It seems like everyone is talking about cloud computing these days. As a metaphor for the Internet, “The Cloud” is a familiar cliché. But for busy restaurant owners and managers the question becomes: Is cloud computing for real, or just another phrase du jour?

The Cloud is Here to Stay

According to market analysts it looks like cloud computing is not only here to stay but also growing at a rate that is faster than previously predicted.U.S.spending on cloud services is expected to increase by 20% this year and spending worldwide is predicted to reach $109 billion by 2013. The reason for this feeding frenzy is that organizations are finding that they can save 50% or more when deploying cloud-based applications versus having to maintain the technical infrastructure in-house.

A Silver Lining for Restaurants

But cloud computing isn’t just for big businesses; many small and mid-sized organizations are using the Cloud for a number of applications. How can your restaurant business take advantage?  One way is to leverage the approach to build efficiencies and savings in your back office. Our bookkeeping and controllership service, for example, can streamline your bill payments, improve your cash flow, and process your accounts with an easy to use cloud-based system.

Cloud-based Improvements

Restaurants can reduce their information technology overhead using the Cloud since you eliminate the time and expense of hardware and software procurement, support and upgrades. Deployment speed is improved as well; cloud deployments can go from start to finish in days, rather than the lengthy deployment cycles of traditional IT implementations. And finally, you have a great deal of flexibility using cloud-based applications and this allows you to accommodate spikes in demand without over-provisioning during non-peak periods.

Stay Ahead of the Competition

Many restaurants find that moving their restaurant accounting & bookkeeping functions to the cloud helps level the playing field between large restaurant groups and smaller independents. More than that, if you fail to embrace cloud computing you may be at risk of being out-innovated and losing your edge on your competition. Are you ready to get your head in the cloud?