Why you should consider converging your cloud applications

Almost any business issue can be addressed by a cloud app or a number of them. Small businesses have benefited greatly from cloud-based applications. With cloud computing, you don't need to spend a lot of money to run your business. This includes everything from project management and accounting to customer relationship management. It's simple to get started and you only pay for what you use using a subscription-based strategy. As long as they aren't overused, you don't run the risk of wasting time or money with too many apps.

It's possible to choose between solutions specializing in one single activity and those addressing an entire process or a number of business needs at the same time, depending on your company's needs. It's crucial to compare the advantages of a targeted app against the advantages of a single unified solution when making a decision.

Cut Your IT Costs

One of the most obvious advantages of converging your apps is cost savings. Despite the fact that subscriptions are typically less expensive than hosting programs on-premises, cloud apps have their own set of costs. Based on the number of users or the amount of storage, most business apps charge a monthly fee. If you're paying for more than one app with identical features, these charges might quickly pile up.

Managing several memberships can also be time-consuming. To calculate costs, not every business follows the same set of guidelines. You may find it difficult to keep track of what you're paying for if you have multiple teams using different apps. When you consolidate your invoicing, you'll get a clearer picture of how much your business is using and benefiting from its cloud apps.

Do More In Less Time

In addition to the costs of subscriptions, too many apps have a negative impact on productivity. Having to move between different apps is a waste of time and aggravation for your workers. These lost minutes and hours add up quickly—time that may be better spent on more important projects. The following are some real-world instances of how consolidation might make your job easier:

Employees may swiftly switch communication modes by using a single app for chats, calls, and meetings. For example, if a discussion does not resolve a problem, team members can start a meeting with everyone in the chat by clicking a button.

Each of your employees may be required to contact with a coworker, collaborate on an important document, and then change the project timeline throughout the course of just one workday. If all the apps are available in a single platform, like Microsoft Teams, doing these chores is significantly easier.

Employees won't have to open many apps to find the information they need if all of the company's data is stored in a single location.

Simplify Technology

But just because cloud apps are easier to set up than on-premises alternatives, that doesn't imply they're hassle-free! They have to be maintained by someone—typically IT. Apps can be integrated with other systems, such as an identity access control solution, and people can be added and removed from apps when their positions at your firm change.

You'll be able to devote more of your IT resources to larger projects that will help your company grow.

Reduce costs by combining applications.

A self-assessment can help you determine whether your organization is ready to simplify and streamline.

Better Insights

As a business owner, your most valuable asset is your data. Data analysis is essential to identifying your best customers, discovering sales patterns, and keeping a close eye on production issues. However, if your customer, financial, and project planning data is spread across multiple apps, you may be missing out on valuable insights.

A single solution or a set of well-integrated business intelligence tools makes it easier for people to evaluate data across your whole company and identify crucial insights that help you make better decisions. You can anticipate customer wants and provide better service if your team has simple access to all touchpoints in the customer lifecycle to all client data. Data on employee utilization and sales can be linked to gain a better understanding of how to maximize your company's resources. In addition, several platforms make it easy to see critical metrics at a glance.

Increase Security

Bad actors who want to steal your data or disrupt your business have access to every device, user account, and app in today's world. Because many people use the same password for multiple accounts, using multiple apps from different vendors puts you at greater risk of a security breach. One account can be used to get access to other accounts, including your corporate network, if it is hacked.

Reduce the amount of apps your team utilizes, and you'll simplify your security. It is possible to apply the same security rules to all of an employee's apps if they utilize a single account. Because of this, it is more likely that security issues will be discovered before they have the chance of harming your business.

How to determine if you have an excessive number of applications on your phone

Many cloud-based applications may be found and used with ease. As a matter of fact, you may not be aware of all of the apps that your company utilizes. There may still be opportunities to consolidate, even if you've been very deliberate in selecting apps for your firm. There are a few signs that your company has too many apps:

A variety of apps are used by different departments or project teams for the same purpose. There are several ways to do this, such as if your marketing team utilizes Microsoft OneDrive to share files, while your product development team uses Box for collaboration.

To complete their work, the team must download and re-upload data from one system to another. After a sale, a sales tracking tool may need to import customer data into a project management tool.

Employees are forced to sift through multiple apps to locate critical information since it is dispersed across multiple platforms.

It's tough to connect the dots between initiatives, resources, and revenues if your firm lacks visibility.

You and your team can work from any location thanks to cloud-based software. However, having too many apps installed on your phone can have a negative impact on your productivity. Take a look at comprehensive solutions to determine if there are chances to reduce the number of apps your team uses each day to improve security, productivity, and cost management. Consolidating your app ecosystem could save you money in the long run, but it's also a good idea to conduct a self-evaluation to see if it's right for your business.

“Five Reasons to Consolidate Your Cloud Apps | Microsoft 365.” Five Reasons to Consolidate Your Cloud Apps | Microsoft 365, www.microsoft.com, 20 May 2021, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business-insights-ideas/resources/5-reasons-to-consolidate-your-cloud-apps.