Many small- and medium-sized companies are still trying to figure out the right kind of technology to invest in, since they offer their own pros and cons. Whether you're going for cloud services, productivity apps, or online accounting tools, these investments could catapult your business to succeed in ways you’ve never imagined before.
The changing workforce
The ubiquity of mobile devices has already transformed the modern world, and has carved an “always connected” workplace where you can access data and applications anywhere, anytime. For many, it has become a business requirement to stay connected. With employees not at their desk 50%-60% of the time, and mobile devices fast becoming their primary computing device, the population of PC-bound employees will soon diminish significantly.
Today’s IT teams need to balance managing the workplace with minimizing security risks and maintaining compliance requirements.
The millennial way
The Baby Boomer generation is beginning to retire, replaced by Gen Xers and incoming Millennials. While these generations have different work styles and preferences, the latter generation is expected to lead and sustain the shift toward mobility. In streamlining processes to enable an enduring mobile workforce, business owners are adopting the millennial way to gain traction.
You may ask yourself: “How do I stay ahead of the curve?” If you want the ability to innovate but prefer technology that’s simple and doesn’t chain you down with big PC and software investments, then you should consider switching to hosted desktops. Hosted desktops or desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) unchains desktops and applications and puts them in a data center where they can be accessed on any device. That can make a big difference for you, your employees, and your business.
According to a study by Global Workplace Analytics, Fortune 1000 companies around the world are revamping their workplaces to accommodate mobile and remote employees who work outside the office and require access just the same. DaaS has the potential to bring new competencies and a competitive advantage to your business in many exciting ways. But don’t take out word for it! Here are some real-life examples of how companies are using DaaS to boost revenue and ROI:
1. Startups
Startups can put their money to better use by developing products and sustaining growth instead of buying IT infrastructure. With DaaS, their workload can be hosted in the cloud for the back office. They could get rid of managing hardware inventory, OS updates, and security patches. Office 365 for Microsoft Office apps and Amazon WorkSpaces to provide either Windows or Linux desktops are examples of how DaaS can streamline specific key operations.
2. Financial organizations, banks, and investment managers
Technology has already begun taking over the financial sector, with blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) disrupting old trends. Because of these rapid changes, financial firms are stepping up by standardizing their IT environments. Since DaaS is built for speed, processes can move more quickly. Businesses don’t need to think about procuring and configuring equipment, and employees can easily access their company’s custom trading apps and activity feeds using their own devices and credentials.
3. Property management firms
Whether it’s managing budget, maintaining records, or even securing building permits, property management companies deal with a substantial amount of work, and DaaS can easily fine-tune these tasks. DaaS enables these firms to be agile, and makes it convenient for them to provide access or temporary credentials to contractors and workers.
4. Large law firms and accounting firms
For big law firms growing their practice, IT can be a competitive edge or a liability. DaaS frees employees from being tethered to a single desktop. All the business’s documents, software, and data are installed and reside on a private cloud, and everyone in the firm accesses and works from a personalized virtual desktop on any device, from any location. This practice gives law firms a significant advantage by allowing them to manage cases and clients better and faster.
5. Seasonal and project-based businesses
Plug-and-play businesses much prefer the on-demand DaaS approach for its versatility — it’s there when you need it and gone when you don’t. Since these types of businesses are more or less nomadic and quick-paced, there’s no large inventory of hardware to manage and maintain. Virtual desktops can be removed or added without getting the IT department involved; businesses just pay for additional DaaS subscriptions as they go along.
Are you ready to simplify your desktop delivery strategy? Give us a call today, and let’s talk about how we can transform your IT environment.
