Though the construction industry is a cornerstone of economic growth and infrastructure development, it’s no secret that it sometimes tends to lag in adopting new technologies.
Study after study, survey after survey, the findings remain the same: business owners are aware of the advantages technology offers in running their businesses and overseeing construction projects, yet they consistently fail to invest accordingly.
But the tide is slowly turning – technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM), telematics, mobile devices with specialized software applications, and even emerging innovations like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), robots, drones, 3D printing, the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables, and autonomous vehicles are all finding their place in the space.
Amidst these tools, cloud-based solutions stand out as a disruptive force. Unlike traditional investments, which may entail a far longer waiting period for returns, cloud solutions such as project management software and data analytics platforms can promptly decrease expenses and offer tangible ROI.
Here are some reasons why embracing cloud-based solutions can help you cut costs:
Slash Maintenance Overheads
Cloud infrastructure, software and services remove the traditionally high operating costs of IT, as customers typically pay on a subscription basis for the service.
As a result, you can do away with maintenance overheads and redeploy your IT team on more valuable digital development activities. Every minute counts when you’re managing construction projects; a powerful and robust IT engine can help you make the most of them. Cloud computing means you can access the latest technology infrastructure and software affordably.
Microsoft Azure even lets you consolidate on-premises applications on cloud-connected, hyper-converged infrastructure so that your team can access the best price-performance for storage and computing.
Scale As Per Your Needs
In case you need to augment server capacity, add users, or manage fluctuations in demand — as is common in the industry — you can instantly add more capacity in the cloud. If those requirements change, you can scale up or down. You don’t have to build a long-term commitment to infrastructure costs or purchase and install additional equipment, which is inevitable with on-premises facilities. Instead, you’re able to flex capacity and services to cater to your existing business needs and do so precisely.
Eliminate Costly Legacy Software
There are substantial material costs to maintaining legacy software.
Cloud-based solutions often come with advanced features and functionalities that can help you stay competitive, including features like real-time collaboration, automated data backups, and native integration with other apps.
55% of IT leaders and executives surveyed as part of a Deloitte study say that data modernization is a key driver of their companies’ move to the cloud, and rightfully so. Business leaders today require timely and targeted analytics on existing data; many rely on a flow of insights based on data mining, exploration, and prediction. Given that much of that data is on cloud today, it is hardly surprising that leaders see cloud as paramount to effectively modernizing their data platforms.
Security & Accessibility
Imagine losing a laptop; it’s not just an inconvenience, it’s a financial hit, with an average cost exceeding $50,000.
This total comprises various expenses, including the cost of replacing the device, efforts to detect the loss, forensic investigations, addressing data breaches, compensating for lost intellectual property, mitigating productivity declines, and covering legal, consulting, and regulatory fees. Notably, data breaches alone make up 80% of the total cost.
What cloud computing does is ensure that valuable and sensitive data no longer needs to be stored on employees’ laptops, tablets, or even phones. Instead, the data is securely accessed over the internet and stored on your cloud solution’s secure servers.
In addition, cloud computing lets you and your team access applications from anywhere, anytime, all while Integrating and managing all your environments with services effortlessly.
Streamline Licensing
Instead of shelling out a small fortune for software licenses and then having to deal with the headache of maintenance and upgrades, many cloud providers offer SaaS solutions where you only have to pay a predictable monthly or annual subscription fee based on usage.
You can unlock even more savings by purchasing reserved instances, which provide discounts on cloud services when purchasing predicted capacity in advance. With more visibility into your one-year or three-year resource needs, savings are passed on to you as discounts.
CLOUD FOR CONSTRUCTION
The cloud makes it feasible for everyone to be on the same page, no matter where they are. Your office and job site are in perfect lockstep. Work efficiently, while reducing the amount of time and money wasted on tasks they can automate.
Though construction is one of the oldest, most labor-intensive industries around, the rise of cloud computing and digital technology is beginning to change everything.
YARDSTICK CLOUD SERVICES
Our public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud solutions allow teams like yours to work more efficiently and produce higher-quality projects.
We have supported many other companies across Alberta as they moved to the cloud and will bring this knowledge and experience to your business as well. You don’t have to assume any operational or capital expenses pertaining to maintaining your cloud network infrastructures. Save yourself the hassle of finding and hiring people with the skills necessary to maintain your cloud infrastructures. We guarantee all your IT needs will be met with our Total Network Care (TNC) Program.
Contact us today to learn more about our cloud migration and management services and how we can secure your move to the cloud.
