By helping Australian small businesses access enterprise-grade cloud services which power digital transformation, a fast business nbn connection^ helps enable the smallest business to punch above its weight.
When the internet came along it delivered a major shot in the arm for Australian small businesses. From the productivity benefits of email and messaging applications to the extended reach of online retail, the internet created a world of new opportunities.
We’ve progressed a lot since those days with small businesses now have access to a wealth of affordable cloud-based technology services. These services can help with anything from accounting and payments to customer service, sales and marketing, logistics and online commerce. With capabilities previously available to only the big end of town, these services now allow small businesses to cut costs and increase productivity. Their ability to access vast amounts of computing power means cloud-based systems can also enable smaller businesses to operate on a scale well beyond what would have once been possible.
At the same time, the shift to cloud has placed far greater importance on businesses’ internet connections. Where these connections once delivered email and provided access to the web for staff, they now connect digital functions that are core to operations – and that’s where having a fast and reliable connection like the nbn network can help.
Cloud benefits for small business
The digital economy moves quickly and small businesses can't afford to be left behind. More than three-quarters of Australian businesses with 20 to 199 employees are already buying cloud-based services, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics1. Businesses will continue to operate their own systems for some specific purposes, but cloud can offer several key advantages across a wide variety of applications.
According to Deloitte Access Economics2, the top five technology drivers of cloud services adoption in Australia are:
- Cost: Savings provided by the scale of cloud systems and the ability to trade capital expenditure for operating expenditure
- Agility: Accessing resources as required for development and experimentation
- Elasticity: Instantly scaling resources up and down to meet demand
- Storage: Increasing data storage capacity
- Functionality: Embracing new capabilities, services and features
Small businesses are transforming the way they operate through a wide range of cloud-based tools. Meanwhile, cloud back-up and disaster recovery services are helping businesses to be more resilient in the face of disruption.
The right connection for cloud
Small Australian businesses were quick to appreciate the power of the internet, yet many still rely on nbn connections designed for home use. To make the most of what the cloud has to offer, businesses are encouraged to choose a connection which is tailored to their specific needs.
Upgrading to a business nbn connection doesn't just provide high upload and download speeds. It can give businesses access to a broadband service with the ability to prioritise data for critical applications, helping to ensure that vital cloud-based software and services are responsive.
A business nbn connection also gives service providers the option to provide business-grade priority customer service and support – which is ideal for small operations that rely on the cloud.
For some small businesses, it may be worth even considering business nbn® Enterprise Ethernet+, which delivers wholesale symmetrical (equally fast upload and download) speeds and dedicated 24x7 support to providers#.
The advantages of the “as a service” model
Many cloud-based services are sold using the as-a-service model. Using subscription-based pricing, Software as a Service (SaaS) allows companies to pay for applications as they use them, like the way that consumers can subscribe to Netflix or Spotify to access entertainment or music. The key is - no large upfront investment is required.
Along with SaaS, a new generation of Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions via the cloud have forever changed data management. These services have also helped transform the operating models of businesses which previously relied on large upfront capital investment in on-site hardware and the resources to manage their solutions.
Supercharging small businesses
So why are cloud applications a must? Put simply, the cloud helps small businesses build capacity, scalability, and reliability to cope with growing pains and deal with challenges.
At the same time, it gives smaller operators access to innovative solutions that would have once only been available to their larger rivals. This lets small players go toe-to-toe with the large incumbents in their industry, while also fending off competition from a new generation of agile digital disruptors.
With dependable access to the cloud becoming essential in the business world, the speed and reliability of a wholesale supercharged business nbn connection can assist small Australian businesses who are looking to think big.
White paper: In the cloud and on the ground – deploying the right service for your business
Sources
- Characteristics of Australian Business, Australian Bureau of Statistics, (2021)
- The economic value of cloud services in Australia, Deloitte Access Economics (2019)
