If you’re making a business case to the CEO and top executives on the benefits of cloud intranets, then it pays to have a well-thought-through and thoroughly researched presentation. You will want to have all the arguments, for and against, at your fingertips so you can confidently deal with any queries. In this article, we make that process a whole lot easier. We look in detail at the pros and cons for a cloud intranet, so all you need to do is tailor the information to suit your particular company.
Cloud Intranet – The Advantages
Minimal Expenditure Is Required
From the perspective of the CEO and top executives, there’s no doubt that cost will be top of the list when it comes to their concerns and a cloud intranet service will definitely tick that box. Cloud computing minimizes your hardware costs – there’s no expensive servers to install and maintain as there would be with other types of intranet. What’s more, it will also eliminate software costs as the template nature of the cloud intranet means that you simply customize and adapt the template to meet your requirements. There are no licenses to purchase, no costly software to purchase or extended periods of testing required. No, all that technology has already been tried and tested and is simply there waiting for you to put your own stamp on it. The only ongoing cost is a fixed monthly fee which includes unlimited numbers of users and unlimited data storage. Cloud intranets, therefore, offer companies greater cost certainty than other types of intranet.
24/7 Accessibility
Another great advantage of cloud intranets that will appeal to the CEO is the open all hours nature of the offering. If your company has lots of remote workers as well as sales personnel or other staff members that spend large amounts of time out on the road, then this aspect will be even more important. You see, cloud intranets can be accessed by employees anywhere and anytime via a tablet or smartphone. Therefore, a cloud intranet will not only increase productivity and efficiency, it will also enhance customer service. Think, for example, of the service engineer who will be able to access service requests, records and manuals while out in the field with just a single touch.
Easy To Set Up, Use And Manage
Chances are the CEO and executive team are not experts on all matters IT. And so if you can present them with an intranet option that not only provides all the functionality and features that your company requires, but also is intuitive and easy to use, then you’ll be well on the way to winning them over. Once again the template nature of the cloud intranet offering really comes into its own here. With a familiar file explorer interface, even the technical novice will find it a straightforward process to choose from a range of pre-built modules and then customize the intranet templates to fit your brand and company requirements. What’s more, the ongoing management of a cloud intranet is equally straightforward. Creating and editing content, adding and removing users, setting site permissions and access rules – it’s all easy to do with a set of intuitive administration tools.
In fact, it’s possible to set up a professional looking cloud intranet in a matter of hours. And this speed of implementation will no doubt appeal to the CEO, especially if the intranet is being introduced in response to an organizational pain point such as poor internal communications. Other intranet options in comparison require a significant lead-in time in terms of development, testing and implementation.
Security Assured
A common concern amongst CEOs is the loss of control involved in a cloud intranet. And while it is true that an external provider will be responsible for all the company data and information, the flipside is that they will also be responsible for all aspects of security too. Whether it be ensuring a secure hosting environment such as HIPPA, providing encrypted pages delivered using SSL/HTTPS or ensuring internal security with enforced regular password changes and setting site permissions and rules, the cloud intranet provider retains responsibility for all of these aspects. Keeping abreast of the latest security features and potential breaches and threats is, therefore, one particular headache that you won’t need to worry about with a cloud intranet.
In addition, cloud intranets offer great dependability and reliability. With typically 99.9 percent uptime and automatic backups, the recovery of data when a hard drive crashes is another headache you thankfully won’t be bothered by either.
Cloud Intranets – The Disadvantages
Internet Connection Is Required
It goes without saying really, but an internet connection is a must, without it you won’t be able to access your data. And while downtime tends to be minimal, it is nonetheless a possibility.
Loss Of Control
We’ve touched on this one already and it is true to say that with a cloud intranet someone other than you owns the intranet solution. This means that you don’t have complete control over how upgrades are implemented and their timing.
Standardized Features
The tried and tested nature of the cloud intranet template offering is a distinct advantage for some companies. However, it also means that the intranet solution is not perfectly aligned to the organization’s needs as would be the case with a custom-made intranet option. This factor also needs to be carefully weighed against the time involved in designing a truly bespoke intranet that would in any case probably include many of the standard features seen in a cloud intranet. There is a perception, therefore, that a cloud intranet doesn’t offer as much flexibility as other intranet options.
Lack Of Support
Not all cloud providers are equal and the levels of ongoing support can vary from one provider to another. And so it’s definitely worthwhile including ongoing support as an essential element of the selection process for a cloud provider.
When it comes to making your presentation to the CEO and senior executives, it’s important to make it clear that none of these disadvantages are insurmountable. In fact, with careful planning and precautions, they are easily minimized. The truth is that cloud computing is now a mandatory part of the business landscape and is very much here to stay.
And as for cloud intranets, their cost-effectiveness, ease of accessibility, advanced security and intuitive setup and management make for a compelling business case.
Want to find out more about cloud intranets? Then contact us here at MyHub. We provide cloud-based CMS intranets used by hundreds of businesses of different sizes and in different markets across the globe. Ask for a demo or take advantage of our free trial offer.
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