The cloud has had a huge impact on the business world over the last decade-and-a-half. For consumers, the cloud has become embedded into our lives in ways most people don’t immediately notice. For businesses, the change has been much more vocal. More and more businesses are migrating their data and infrastructure to the cloud – but the easiest way to tap into the technology is with cloud-based services. Many businesses rely solely on cloud-based services nowadays – such as TechQuarters, a provider of IT support London companies have used for years. Not only do they rely on the cloud, they help clients with it, too. We asked them about some of the most valuable cloud services that businesses can access in 2023, this was their shortlist:

• Acronis
• Salesforce
• Digital Ocean
• Slack
• Microsoft/Office 365

Read on for a detailed look at each of these products:

Acronis Cyber Protect – Comprehensive Cloud Security

In 2023, few things are more important for businesses than their cybersecurity. With cyber threats growing and adapting all the time, businesses need powerful tools to keep their organisations safe and secure. One such cloud-based solution that fulfils this is Acronis Cyber Protect. Acronis CP is a powerful security solution that combines a number of critical services into a unified offering, making business’ cybersecurity easier to manage. Some of the key offerings from Acronis CPC include:

• Backup Services – Acronis offers full-image and file-level backup and recovery for over 20 platforms. The solution boasts near-zero Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs).

• Antivirus & Antimalware – Acronis includes advanced features like AI-based behavioural detection to help prevent malware, ransomware, and zero-day attacks.

• Endpoint Management – Cyber Protect include Acronis EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response) which delivers AI-powered endpoint management.

With a solution like Acronis Cyber Protect, businesses can eliminate gaps in their defences, proactively avoid downtime, and block a wide and diverse range of cyber-attacks.

Salesforce Customer 360 – Customer Relationship Management

In today’s era of highly competitive markets, where businesses must make a strong and lasting impression on their customers, customer relationship management is an exceptionally valuable practice – one that all businesses ought to be implementing. When we spoke with TechQuarters, they emphasised this, confirming that they rely on CRM while providing IT support in London – they said it helped to optimize the management of their clients accounts, ensuring they are receiving the best possible services (something that applies to all industries). One of the most trusted CRM solutions available today is Salesforce Customer 360. Also, It includes a number of integrated products to help businesses enhance prospect finding, deal closure, and customer service. Some of the key products in Customer 365 include:

• Marketing Cloud – This app enables personalized messaging to prospects, notifying the sales team when prospects engage with ads or websites.
• Sales Cloud – Also, This app provides a shared platform for sales teams with AI-driven prompts to optimize deal closure.
• Data Cloud – This app enables businesses to unify customer data from multiple sources to build in-depth customer profiles.

Digital Ocean – Cloud Web Hosting

The cloud isn’t just dominating the services that businesses access; it is also driving the development of custom offerings. Also, Businesses looking to develop websites, applications or online platforms may wish to look at Digital Ocean. Digital Ocean offers simple and cost-effective cloud hosting services for various purposes. Also, With a globally distributed network of data centres, businesses can expect 99.99% uptime from the service. Digital Ocean is specifically build to cater for the needs of SMBs and startups, emphasising simple pricing structures, and dedicated customer support. With DC, businesses will be able to achieve many things, including:

• Managed cloud hosting
• Kubernetes
• Serverless solutions
• Managed databases

Slack – Chat & Videoconferencing

Now that remote and hybrid working is the norm, all businesses need an effective communication solution. A common option that is available to all businesses is Slack – a cloud-based, freemium service that combines instant messaging and videoconferencing (known as ‘huddles’ in the platform). It is a standalone solution that is compatible with a wide array of other business solutions, making it suitable for all kinds of businesses. Slack uses a system of ‘channels’ – a persistent group chat room – to help businesses organise conversations by department, team or topic. Private groups and direct messaging is also available. In Slack, video calls are known as huddles, and users can also make voice-only calls.

Microsoft/Office 365 – Productivity & Collaboration

Most people will be familiar with Microsoft 365, or the Office brand. Also, Microsoft 365 is a suite of products and services designed to assist with productivity, collaboration, and general office-based work. Microsoft and Office 365 include a range of products and services, including:

• Office apps – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote
• Microsoft Outlook & Exchange – For enterprise-grade email services.
• Microsoft Teams – A communication platform.
• 3 Microsoft Outlook – Personal cloud storage.
• Microsoft SharePoint – Company-wide cloud file management.

However, As you can see, Microsoft 365 is not just one focused solution, it is designed to be an ecosystem of tools that the average office worker might need. Also, Having provided Microsoft and Office 365 consulting London businesses have used for years, TechQuarters confirmed that the usefulness of the suite for organisations of all kinds cannot be understated. Also, There are a number of different suites available to businesses, depending on their size and needs: 1 Microsoft 365 for Business – aimed at SMBs. 2 Microsoft 365 Enterprise & Office 365 Enterprise – aimed at large enterprises. 3 Microsoft 365 Frontline – aimed at frontline workers across various industries.