Great Uses For A Cloud Server In A Service Business

As a hard drive space- and money-saving way of storing documents and an efficient way in which employees can share them, cloud computing is great for absolutely any type of business, small or large. In this article we will be discussing specifically how cloud computing can benefit a service business.

The special needs of a service business

Service businesses have certain needs that set them apart from the business that sells products to its customers. They do not have a large inventory of assets to be sold, of which they need to keep track. However, they do need physical assets that enable them to perform their services. A company that provides computer repair services, for instance, will need software and tools for taking apart and examining the machines. The owner of a service business will have to take these things into account when choosing a cloud provider.

Cloud computing for the field service business

Field service may be defined as the performance of repair and maintenance on equipment at the location of the client. Like all businesses, those that do field service depend for their success on their ability to provide high-quality services for their customers quickly and efficiently. When a business has many field service workers, each of whom is operating in a different location that may be separated from the others and from the central business location by great distances, things really get to be quite complex. The workers may also have to be constantly handling service calls all day long. The business owner may also need to hire a service administrator who is responsible for taking each initial service request, modifying data on customers and work orders, providing quotes and rescheduling or reassigning tasks.

It is for that reason that so many field service businesses are turning to the cloud so that they can benefit from automated solutions. At one time, such technology was an option that only large businesses could afford. Today, however, the small service business can obtain the cloud solutions that it needs at only a fraction of the cost that would have once been required. These solutions are also much easier both to implement and to use and provide results more rapidly than ever.

ProfitBricks provides cloud service technology which benefits its users by eliminating the need to install and subsequently maintain and update new software, which can be both time-consuming and money-intensive. Programs can be accessed by any of the service company’s employees, wherever they may be. Other advantages of cloud computing for the field service business include:

• the capacity of field workers to access important details on their assignments before they go out to work, without having to worry about delays that result from not having the right tools and equipment
• making and receiving updates in real time
• generating invoices as soon as the job is completed
• ease of implementation
• service level performance

Cloud computing for job management

The number-one asset for a service business is the people. They provide both the brains that decide what services to provide and the muscles that get things done. There is cloud-based software that can be used to make the task of job management much easier by creating an electronic job sheet for every task. This sheet can include such details as:

• details on the customer being served
• who referred him or her to the company
• the address where the service was provided
• a description of the service
• when the service was performed
• what equipment was used
• job appointments
• estimates
• invoices
• any additional notes one might have

All of this information can be accessed by all company employees, in any location and on any device that has Internet access. Managers can also perform filters to see what jobs are available at any given time.

Conclusion

Services businesses can profit from the cloud as much as any other business can. The cloud is always out there, waiting to be used by anyone who needs it.

Rosa Smith uses and contributes on behalf of ProfitBricks, cloud computing experts; a leading cloud computing service, when working remotely on her personal blog. Cloud servers at http://www.profitbricks.com/cloud-servers is a great way to customize your businesses cloud network to fit your needs.