Smooth Sailing Ahead For The Cloud

What’s Keeping Your MSP From Jumping Onboard The CSP Ship?

Every once in a while, I enjoy hopping on a cruise ship and taking a trip to an exotic Caribbean Island. I relax for a few days, basking in the sun with my favorite refreshment while watching the clouds overhead sail by. This got me thinking… Is it finally smooth sailing ahead for the Cloud?

The winds are light, the sun is shining and the Cloud, (no worries here), all forecast smooth sailing. There are still businesses out there that are afraid to use the Cloud. If any of these are your clients, you must address their concerns.

Are Your Clients Worried That Cloud Isn’t Safe?

The Cloud is no longer something for businesses to fear. Like my friend who accompanied me on a recent trip and who was fearful of traveling and leaving everything back at home… I remember telling her not to worry, and that everything would be OK.

And I wasn’t wrong. I have the same discussion with partners and clients almost on a daily basis. You have nothing to worry about. The Cloud, like traveling on a plane or cruise ship, is safe, secure and reliable.

And, the Cloud is more secure and reliable than other computing solutions your clients may be using. It has systems in place to ensure a business is entirely operational from anywhere at any time (even the Caribbean!). The Cloud has now been accepted and is used daily by companies around the world.

Are They Afraid To Store Data In The Cloud?

Regardless of changes in technology, the way to safely store important documents won’t change. Safe cloud use requires common sense and some effort on the part of businesses.

If their employees follow a few simple steps, you can ensure that their confidential data remains safe in the Cloud:

• Create unique, hard-to-guess passwords. A password manager is an excellent tool for this. Consumer Reports says that these are recommended by security experts because they can create a long, complex password and store it safely. Your clients only have to remember one password.
• Restrict who has access to what information. There’s no reason for a receptionist to have access to confidential files in the Cloud. If employees don’t need access to certain documents, don’t give it to them — the fewer people who can access a business’s critical data in the Cloud, the lower their risk.
• Encrypt data in the Cloud. You and your clients should do this for your emails as well. Explain to them how encryption works. Encryption uses an algorithm to encode data. Only authorized users that hold the encryption key can access their files in the Cloud. Even if the data is intercepted by hackers, they won’t be able to read it. Let your clients know that only authorized users will have access to their sensitive data.

Do They Think The Cloud Will Cost Too Much?

In most cases, your clients can save money by using the Cloud. Most cloud models are “pay-as-you-go.” They only use exactly what they need and nothing more. If they hire more employees, they can add seats. If their business goes through slow cycles, they can cut back. The Cloud is more cost-effective than using static services or solutions that they pay for and end up wasting.

Also, explain to your clients that when your MSP is also their CSP, you can help them use the Cloud more cost-effectively. To ensure this your MSP business needs a cloud partner with the right expertise – one who has the experience as an MSP in the past – and one who can help you select the right cloud solutions for them. AND… one who won’t keep you waiting on the phone when you need answers. Time is money for you, after all.

Do They Say That Using The Cloud Is Too Complicated?

They won’t need to have expertise when setting up or using the Cloud. With the right cloud partner, you can help them do this. Explain that all they need to do is open their cloud files on their desktop, laptop or even smartphone, and get to work just like they would with on-premise software. Also remind them that with the Cloud, they can access their data from anywhere they have a computer device and internet connection.

Do Your Clients Still Have Concerns About The Cloud?

Need more information on how using the Cloud can benefit your clients, keep their data secure, and allow them (and you) to sit back, (just like I did that day in the Caribbean) and watch the clouds go by?

Thoughts from the Cloud – MSP Networking/Q&A

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