In an article on new technologies impacting franchise operations, Steve Boese, a human resources blogger and professor of HR technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology said, “From here on out, it is very unlikely that you are going to see any new offerings from a vendor that will try to sell software on a disk that you have to load on one or more company computers. That’s the old model and it’s just not going to happen anymore.”
The new model? Cloud computing.
Cloud computing is one of a number of technologies changing the way franchises do business. It’s a way to centralize the data of a business by storing the information on a secured location on the web, not a computer. Since the data is housed on the web, and the web never gets turned off, the information is accessible at any time, from any location, and from a multitude of devices (computer, phone, tablet, etc.).
The Concept of Cloud Computing
One reason companies across virtually all industries are turning to the cloud is cost effectiveness. Many cloud computing services allow users to pay for the number of users they have using the service. This helps franchises not waste funds on unused capacity. In addition, if more bandwidth is needed, or users need to be added, a cloud computing service provider can quickly take care of the business’ needs.
Operational efficiency is another benefit franchises can gain by cloud computing. “Many franchises have disparate solutions operating inside their business that don’t communicate with each other. This leads to costly inefficiencies and a loss of critical data analysis,” says small business consultant Barry Moltz. With the cloud, franchise leaders can enjoy a greater level of visibility into operations across their franchise system anytime they want. They can more easily see patterns and areas for improvement because all the data is being congregated in one place.
Thirdly, according to a study by Aberdeen Group, businesses that use the cloud benefit from faster recovery when issues arise. In the study, disaster recovery for businesses using the loud took an average of 2.1 hours compared to an average of 8 hours for those not in the cloud.
In addition, you may or may not be surprised to learn that cloud computing is environmentally-friendly. Salesforce UK states that using cloud computing “results in at least 30% less energy consumption and carbon emissions than using on-site servers.”
If you are ready to learn more about operating your own franchise, there is no better time than now. Business is wanted, business is needed, and we make the implementation of it easier than ever.
Brian Frazier
President | Franchise Business Advisor
Apex Business Advisors, LLC
Tel: 859-866-3349
EMail: brian@apexbusinessadvisorsllc.com
Website: http://www.franchiseinfo4you.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/franchiseinfo4you
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Franinfo4you
