Business intelligence (BI) is the process of converting the data by using tools, software and methodologies, into meaningful and significant information. BI helps in the company’s decision making to improve business performance through dashboards, key performance indicators and other business analytics. While business intelligence is also available using traditional in-house platform, such option does not always provide a speedy process to handle all the business requirements and queries. Cloud business intelligence, or BI delivered in cloud computing or software as a service (SaaS) platform, then becomes a better option for many organizations.

With cloud BI, organizations can now easily see the business trends, sales data, and the salespersons’ performance, among other business-critical data, which could lead to a more meaningful business analysis, decision making and prompt actions.

Cloud business intelligence’s offerings to SMEs

In the past, small and medium enterprises hesitated to spend money on business intelligence because of the high cost involved in infrastructure, software licensing and maintenance. However, things have changed and with the availability of a more affordable alternative, many SMEs are now embracing cloud BI. The total cost of ownership is significantly lower compared to a traditional BI since it does not require a heavy IT architecture and the cost of using the solution is subscription-based.

Unlike the traditional BI tool, the cloud business intelligence model is faster to implement because it does not require additional hardware or software installations. End-users also find it easier to set up, operate and navigate. This also means additional cost saving due to reduced resources or less involvement from the in-house IT team.

Many SMEs are now enjoying the agility and accessibility of the cloud BI in providing the relevant information to the right group of people at the right time, wherever you may be. Since cloud BI applications are accessible from any web browser and mobile device, it becomes easier for the end users to access the system. The scalability of the cloud infrastructure also enables many users to access the system concurrently without affecting the speed and performance of the system.

Additional benefits

• Software updates are automated and free, maintenance included. Your IT resources don’t have to worry about this workload since the service provider, being the owner and host of the software, provides free software updates and maintenance services.
• Uninterrupted business. Cloud computing utilizes several secure locations for data storage, which makes it a reliable option. Data can be recovered any time to ensure business continuity and avoid any unwanted business interruptions.
• Flexible to accommodate the frequently changing business requirements. Cloud BI solution has the capability and functionality to be modified to accommodate new requirements and this is critical since business conditions continue to change and evolve.
• Right business focus. Cloud BI allows SMEs to focus their time, effort and money on their core business, how to grow it and stay ahead of the competition instead of worrying if the software is running well.

Take advantage of the benefits a cloud business intelligence solution offers. Contact Four Cornerstone now and will show you how a cloud BI will benefit your company in a big way.