When you need to find the best cloud service provider, you’re going to come across many options. But, which one is the right one for your business? We’ll tell you what you need to take into consideration before signing up with any old provider.
Cloud services are saving companies and state agencies at least a few million dollars a year.
But not all services out there will meet your needs. There are a lot of factors, such as support and security, to consider before picking a cloud service provider. You need to make sure that you lay out your company’s needs when you’re considering which service provider works for you.
Here are 3 things to consider when you’re looking to select which provider to work with:
1. Make Sure it’s Secure
With the average data breach now costing small businesses around 3.6 million dollars, it’s essential that your cloud service has the best security. The cloud service that you choose to work with needs to have a strong reputation for having proper security. People already feel uncomfortable with having their data on the cloud.
Without having the best security in the industry, your cloud service provider could be putting you and your customers at risk.
Don’t be afraid to ask explicit questions about their security procedures and regulatory requirements. Come to them with some specific use cases and issues you’ve seen. They should be able to give you clear and honest answers about how they’d fix common security issues.
2. They Need To Take Compliance Seriously
If your company isn’t compliant with the security and privacy needs of your customers, you could be putting your customers at risk. You could also be putting yourself at risk of violating the law. Being reckless with medical, social security, or many kinds of private records could put you in the position of having a lawsuit filed against you.
Be sure that your cloud service provider is compliant to the full letter of the law. Their cloud infrastructure will need to maintain a stable level of security and will need to be certified by public agencies.
3. You Need Support
Your cloud service provider should be able to provide you with support anytime that you need it, day or night. Their support infrastructure should be easy to access and should lead you to talk directly to a human being. If you’ll be navigating a complicated phone menu at 3 in the morning following an emergency, you’re better off working with someone else.
Sometimes support is dependent upon a warranty or only offered for a certain amount of time. Be sure to ask if this is the case. The last thing that your company needs is to be high and dry at your most vulnerable time of need.
Choosing a Cloud Service Provider is A Big Decision
You should take your time and have plenty of discussion with staff when you’re considering which cloud service provider you want to work with. This is a somewhat intimate relationship you’re about to embark on, putting your company and your customers in the hands of a stranger. So long as you make sure the company you work with meets your criteria, you should be in good hands.
To make sure you’re prepared for any threat to come, check out our guide to the biggest ones small businesses will face in the coming year.
