How to choose the best cloud hosting service provider for your small business?

Choosing the best cloud hosting service provider for your small business takes time and commitment. Here is a baseline framework for finding the right cloud hosting for your architecture, engineering or construction business. From development, migration, integration and support, I’ve compiled the perfect checklist to help you in your search.

It’s 2020 and you’ve finally decided to move your small business to the cloud. Previously, we’ve outlined several reasons why migration makes perfect business sense, as well as the best ways to move towards IT transformation but the next question is, how on earth are you going to find a cloud hosting service?

Just like you wouldn’t invite any ordinary electrician into your home without sufficient trade qualifications and experience, hiring the wrong cloud hosting service provider can become disastrous for you in the long run. The successful and efficient day-to-day running of your business hangs largely upon your IT infrastructure, so why risk it with the wrong supplier?

If you’re trying to troubleshoot viruses, network outages and data loss, then essentially, it is costing you money that is better spent on revenue-generating activities. Everything from your hard drive to computer networks, software and applications is dependent on reliable IT management, so it pays to do your homework upfront.

Securing a reliable and trustworthy cloud hosting service provider isn’t necessarily a quick task, which is why I've outlined a checklist to speed up the process. IT capabilities will depend on the size and nature of your company. Don’t wait until it’s too late and an order has already been signed. Write a basic list of what you need and be sure to cover everything, even the costs for ad-hoc consulting.

Development and deployment capabilities

If you’ve ever completed a home renovation project or decided to build a backyard deck, you would know that planning is one of the most critical stages of the entire project. Likewise, when it comes to accurate estimation as well as calculating the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Return on Investment (ROI), you don’t want to be left in the dark. Further, you don’t want to be underquoted to find out later that your cloud migration costs have completely blown out!

Take careful inventory of providers of hosting service on the cloud and what they can deliver when it comes to development and deployment. Each company has its unique set of core competencies and deliverables, with some being as different as chalk and cheese (or Windows and Mac!) Will they manage the entire end-to-end process such as quality, cost, scope and schedule, or can they only do the execution? Can they handle large and complex projects or only simple ones? Are they merely a subscription service or do they also do the migration for you?

Experience in migration, integration and configuration

Does everything in life always go exactly according to plan? In some cases, yes, but in reality, not always. Which is why you need to dig a little deeper to find out exactly how much experience your potential cloud hosting service has. The more knowledgeable they are, the more likely there will be checks, measures and contingencies in place. Getting the project off the ground, running smoothly and relatively free from glitches will largely depend on the depth of experience your provider has. Can your cloud hosting provider spot potential issues and provides recommendations based on best practices? Will they foresee and mitigate any security, budget or company risks? Because if they won’t, nobody won’t!

Take note: technology is always changing, which means that expertise acquired today may be superseded by tomorrow. Look for someone who seems to have a genuine passion for technology. Why? Because you know their head will be in every book and blog about emerging new trends in digital transformation. Guaranteed, they will spend their spare time researching, reviewing and writing all about IT, which is a sign of someone who truly knows what they’re doing.

Standardized handling of documentation

The number of times individuals and businesses have lost important IT documentation cannot go understated. Installation guides, administration documents, user manuals and even access codes must be stored in an organized way so they can be easily retrieved.

When searching for providers, ask how they handle and archive all the accompanying paperwork. Find out if access to documentation is simple and straight-forward for you and your employees. Learning these seemingly insignificant details earlier on reduces the risk of poor IT management in the future, so ask questions about these documents are stored.

Training in hardware and software

While there are plenty of tutorials and public forums out there on the world wide web, often the best way to learn something is to have someone directly teach you. Often, new applications or hardware gets installed into the office but few if none know how to operate it. The best way to get started with any new system (including cloud) computing is to learn through formal training.

Enquire if your hosting service on the cloud can provide training, whether it’s face-to-face learning or remote. The benefit of having your provider teach you and your staff is they will have a thorough knowledge of your IT systems, cutting down troubleshooting time. Also ask if they will keep you up-to-speed with system updates and upgrades, to save you having to arbitrarily ‘fish’ for information yourself.

Take it a step further and ask if it’s possible for ongoing dialogue between your company and the contractor during a training or introductory period. It’s better to outline expectations upfront than be billed with a surprise ‘training fee’ for that urgent phone meeting later on!

Ongoing service and support

Have you ever bought a car from a dealer, only to find they closed down and have completely disappeared on you? How frustrating can it be when you’ve been sold the shiny new vehicle, but soon discover that any after-sales service and support is practically non-existent?

Not having access to prompt and reliable IT support is serious. This one can really impact productivity and your bottom line, so don’t skip this step when screening providers. But a word of caution: in the United States alone, there are over 2300 cloud hosting companies representing almost $40 billion in total revenue. With start-ups popping up left, right and center, it’s easy to be conned by a stranger making money over the internet.

When choosing a cloud hosting service, conduct a mini-audit to ensure the company is legit. There is nothing worse than commissioning a contractor who is uncontactable! At the very minimum, they should have stated clearly on their website a physical address, phone number, email and links to social media pages. Be sure that in any situation, you can pick up the phone and connect with an expert relatively quickly. Look up any other essential information such as ABN (American Business Number???) and don’t forget to read Google Reviews and Trustly.

Integration across multiple operating platforms and devices

These days, booting up and staying connected in the office isn't as simple as plugging in a toaster. All companies whether small, medium or large now need the ability to work not only remotely but seamlessly. Being able to integrate a laptop, phone and other hardware such as printers and devices is no longer optional but critical.

I recently helped a customer who had a large estimating team that often worked remotely. One of his pain points was being able to access iPhones, iPads and Macbooks while on-the-go. The key frustration was getting poor to no connectivity, while experiencing frequent drop-outs when operating different devices.

Personally, nothing is more frustrating when the WI-FI is out, an app on your phone crashes or your computer just freezes for no reason. In a business context, however, if your staff are out in the field and simply cannot complete simple or even complex computer tasks, it means it’s costing you money. Money that could be invested punching out quotes and bringing more business in.

Therefore, ask your potential hosting service on the cloud if they manage integration between devices. Ask for real life case studies and examples of how integration is managed so you get a feel for how they will respond should you run into this common issue.

Read about hosting on Azure | Cloud based solutions: Misperceptions and Reality

Look at long term savings over immediate costs

When searching for hosting services and reviewing costs, think long-term, not immediate and practice due diligence in reviewing all your options. It’s easy to place immediate emphasis on price; after all, you’re out to make a profitable business and want to keep operational costs as low as possible. But believe me, when people ask for ‘cheap’ that is exactly what they get!

The price at the bottom of a quote can certainly send you on a frantic search for a lower-cost alternative, but think carefully about what you will be compromising. Will your new cloud hosting offer the hosting at a cheaper rate but no back-up support? Does each new license come with additional costs that weren’t previously quoted? Will time and delivery be delayed because they operate a ‘one-man-band' and your tiny company is simply not a priority?

At minimum, your supplier should be providing a comprehensive proposal outlining all activities within the project as well as an obligation-free demonstration. Don’t be afraid to ask for more information upfront in the form of a project proposal.

Focus on a partnership rather than a one-time transaction

Granted, a lot of knowledge, expertise and support is required when helping small businesses migrate to cloud hosting. Think of it like the home renovation analogy I gave earlier. Everything you may have thought of or asked for still doesn’t cover the entire scope and extent of cloud migration! But that’s OK. That’s why you must develop a partnership with your cloud hosting service provider.

Whether you like it or not, IT is always going to be an essential part of your business, so why not leverage this reality and find a partner you can work with long-term? As newer, faster and more diverse technologies emerge, having a consultative expert on hand is going to always work in your favor.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from customers about their existing hosting on the cloud is slow delivery and low collaboration. When I speak with IT directors, managers and consultants, they explain that their providers do not have sufficient knowledge, capabilities and expertise to meet their ongoing requirements. In other words, they over-promise but under-deliver.

Many small architecture, electrical and construction firms are satisfied with subscribing to a pay-as-you-go hosting system and self-managing the rest. But consider that as your company scales, so will the demand for more IT infrastructure. Therefore, work with a cloud hosting service provider that can serve your immediate IT needs, but also digitally transform your business further down the track as it grows.

Remember, IT is an investment and therefore, you need to clearly outline where you need help. If you need assistance in mapping out your requirements, simply for the purpose of scoping and quoting, drop me an email and I’d be happy to help. You can reach out to me by email sales@aeccloud.com or call (212) 505-0381.

If you want to learn more about cloud hosting, we have further resources you can access through our blog. We’re more than happy to help you be digital-ready in 2020.