How to Get Your Managing Partner Invested in the Cloud

You might have heard the cloud is the future. But the reality is the cloud is now. Think about it, as a society we are already accustomed to being able to access our personal email and documents from all devices at all times. So why should this be any different when it comes to accessing our work content?

Well, to be honest, it could simply due to your managing partner’s lack of information about the cloud and its many benefits. This means it is your job to educate your managing partners about the cloud and put them at ease by detailing the benefits. But where do you start?

Here are the top five selling points that you can present to your managing partner to persuade him/her to move to the cloud.

1. You will likely save your company money

Cloud vendors offer a cost-effective way to stretch your IT budget further by eliminating large and expensive hardware and all of the maintenance that goes along with it. So if servers or other hardware need repairs or upgrades, the cloud vendor will assume most of the burden and alleviate your company’s time and money. Not only do cloud vendors take care of licensing and administrative responsibilities, but they also free up in-house IT personnel to instead focus their time and energy on important initiatives and development. If your company is lacking an in-house IT staff, then the cloud will help eliminate costly third-party hardware repair bills.

2. Your company will be more productive

Besides potential cost savings, improved productivity is one of the most popular benefits of cloud computing. The cloud gives employees access to critical data from anywhere they are and at any time. So whether someone is stuck at home due to illness or weather conditions, or on the other side of the world for travel, they will still have access to all of your business’ data. This results in employees being able to produce a higher volume of work, with oftentimes no rise in pay, which greatly benefits the company.

3. Your competitors are using the cloud

According to a McAfee report, 93 percent of organizations are currently using some cloud services. That means if you are part of the 7 percent that is not using the cloud, then you are putting your business at risk of falling behind the competition. By working with a cloud vendor, your company will be able to work harder and faster, and at the least level the playing field for you when competing with other businesses.

4. Peace of mind

Moving to the cloud means that someone else is responsible for your organization’s data. Lost, corrupt or inaccessible data can cause extensive economic implications. However, the cloud ensures that even if data is lost on local computers or phones, it can still be accessible. This is because your data is continually backed up across various servers, allowing the restoration of anything you’ve “lost”. Further, cloud providers offer the highest levels of security by utilizing enterprise-level firewalls, multi-layered virus and spam protection, intrusion prevention and two-factor authentication. These measures will ensure that your data is always being cared for, and your managing partner can have peace of mind.

5. Improved collaboration

Having ultimate access to your data and files allows employees to easily collaborate with anyone in the company. Teams can work together regardless if they are in the same room or not since edits and updates to documents appear in real time. This eliminates the need to send updated versions to team members via email or having to keep track of the latest document version – freeing up employees to spend time on what matters most.

Pitching your managing partner

Understanding the selling points behind moving to the cloud is essential. But it is also important to plan out how you are going to present this information to your managing partner. Be sure to keep the conversation short and simple. Managing partners are in fact very busy people who are constantly having great ideas suggested to them throughout the day. Make an impact on your pitch by providing your managing partner with a timeline. This will let the managing partner know that you are serious about the change and fully prepared to guide the company to an organizational transformation.