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How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businessesCloud-based order management systems (OMS) have plenty of useful features that can help any eCommerce business boost their sales. But this is just one of the many advantages these tools offer. Read on to learn more about the business benefits of deploying an OMS. First off, we need to clarify that an inventory management system […]

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How a cloud-based OMS can help eCommerce businesses

Cloud-based order management systems (OMS) have plenty of useful features that can help any eCommerce business boost their sales. But this is just one of the many advantages these tools offer. Read on to learn more about the business benefits of deploying an OMS.

First off, we need to clarify that an inventory management system is not the same as an order management system. The former is a solution for analyzing sales history and forecasting demand for product and raw materials. On the other hand, the latter is all about the here and now, as it tackles transactions as they happen.

What does an OMS do?

A cloud-based OMS enables eCommerce businesses to track orders for goods and services via a centralized dashboard, which your staff can access anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected device. In general, it can help you organize orders into a coherent and manageable workflow by:

  • Updating your website to reflect when certain items are out of stock
  • Automating payment authorizations and integrating these with your shipping services
  • Providing reports to customers about their order’s shipping status
  • Automatically restocking products and materials once they dip below a certain level
  • Automatically processing refunds and returns
  • Monitoring your business on mobile/on the go
  • Storing data in a more efficient and less costly manner
  • Ensuring your data is protected in the event of a disaster

There are dozens of OMS platforms with niche functionalities that may be better for specific business models regardless of the industry. The important thing is that you find a solution that reduces the most tedious organizational tasks for tracking your store’s orders.

What are the benefits of an OMS?

Below are five key advantages of using an OMS:

Fewer errors
Since an OMS allows you to automate various stages of order processing, it eliminates the need to manually enter and update order details. This reduces the risk of error, increasing your eCommerce business’s operational efficiency.

Lower costs
With fewer errors, you can avoid having to rework inaccurate order information, saving you time and effort. This means your business also saves on labor. And because a cloud-based OMS requires virtually no hardware, you can eliminate installation, maintenance, repair, and other associated costs as well.

Better visibility
A cloud-based OMS offers a consolidated view of your orders and inventory in real time, which allows you to stay on top of the entire fulfillment process so you never miss a sale. This also enables you to optimize inventory levels while minimizing surplus.

Not only that, but an OMS gives you better visibility into your business’s processes, so you can easily identify issues and make the necessary adjustments to achieve operational efficiency.

Faster delivery
When a customer places an order, your OMS will choose the warehouse or fulfillment center closest to them as well as the method of fulfillment. A fulfillment request will then be sent automatically to the warehouse so the item can be prepared and shipped out immediately.

Enhanced decision-making
With an OMS, you have all the information you need to make smarter business decisions at the tip of your fingers, from consumer behavior to market trends to product performance.

Improve your eCommerce business’s workflows and profitability with an OMS. If you need help choosing the right OMS platform for your company, give our experts a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Human cloud: The workforce of the futureCompanies are increasingly tapping into a virtual, on-demand workforce. The human cloud offers a competitive advantage for startups and small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) by letting them outsource specialized skills and expertise globally. Let’s take a look at what the human cloud is and how it enhances remote team collaboration. What is the human cloud? […]

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Human cloud: The workforce of the future

Companies are increasingly tapping into a virtual, on-demand workforce. The human cloud offers a competitive advantage for startups and small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) by letting them outsource specialized skills and expertise globally. Let’s take a look at what the human cloud is and how it enhances remote team collaboration.

What is the human cloud?

The human cloud is a working platform where staff perform white-collar tasks from any location and on any device. Collaboration, file sharing, or discussions on projects are done in a flexible and productive manner, rewarding team members solely for their output.

Benefits of hiring on the human cloud

Companies looking to take advantage of the human cloud are entitled to the following benefits:

  1. Low cost
    The human cloud helps save time and money spent on traditional employment processes. Hiring is fast and easy, and you pay for the skills you need on a transactional basis.
  2. No overhead
    Hiring through the human cloud requires no overhead for office space, thereby enabling firms to stay lean and profit-focused. By becoming virtual, teams can work independently from anywhere. Remote collaboration via the human cloud is a game-changer that benefits companies, such as startups, that are inclined to spend fewer resources to build their business infrastructure.
  3. Get skills on demand
    Employers can contract for micro-tasks, such as copying text from business cards, to larger tasks, like selling products for a fee, to even more complex projects such as software design and programming.
  4. Global talent pool
    Even startups can be multinational today, so they are no longer limited by geography in finding key talent with specialized skills. Business can leverage overseas creative, administrative, engineering, and other high-level talent to build a well-rounded team. A good idea can come and be executed from just about anywhere.For instance, Foundr Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Nathan Chan started a passion project that enabled him to interview some of the most influential entrepreneurs around the world, which he shared through his monthly digital publication.

    For Chan, the launch of this successful project would not have been possible if it wasn’t for human cloud service and freelancing platform Elance. Elance allowed him to leverage overseas talent and build a solid team of graphic designers, audio/video editors, and writers. All tasks and projects for each issue of his magazine run through the platform, which also conveniently processes payments for his contractors.

  5. Easy collaboration
    Using an online platform gives SMBs the ability to manage projects through virtual workrooms. Collaboration software can be extremely important and even mission-critical for remote teams to work efficiently.

As more startups and SMBs become familiar (and comfortable) with the advantages of the human cloud, the future of work means that location is not the most important factor in determining who will contribute to your business’s success. A worldwide network of online contractors is now ready to serve you with the qualifications, skill sets, and shared enthusiasm you seek to turn ideas into valuable products or services.

For more information on how to leverage cloud technologies or collaboration software, get in touch with any of our cloud specialists.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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The 3 primary cloud service models and how they differThe many benefits of cloud computing enable businesses to easily manage workloads, obtain valuable insights from massive amounts of data, and gain a competitive advantage. But with the many different types of cloud services available, cloud adoption can become overwhelming. To make it easy for you to determine which type of service can drive your […]

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The 3 primary cloud service models and how they differ

The many benefits of cloud computing enable businesses to easily manage workloads, obtain valuable insights from massive amounts of data, and gain a competitive advantage. But with the many different types of cloud services available, cloud adoption can become overwhelming. To make it easy for you to determine which type of service can drive your business to success, here are the three primary cloud service models and how they differ.

1. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Unlike software that you install on your computer, SaaS solutions are apps that are hosted on a provider’s servers. Easily the largest and most well known cloud-based service, SaaS uses the cloud to process app functions for users. That is, when a user opens a mobile or web browser app, the device merely sends inputs to a data center. The data center then processes the inputs and sends its outputs back to the user's device.

Minimal to no processing is done on the user's device itself. And for as long as users have an internet connection, they can access the software from any device, at any time.

With SaaS, your provider is responsible for software maintenance and updates, which means all users will be using the same version of a particular software and get updates at the same time. As a business owner, this means that managing the software on all of your computers is not only easier but more affordable.

SaaS software solutions include office document creation suites, accounting software, email service, HR solutions, content management tools, customer relationship management systems, and more.

In a nutshell, SaaS is:

  • Available over the internet
  • Hosted on a remote server by a third-party provider
  • Scalable, with different tiers for small, medium, and enterprise-level businesses
  • Inclusive, offering security, compliance, and maintenance as part of the cost

2. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

PaaS is primarily used by developers who need a virtual environment for developing and testing their own custom software or apps. This means developers don’t need to build and maintain their own infrastructure — which is comprised of networking devices, storage, servers, an operating system, and other necessary hardware and software — when developing applications, saving the firm time and money.

Most companies that utilize PaaS do so to either host or develop their own software solutions, or provide support for software used by employees. But while PaaS is gaining popularity with many small businesses, most won’t have firsthand interactions with this type of cloud unless they need to build their own software or app.

In general, PaaS platforms are:

  • Accessible to multiple users
  • Scalable, as you can choose from various tiers of resources to suit the size of your business
  • Built on virtualization technology
  • Easy to run without extensive system administration knowledge

3. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

IaaS offers services such as pay-as-you-go storage, networking, and virtualization. The most popular and well-known type of IaaS is the virtual machine — a digital version of a computer or server that is accessed over the internet. IaaS gives users cloud-based alternatives to expensive on-premises infrastructure so businesses can use their funds to invest in other things.

In other words, if you are looking to virtualize your systems via the cloud, IaaS is a good place to start, as it allows you to move existing support systems into the cloud. Other solutions can then be migrated or introduced as needed.

IaaS is essentially:

  • Highly flexible and scalable
  • Accessible by multiple users
  • Cost-effective

While the cloud offers a wide variety of benefits and solutions, choosing the service which is best for your company’s needs can be tedious. To ease this burden, get in touch with us today. We’ll help you find the best solution your business needs and ensure proper migration and implementation so you can focus on running your business.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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5 Tips to successfully migrate UC to the cloudIf you want to improve your business’s agility, security, flexibility, and efficiency, you should consider moving critical systems and functions to the cloud. Your unified communications (UC) systems ought to be one of these. Migration, however, comes with its share of risks, so it’s essential that you plan for the move to make it uneventful. […]

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5 Tips to successfully migrate UC to the cloud

If you want to improve your business’s agility, security, flexibility, and efficiency, you should consider moving critical systems and functions to the cloud. Your unified communications (UC) systems ought to be one of these. Migration, however, comes with its share of risks, so it’s essential that you plan for the move to make it uneventful. Here are tips to follow for a smooth migration.

Opt for a gradual transition

Migrating UC to the cloud doesn’t have to be accomplished in one big move; it can be done gradually. You can move UC for departments that will benefit from it. On the other hand, those with no pressing need for a cloud-based UC, such as a company’s call center, can keep using on-premises systems. This way, users can ease their way into the new system without experiencing network disruptions, which may lead to hampered productivity.

Secure sufficient bandwidth

Issues with speed and performance will inevitably arise, so make sure to cover all the bases before migration. That means securing a reliable internet service provider (ISP), checking the stability of your internal network, and having a plan B. This is a critical point to ponder if you have operations in locations where unstable or slow networks could pose serious problems. Determine the level of bandwidth your entire business needs, and get it from an ISP that can deliver.

Test, test, test

Transitioning UC to the cloud may appear seamless, but there may be a few unexpected kinks that need ironing out long after the migration is declared a success. To soften potentially costly and time-consuming impacts, test the systems throughout the duration of the migration. Whether you’re trying out voice, data, or video, conduct tests, set benchmarks for performance, and predict future usage patterns.

Go live and act on identified problem points

After going live with your cloud UC, consider the overall user experience and availability of support for devices, applications, and other components. Are persistent connectivity issues going to cause trouble during conference calls? This and other issues may prove detrimental in the long run so keep them in mind when deciding whether to keep, enhance, or discontinue a cloud-based UC. Your new UC should reduce headaches, not exacerbate them.

Constantly monitor performance and quality

Don’t be surprised if you encounter a few issues even after extensive testing. Migrating to the cloud requires planning and a sustainable strategy, whether your organization is dependent on instant messaging, voice conferencing, or video calling. There’s also a good chance that you will be working with several vendors, so always demand the best service.

Having your UC moved to the cloud may seem like a daunting task. But with our cloud technology and VoIP know-how, we’ll make sure it’s an easy process. Contact us today for advice.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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