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
Switching to a cloud-based email solution offers businesses a modern, flexible way to manage communications. Unlike on-premises email systems that require businesses to manage hardware, security, and maintenance, cloud email is hosted by third-party providers like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. These providers handle updates, email security, and compliance, ensuring your organisation’s email is always up to date.
Cloud-based email services allow employees to access their accounts from any device, anywhere, fostering productivity and remote collaboration. With email data stored in the cloud, businesses can benefit from seamless integrations with other tools, such as calendars and collaboration platforms, enhancing team communication.
One significant benefit of moving to the cloud is scalability. Businesses can quickly adjust email capacity as needed, without investing in additional hardware. This makes cloud email ideal for organisations looking for flexibility and growth without the burden of traditional IT management.
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
Switching to a cloud-based email solution means your business email hosting relies on a stable internet connection for email sending and receiving. If your connection is slow or interrupted, it can disrupt your ability to access your email. For businesses with reliable internet service, this is rarely an issue. However, if your business needs to ensure uninterrupted access, having backup internet service providers is a practical solution.
Despite this reliance, using cloud email provides key advantages, such as reduced server maintenance and enhanced security features. Cloud-based email providers use multiple redundant data centres to ensure your data in the cloud remains accessible, even during local disruptions. While on-premises email allows for internal communication during outages, the flexibility and scalability that cloud-based email offers often outweigh this limitation.
By ensuring a reliable internet connection, organisations moving to cloud-based email can fully benefit from the flexibility and reliability that cloud computing enables.
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!
FAQ
What are the main advantages of switching to a cloud-based email solution?
Switching to a cloud-based email solution offers several advantages for businesses, including reduced costs, enhanced security, and easier scalability. With cloud-based email hosting, you no longer need to maintain expensive hardware or worry about on-premises email management. Cloud email allows you to access your email from any device, anywhere, increasing flexibility and productivity. Additionally, reputable cloud service providers offer robust security features and automatic updates, ensuring optimal email usage with minimal downtime.
What are the potential disadvantages of using a cloud-based email service?
While cloud-based email offers many benefits, there are a few potential disadvantages to consider. One key drawback is the reliance on a stable internet connection—if the internet goes down, access to email may be temporarily disrupted. Additionally, some businesses may feel a loss of control compared to on-premises email, as their data lives in the cloud and is managed by a third-party provider. However, many cloud-based email providers use multiple redundant data centres to mitigate risks and offer greater reliability than traditional setups.
How does a cloud-based email subscription service help with business scalability?
A cloud-based email subscription service allows businesses to scale their email capacity without investing in additional hardware or infrastructure. As your business grows, cloud email services can easily add more users or increase storage space with just a few adjustments. This flexibility ensures that your email hosting adapts to your changing needs, providing future email capacity without the cost and complexity of upgrading an on-premises system.
