What is Cloud Communications?

The advent of the Cloud has transformed the digital world. Cloud computing has provided business and personal users with greater security and flexibility, making it easier to work at home or with others. 

You’re sure to have heard about cloud communications, but what does it mean? In this handy guide we’ll look at just what cloud communication is, and how it can help your business grow.

The Definition Of Cloud Communications

Every business, whatever its size, has to communicate successfully if it wants to survive and thrive. In a rapidly changing, yet always competitive, business world, communication has never been more important. Thankfully, effective communication has also never been easier thanks to one thing: Cloud communications.

Put simply, cloud communications are internet tools which allow the efficient communication of both voice and data communication via the cloud. The cloud is becoming ever more prevalent in modern computing, and it is now the dominant force in businesses across the world.

It’s estimated that by 2025 the public cloud market will be worth in excess of $800 billion. This will help businesses and consumers alike, as well as providing opportunities for growth for those enterprises which adopt the cloud for their communication needs.

Data Communication via the Cloud

Cloud communication solutions make it easier to communicate effectively both through data and via telephony. Data-based communication encapsulates emails, direct messaging services, and apps, and it’s becoming increasingly popular.

These data-driven services have, in the recent past, used large amounts of storage and needed a suite of hardware in which to store and process it. The cloud allows the data to be stored securely offsite at a remote location, negating the need for storage and therefore saving both time and money.

Cloud Driven Telephone Communications

Whilst the use of data-based communication is growing, the use of telephone-based communication remains as important as ever. 

In fact, phone calls made using VoIP solutions rose from six million to over 41 million in the eight years leading up to 2018; a trend that will surely continue to grow.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, and it’s a digital business phone system which is made possible by cloud technology. 

This cloud phone system offers significant advantages over traditional business phone options in terms of flexibility, cost, and security.

1. Flexible cloud communication.

Smart businesses have always prized flexibility, and the sense of this has become increasingly clear in recent times. 

VoIP cloud communication systems allow one business to adopt large numbers of phone lines hosted by a cloud-based data server. This means that the number of lines can easily be increased or decreased as the need arises, and workers can connect to the system from a centralized office or from home.

2. Affordable cloud communication.

All businesses have to keep a close control on their finances, but that doesn’t mean they can afford to neglect key areas such as communications. 

Having a great communication system in place makes it easy to communicate with workers and consumers, and for them to communicate with you. With clear paths of communication always available, you can increase customer and colleague satisfaction, bringing a wide range of benefits.

Cloud communication systems, such as VoIP, are a great way to get a high quality data and telephone system that’s relatively inexpensive to install.  It also means you can cut down on the hardware you need, and the space to place it in, making the VoIP cost even better value for money.

3. Secure cloud communication.

People are rightly concerned about security on and offline, but data security is another area in which cloud communications score highly. 

Because the data is hosted at large, dedicated data centers, you can be sure that the host will also have a dedicated and powerful data protection strategy. All data sent, received, or stored via cloud communication will also be encrypted, adding an extra layer of security and an extra layer of ‘peace of mind.’

The Long Term Advantages of Cloud Communications

Installing cloud communications solutions today allows a business to plan for tomorrow. It’s a communication system that grows with your business, rather than being tied down by wires or limited by the physical space you have available.

Cloud communications systems also make it easy for staff members to work remotely, and we’ve all seen the importance of that in the recent past. 

Whatever the future holds, working from home will continue to be in demand, benefiting employees and employers. The best video conferencing for small business will therefore be an important addition, and this capability is at the heart of cloud communications.

A unified cloud communications solution will make it easier and more secure to communicate both data and voice calls. It also makes it easier to provide communications and training to people in multiple locations, and provides a communication channel that’s always fast and available. Thanks to the cloud, the future of business communication is available today.