A David Creation

I am one of those business guys who is embracing Cloud Computing. I like it and see a lot of benefits to how it can make a small business more productive away from a physical office. I like how I can run out to meet a client, take my laptop, fire up my browser and have an identical appearance as my large desktop computer in seconds. I like how saving and sharing files is made easy, and I spend less time waiting for things to load and save. Although the Cloud is still in its infantile state, is is here to stay. I believe every business should begin taking babysteps to embrace the Cloud and yet still be cautious at the same time. Let me tell you how I use the Cloud for my business and how I remain cautious.

What I use for my business:

• Macbook Air, iPhone, iPad & iMac
• Tablet PC (when I need a PC)
• Google Chrome and Firefox Browsers with their auto sync functions (Cloud)
• Google Apps for Business (email, contacts, calendar & docs) (Cloud)
• A copy of Microsoft Word and Excel on my harddrive although documents are saved online)
• Photoshop (again, copies saved online & backed up)
• Dropbox for files sharing and online storage. (Cloud)
• Freshbooks (Cloud)
• Google Voice
• Highrise and Basecamp for CRM & Project Management from 37 signals (Cloud)
• External Harddrive*

The last item I mentioned is the key: *an external harddrive. It is pretty safe to say that Cloud storage and usage is safe, especially if it is a well known and trusted company like Dropbox. However, Cloud Computing still requires a physical location somewhere. This means that although our data is being backup “in the clouds” it is being backed up somewhere offsite, to a large server somewhere in the world. The reason this is a good thing is that your physical computers are not being data hogs and will generally run and operate at a higher performance. Also computers that run off a physical server tend to be a little slower. But, to be extra cautious with your data, financial documents, passwords and even pictures, I would recommend still backing up these items to an external harddrive. These harddrives are dirt cheap now. You can buy a 350 GB harddrive for probably $60-70. Do a backup everyday, week or month and you can then rest assured that if there ever was a problem with the Cloud, God forbid, you’d have a backup copy. Also, if you use an online CRM program, I’d recommend doing an export of your data every so often. This is good not only if something ever happens but even if there is a human error. For example, if someone in your office accidentally deletes a contact or a group of contacts, you can then import them back in if you are regularly doing your own backups.

So the bottom line, be a little cautious with Cloud Computing in these early stages and backup your data regularly. How has your business embraced Cloud Computing and what steps have you taken to protect your data?

I get asked weekly from contractors if their companies should move to the clouds and ditch their physical servers. I have a medium size painting client in Wisconsin who is spending $700 a month keeping his server and computers active. If you only have 5 people in your office and are spending $700 a month for online backups, remote access, file storage on a server, what would you do? Probably the same as this client. He is moving his business to the clouds. I thought I’d create a simple checklist for other contractors to look over as they ponder whether it would be a good move to have an office in the clouds.

What is Cloud Computing?

Just for clarification, the words “Cloud-based,” “Cloud computing,” or “Office in the clouds” simply means a virtual office or programs running without software but hosted online. Google Calendar and Gmail are cloud-based as you need to access the Internet to use them. If you have a stable Internet connection, cloud programs are stable, easy to use, and do not slow down your computer. You can also access them from any computer in the world.

The Office in a Cloud Check List

If you have a small service business with 1 to 10 employees working remotely or at an office, this is the checklist I’d use to get started:

1. Access and Store Your Office Files: Egynte or Dropbox (My comments: These programs offer: Online Backup, File Sharing, Editing: basically an online MS Exchange Server for files. I personally use Dropbox and love it. )
2. Mobile Device: iPhone (don’t settle for a Droid or Blackberry. The iPhone works great with Google Apps)
3. Calendar, Email & Document Editing: Sign up for Google Apps Premier: $50 a year per user / Works with Outlook if you don’t want to move away from using MS Outlook
4. Customer Relationship Management (CRM):Pipeline Deals CRM (My comments: Pipeline Deals works very well with Google Calendar and Contacts. I personally use 37 Signals Highrise. There are pros and cons to each. So email me if you have a specific question about your CRM needs.)
5. A Copy of MS Office or Openoffice: Although Google Documents is good, MS Word and Excel are better. So I’d still keep a non-cloud MS Office installed on your computers. Open Office, by Sun Microsystems, is an alternative to MS Office. It is free and works just like Word, Excel and Powerpoint. It just doesn’t have the cool graphics and look.
6. Finance: Quickbooks Online
7. Printer Sharing: There are a number of cloud based printer hosting options, but I have not used them. The easiest solution I’ve found is to create a printing network at your office, probably like you currently have setup. If you have a Mac at your office, creating a printer-shared environment takes just minutes: even if you have PCs mixed into the bunch. The PC machines just need to install a program called Bonjour Print Services.

Optional Items

1. Schedule Program (accept online appointments): YouCanBook.me works the best with Google Calendar.
2. Mac Computer: Macs run faster and require less fixing/maintenance. You can install a program called Fusion3 that allows you to operate Windows applications on a Mac. When switching to the clouds, you’ll have less reasons to run Windows programs. However, MS Excel, is still much better on a PC. So if you are creating complicated spreadsheets or use Excel for estimating, Windows is still a good thing to have on hand! The Macs are just an easier machine to operate and are fun too! My favorites are the iMac and Macbook Air.
3. Project Management Software: 37 Signals Basecamp (inexpensive and easy to use for managing projects. A more advanced option that works very well but cost more is called BlueFolder. Bluefolder is more of a full service management software. You can schedule appointments, service calls, follow ups, assign technicians etc. For most painting and remodeling businesses, this program might be too advanced.)

Cost for Cloud Computing

The cost for cloud computing is very inexpensive. For example, Google Apps for Business is Free. The paid version gives you a little more features at $50 per user/per year. I have used the free version for over 2 years and will be switching to the Premier version this year. The cost to setup Google Apps varies depending on who you hire and the training you receive. Sometimes the setup can be as little as $200-300 (without training and file transferring). Pipeline Deals CRM runs $15 per user/per month. Egynte starts at around $25 a month for online storage, sharing and backups. Dropbox for Teams starts at around $65 a month. This is just a sampling of the cost. As you can see, it really is a smart choice. You can spend more time being productive and less time fixing computer problems.

Your Comments and Thoughts?

Is your office in the clouds? If not, are you planning to move soon? What programs have you looked into and are you happy with your decisions? Please feel free to share your experience with Cloud computing and email me if you have a question.

Google has been pushing harder than ever to keep its Lordship on the web. Their latest battle has been with Facebook who has been creating a powerful army of its own. Google makes most of its revenue through paid search, but has had very good success with its business marketplace: Google Apps. Google Apps provides businesses with business email (Gmail), file storage and creating of documents (Google Docs), Contact Manager, Mobile Access and Google Calendar. Google then went one step further by creating Google Marketplace, which gives third-party companies the ability to sell their products and services and linking them to a companies Google Apps account. The Google marketplace is very similar to the way Apple’s iPhone works with their App Store. So for example, if you use Mailchimp as your email marketing software, you can add Mailchimp to your Google Apps account, which will allow you to sign in automatically through your Google account. Basically Google Apps is the hubspot for your “cloud” business.

I use Google Apps for my 100% cloud-based business and love it. However, I have one problem with it: Google is not a CRM. If Google had its very own CRM built in, I bet they’d get an overwhelming response of new clients in a matter of days. What is holding most small business guy up from switching to Google Apps is the lack of CRM capabilities. Right now they have to sign up for Google, get a smartphone, and then sign up for a third party CRM. However, most third party CRMs currently available are not 100% compatible with Google’s platform. I’ve been using Highrise from 37 Signals as my basic CRM and task manager and then Google for everything else. I’m happy with the two programs. I’d still love to have everything under one roof. I don’t want multiple companies and all these small monthly bills. I like most small business owners want one simple, easy to use CRM program: email, calendar, task manager, contacts, deals and cases! I want it to work with no third party plugins.

My Prediction and Wishlist for Google

I believe Google will create a CRM program. Why they have not done it yet? I don’t know. Maybe they had time to kill and wanted to see how their Marketplace would do. I think the marketplace is very cool, but it still is more than we need as business owners. Also, I think Google has to create a CRM or Microsoft will. Microsoft is a bit behind Google in creating their cloud system, however, they are doing it. Microsoft has a CRM program called Microsoft Dynamics. The cloud version has been released, but I have not tried it out. I’m a Google guy. Also, people are tired of third party plugins left and right. Salesforce, the current leader in CRM-cloud computing, is buying out all the third party companies! So they get it! Will Google do the same? I hope so. I think they should buy out 37signals who has the best project management and CRM programs I’ve seen. I’d then have them take over Pipeline Deals as they too have a few good CRM tools! The problem with 37signals is that they just do NOT work with Google. They are completely separate and have no two-way integration. You have to install plugins from yet another company, that can be buggy, to sync 37signals and Google! Google needs to listen to the small business world and create a CRM program with all the basics. Google does not need to worry about their partnership with Salesforce, because small business owners don’t need such a sophisticated CRM. They need a simple, easy to use system. Google has that now: email, contacts and a calendar. Now just add the customer management, and they will see success. As I’m writing this, it got me thinking, what about Apple CRM? That would be cool!

Here is an article I read that digs a bit deeper into Google CRM. I received this article from Software Advice, who asked me to post it here. So please take time to read: Will Google Enter The CRM Market? by Lauren Carlson. It is a good read. Thanks, Lauren for sending this: and keep me posted on anything else you may discover!

What would you like from Google? Do you have a CRM that works well with the way you run your business?

p.s. I also know it is expensive and can be problematic for Google to create their own CRM…because so many other companies have saturated this market. Google’s marketing decision is probably to continue integrating 3rd parties. My predictions could be wrong. I sure hope I’m right, because I’ve just heard so many people frustrated with all these APIs and plugins. It is getting confusing. If Google holds back, there has to be a company that does a clean and perfect integration with Google.