What to consider when moving your business to the Cloud

Plan Ahead

Any form of change in your business will take time to implement.  Whether you have an older “On Premise” solution that’s running locally in your offices or looking to change to a better platform for your business, there are many factors to consider and questions to ask to ensure you’re heading down the right path to the cloud.   Adopting the cloud for your business can help you propel your business to the next level – as long as you choose your business platform carefully.  Here are a few key points to consider when selecting a cloud partner.

But How Secure is my data?

Moving from a scenario where you can control your data and how it’s backed up may be a cause of concern.  In this day and age businesses simply cannot operate without the wealth of accumulated business intelligence and data and the associated confidentiality. With a properly designed and maintained cloud system, your data is in good hands. 

At Ascora we are Microsoft certified partners.  We utilise Microsoft Azure data centres, which holds numerous certification standards around the World and are even approved by the US and Australian Governments.  We also undergo rigorous security audits by US specialists to ensure the Ascora cloud is secure to the highest standards. With your data stored in the Ascora cloud you can rest easy knowing that your data is securely stored.

Who is it built & supported by?

There are many cloud based systems out there. However like all things not all cloud systems are created equally.  Many systems out there claiming to be best practice are anything but.  How do you know if the system will work for your business?  Will it grow as you need it to?

Firstly check the background of the company behind the product.  Have they built any other systems?  Did they create the system for themselves initially and realised they could sell it to others?  The ideal partner will be able to demonstrate the systems they’ve created in the past so you can be rest assured the platform you select is built correctly and will be maintained into the future.  At Ascora we’ve built systems for Red Bull Air Racing, BP, Swan Taxis, iZone, Metalflex and NECA, so you can be rest assured we’re experts in software and mobile apps!

Does it operate on the platforms you need?

This is a critical question.  Not all cloud systems work on all browsers – some may only work on a certain version of Chrome for example.  Does it have a mobile app?  Does that mobile app work on the platforms I need – both Android and iOS?  Does the mobile app support being offline?  If the solution you are considering does not have mobile apps that work across all platforms it should raise a major red flag.  If you are locked in to a certain platform do you want to provide that hardware to your field staff?  Are the devices offered cost effective?  If you’re not going to provide devices whether they are phones or tablets will you limit yourself to only employing field staff that are on that platform. 

With Ascora we have developed native apps for both Android and iOS for both phones and tablets.  (A native app is the best possible app running on that phone or tablet as it’s built to work on that system).  Our apps also have offline capability so you are not affected by poor or non-existent internet/4G connections and can continue to perform all the actions in Ascora!

How often is the system updated?

Checking in the Apple App store is a good way to see if the platform you are selecting is being actively maintained.  If the app doesn’t have very frequent updates beyond “Bug Fixes and Performance Optimisations”, then it’s not a priority for the company behind it and it won’t advance and evolve as your business needs it to.

At Ascora we’re exceptionally active and committed to deploying updates to our apps across all platforms and on average we have an update a week to bring new features and improvements to your business.

What does it cost?

When selecting a system it’s important to not only consider the cost of the software but also the features the selected platform will give you.  Selecting a simple system may save you a few dollars in the short term, however can cost you significantly if the system doesn’t have all the features you need or if you have to implement another system for your business.  At Ascora our pricing is simple – you always pay in arears so you’re only ever paying for the mobile users you have and we don’t overload you with a vast number of add-ons, deceptive pricing or lock in contracts.

Thinking about making the move to the cloud for your business or replacing a system that just can’t keep up with the needs of your business?  Give the team of experts at Ascora a call today on (08) 6311 5555 or support@ascora.com.au