3 Cloud-Based Platforms for Your B2B Business

3 Cloud-Based Platforms for Your B2B Business

3 Cloud-Based Platforms for Your B2B Business | DeviceDaily.com

 

When it comes to sky-high popularity—not to mention profitability—you can’t do much better than the cloud. According to Gartner’s predictions, cloud-based services will grow to $ 331.2 billion within the next year. That’s a good reason to start leveraging the wide range of cloud tools available for small businesses. Here are three cloud-based platforms for your B2B business.

3 Cloud-Based Platforms for Your B2B Business

Of course, startups and modestly sized firms already use cloud technology in various ways. However, many dabble rather than fully jumping into the cloud. The “dabbling-reasons” vary. Some companies prefer using legacy systems linked to an in-house server.

A business may worry about ownership of and accessibility to proprietary, confidential information. Still, more businesses wonder if their money is better spent elsewhere.

The Global Move to Work from Home

These primary concerns aren’t invalid. However, they don’t negate the benefits of cloud-based tools, especially for remote working teams. Lots of employees have moved to telecommuting status — at least on a part-time basis. The remote worker may be part of the landscape for the long-haul.

Less Stress to Access My Stuff

Being able to access cloud-based platforms from anywhere eases stress levels and makes collaboration breezy. Reputable cloud companies have well-considered security measures in place to guard against digital breaches. Plus, with subscription pricing, cloud-based SaaS solutions can end up paying for themselves in recovered productivity.

Cloud-Based, a Must for B2B Businesses

Which cloud tools belong in your tech stack? Below are three leaders making industry waves that you might want to consider.

1. Walnut (for sales)

It’s tough enough to stay competitive for top sales professionals without losing time on redundant tasks. That’s why cloud customer relationship management (CRM) systems have risen in popularity.

High-powered CRMs can do everything from auto-populating customer data to generating drilled-down sales reports. Yet CRMs aren’t the only cloud tool for talented sales teams eager to streamline their workflows. Additional choices can help round out the many tasks sellers perform routinely.

Take real-time product demonstrations, for instance. Walnut offers sales teams the chance to customize product and software demos without the need to code. Team members log into the platform, map out a customer demo journey, and save their work.

Because the demo’s pre-programmed on the Walnut platform, it works cleanly and predictably every time – letting companies become more customer-centric in their sales process.

If you’re not currently offering demos, Walnut can help you give your strongest leads this type of taste test.

2. Zapier (for marketing)

In addition to the sales department, cloud-based tools belong in every marketing department. Honestly, marketing and the cloud have gone hand-in-hand since the beginning of virtual SaaS choices.

Consider a SaaS tool to handle your social media placement and listening. Or another choice that can send out emails en masse that don’t feel like impersonal messages.

Sure, it can be hard to find an all-in-one marketing tool. Consequently, many marketing personnel have to fiddle with multiple logins on numerous platforms. Extra logins are frustrating and can lead to mistakes when moving information.

Integrations like Zapier can help. Zapier has the capacity to connect a variety of commonly used cloud applications. You just choose the automated “zaps” that trigger actions. Like Walnut, no one needs to know a lick of code — which is a boon for non-techy marketers.

3. BamboolHR (for personnel)

Unemployment levels have seesawed abruptly over the past year, turning a buyer’s market into a seller’s one. Yet that doesn’t mean candidates aren’t expecting a personalized, high-end experience. They absolutely expect the best.

What a customer wants is a smooth process from application to onboarding. Cloud-based HR services and portals specifically designed for upstarts and smaller teams can provide smooth sailing.

A product like BambooHR has widespread capacities, including the ability to evaluate resumes rapidly. Its well-regarded applicant tracking system lets recruiters see, at a glance, where candidates are in the hiring process.

After bringing talent aboard, other cloud solutions can make managing day-to-day HR tasks less time-consuming.

The Clouds Silver Lining

Unless you’re sure your crew’s reached the pinnacle of efficiency — look to the cloud for your best answers.

With SaaS cloud solutions and tools, you’re likely to find sunny solutions that will allow you to make a little rain.

Image Credit: pixabay; pexels

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ReadWrite

Brad Anderson

Brad Anderson

Editor In Chief at ReadWrite

Brad is the editor overseeing contributed content at ReadWrite.com. He previously worked as an editor at PayPal and Crunchbase. You can reach him at brad at readwrite.com.

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