Cloud based technologies are reducing the need for large IT. Small and medium-sized businesses can leverage robust technology infrastructure with minimal human resource and capital requirements.
Companies that carefully plan their use of software as a service and cloud based technologies can save big. Careful planning is essential to make sure technologies interface well together and that the services support strategic goals.
A lack of strategic vision in the use of cloud technologies is likely to be costly. The worst thing companies can do is to allow the organic growth of outsourced infrastructure without clear guidance. Informal projects by various departments are likely to include a tremendous amount of overlap and little or no integration between various services.
The ease of setting up an account with a cloud provider can easily blind people to the effort required in integrating an outside system with existing technology and business process.