When Is the Right Time to Migrate to the Cloud?

When it comes to communications, the cloud provides more than just an upgraded system—it’s also a way to simplify your business operations and improve your data security. Ultimately, migrating to the cloud keeps your business ahead of the curve while improving efficiency, productivity, and more.

But, how does a business know when is the right time to migrate to the cloud?

There are three main points you should consider: the cost of doing nothing, the cost of moving to the cloud, and the risk of migrating versus doing nothing. By examining these factors and their overall impact on your company’s overall success, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision on when it makes sense to move your communications system from your on-premises server to the cloud.

Here, we’ll explore what it means to migrate to the cloud, why it’s beneficial for businesses, and the ways you can determine if it’s the right time to do so for your company.

What Is Cloud Computing?
Before any changes should even be considered, it’s important to understand what exactly cloud computing is—and what it is not.

Cloud computing involves storing your data and voice platforms on a network of remote servers accessible from anywhere, anytime via an Internet connection. In other words, it’s a way of storing data online in a scalable environment that’s always available from any device. Such 24/7 data availability offers improved productivity and innovation with real-time collaboration between employees and mobility across devices.

Benefits of the Cloud
If you’re in need of help improving your company’s productivity, transitioning to cloud-based communications can offer an easy, affordable solution. If done correctly, migrating your communications system to a web-based environment offers numerous benefits for both employees and businesses alike, including:

• • Improved productivity with unified communications & real-time collaboration
  • Greater access to data with 24/7 availability & mobility across devices
  • Safeguarded sensitive data with secure backups
  • Avoiding costly downtime with zero server maintenance
  • Removal of a single point of failure with geo-redundant cloud options

How to Know When to Migrate to the Cloud
After spending years building a company's communications system, IT staff members should be familiar with how their systems work and what they can handle. But if your company is ready for an upgrade, there are several areas you need to evaluate when making a decision about whether or not it's time to make that move to cloud-based services.

Let's take a look at some of these considerations in more detail so you can better determine if your business is ready to upgrade to the cloud. Do any of the following points match what your company is experiencing?

• • Your older communications system will not integrate with any of your newer technology.
  • Your existing phone system does not easily allow employees to work remotely.
  • Your company is experiencing regular system outages.
  • Your system doesn't support current carrier circuits and connectivity types.
  • You're considering moving or consolidating offices.
  • Your current communications system doesn't easily integrate to your line-of-business applications (e.g. Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, etc.).

If your business is experiencing any of the above issues, that’s a clear sign it’s time to migrate your system to the cloud. Doing so will help ensure your business operates smoothly and grows at a faster rate.

Final Thoughts
Cloud computing has transformed many industries in just a few short years. The improved accessibility, security, and productivity all highly benefit companies of any industry—and can keep your business competitive in an increasingly tech-driven world.

Consider migrating your communications to a cloud-based system that offers features such as remote-work capabilities, unified communications, and more. One day soon it may be crucial for you to invest in technology that allows everyone from employees down tocustomers to have easy access online at any time. Don’t wait until it’s too late—start thinking about moving now so you don’t miss out on one of tech’s biggest growth opportunities.

When you’re ready to make the switch, contact the accredited experts at CT Solutions. We have the experience needed to smoothly and quickly migrate your data over, so you can start enjoying the future of the cloud sooner and without interruption in your day-to-day operations.