Business Technology Continues to Shift to the Web

Businesses today rely on so much technology that it’s impossible to think about operations without considering how technology can make them more efficient. In fact, many organizations would completely collapse without the innovations brought about as a result of technology development. One of the hottest trends over the past few years has been the shift from in-house assets to web-based assets, ranging from application access to infrastructure hosting.

We’re not talking about just using a web application like Gmail to access the Internet. Most businesses these days take advantage of some type of web-based service to keep their operations moving smoothly. They could either have a couple of applications hosted on the Internet, like Microsoft Office or the Adobe Creative Suite, or it could go as far as having the entire network infrastructure hosted in the cloud for easy access. Either way, business operations would change considerably without having access to the cloud and Internet-based solutions.

Before web-based applications became commonplace, businesses rely on applications and solutions hosted locally on a network or desktop infrastructure. Nowadays, if solutions are stored in the cloud, they can be accessed on a plethora of devices that allow for more flexibility and innovation than ever before. We’ll talk about some of the various ways that the Internet and web-connected services change the way that businesses function.

Communications
Business communications rely heavily on staying connected. Considering how the Internet is also all about connectivity, the two naturally go hand-in-hand. Businesses have access to all sorts of communication solutions, including voice and video chat, instant messaging, and email--all designed to keep your organization connected to all of your contacts and users in a way which fosters productivity.

Imagine being able to take your business’s telephone solution on the go with you simply by having a mobile application on your device. You might even already be taking advantage of mobile email solutions. It’s just one way that a constant connection to the Internet and web-based apps really help businesses stay connected while on the go.

Software Solutions
Your business relies on software to get work done, including a productivity suite of some kind. Thanks to the cloud, these solutions can be hosted online and stored in a way which allows for access via mobile devices and desktops alike. If you’re using a word processor, spreadsheet creator, or other type of software that lets you build out business documents or check information, you stand to benefit from web-based access to these applications.

Now that you don’t have to rely on constant access to a desktop to work on text files or other projects, your organization is free to pursue a method of working and operations that best suits it. This gives your employees the freedom to choose their own devices. Furthermore, access to web-based applications is often much cheaper as a whole, since you’re simply paying for access to the latest versions of each solution in a web format rather than purchasing licenses outright for your desktop workstation.

Access to Information
Perhaps one of the most important parts of Internet access for a business is the unprecedented access to important information. Businesses can investigate potential new solutions, potential clients, and competitors to create some of the most lucrative possibilities imaginable. Some might say that business lives on the web, and in this situation, it certainly does. You can perform market research, find other organizations like yourself to glean ideas from, and potentially even find new clients.

Is your business fully taking advantage of mobile technology and access to web-based solutions? SMART Services can help your organization fully implement solutions designed to improve access to important information, be it locally on your network or through a cloud-based hardware infrastructure. To learn more, reach out to us at 586 258-0650 .