Need help running your business? Look to the clouds
— -- I've been running a small business for years. I wouldn't go back to working for a corporation. But small business is a euphemism for Big Headaches.
For instance, my computer system is never far from my thoughts. I send more than 6 million e-mail newsletters a week. My website is very, very busy. My studios make national radio shows. When my system is down, I'm dead.
I know computers pretty thoroughly. Nonetheless, mine have been a struggle for years.
If I struggle with computers, how do other business people get by? I've never figured that out. I suspect people limp along, working around, and cursing, their computers and networks.
There may be true help on the horizon. It doesn't really extend to local computer systems yet. But it's making other features of business easier. I'm talking about cloud computing.
Don't shut down, please. Cloud computing is an amorphous term invented by the digital elite. But its meaning is simple: Business features you need run on somebody else's computers. You just access them.
For instance, I run my customer relations management through an online company. My backups are handled by another firm.
What does this mean? Well, that stuff is pretty much automatic. I don't worry about security problems, server failure or installing and updating software. Somebody else takes care of those issues. We just use the front end.
Cloud computing isn't a panacea — not yet, anyway. I've had other people run my e-mail and Web servers, for example. That didn't work out. They just didn't care as much as I did. So, cloud computing can be hit or miss.
But given my experience, I think things are improving. Big companies are getting involved. My bad experiences have been with small, local guys. So, I'll tell you about my good experiences.
First, though, let me say that many companies offer these services. I have no experience with the vast majority. I recommend my customer relations management and backup companies. But you might want to shop around.
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