Control
An in-house server provides physical control to access one’s data and manage backups. Also, there is no third party that has access to one’s company information. The Cloud hosts one’s services and controls access to their data. In some cases, this causes problems, especially when a business chooses to discontinue their services. However, on the upside, a Cloud solution offers unlimited storage without the need to upgrade hardware.
Access
A Cloud server requires a constant and stable internet connection for uninterrupted usage. If the internet is down, data cannot be accessed. The internet is usually not required for an in-house server. Processing power must also be considered.
Continuing the home analogy, the water heater in one’s home is their sole property. Hot water (or processing power) is readily available and quickly replenished. With a virtual server, the water heater is shared among all the residents of that server. If a company needs more hot water on a particular day, the available resources are diminished and the service will be lukewarm at best. One option to offset this sharing system is to pay an additional cost for priority on such resources.
The environment a business runs in depends on the solution that best meets their needs. Regardless of whether it is a traditional server or a virtual one, both need to have backups in place. Hardware can fail no matter how one chooses to host their files.
Conclusion
Industry professionals can certainly generate more revenue, increase productivity, and enhance profitability by streamlining daily service operations. One can begin by asking themselves these questions: Would the business save money if it had a software solution that automatically optimized service routes? Could the software make it easier to track inventory on service vehicles? Also, warranties play an important role. If one knows they are probably leaving money on the table because their software systems are not integrated or because only part of their business is automated with separate manual systems that do not provide up-to-the-minute information, then it is perhaps time to quantify the amount of missed revenue opportunities and assess the true costs of one’s current business software system.
Rachael Pritz has been active in the pool industry for more than 20 years, which has provided her with an all-encompassing expertise in the trade. She worked at a local pool store while pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh, Pa. With her technical skills and industry knowledge, she joined the launch of RB Retail & Service Solutions in Pittsburgh in 2003. She can be reached via e-mail at rachael@rbcontrolsystems.com.
