cloud-based email.
Conclusion
Cloud email is a valuable asset for businesses of all sizes. It offers many benefits, including cost savings, enhanced security, scalability, and improved uptime. Businesses should carefully consider the benefits and risks of cloud email before making the decision to move to a cloud-based email solution.
If you’re a business that needs to migrate to a cloud based email system, get in touch!
