Owning is Better Than Renting
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[dropcap color=”color”]O [/dropcap] ne of the latest trends hitting this industry is the Cloud, or hosted, solution. What is it all about? With Cloud you rent space on a computer/server located somewhere and you rent your software and accesses it via the Internet from any computer, or device. This does have many advantages for certain applications and for certain types of business, but its not for every business.
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or your business needs, you will still need your own computer at the business with a very solid Internet connection. The software rental with Cloud hosting might cost you around $60/month, or more—depending on how many computers are accessing the program and how many employees you have(versions or logins). Some software providers will have additional charges for upgrades or support. Either way, if monthly payments are not made to the software supplier they have the legal right to stop providing you access to your data, your appointment book, and your business reports. For a typical Cloud application you could be paying around $800 a year, forever. With most Cloud options there is no secure QuickBooks integration, and with Web solutions you do run the risk of the main company’s servers getting hacked. Or worse yet, they go out of business. As a business solution provider, I still think purchasing your business software is a better way to go. Within two years of a Cloud rental option you could have paid for your software.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you are looking for remote access to your software, we have many secure options that can work for you and your business. If you want remote booking options, we have that, too. If you want access from Apple units, we can help there, as well. Cloud applications are not necessarily the answer.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap] like the Cloud for many personal applications, it’s just not the best business solution. You “own” your business, you should own your software, and most importantly, own YOUR data!
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