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Cloud computing has its advantages and disadvantages, but mostly, for the right business or for the right business owner, the technology can be the perfect solution for the various operational requirements that must be met daily. In the courier industry, cloud computing can transform the simple task of accomplishing a courier job into one that may be less costly to do. However, there are two sides to the issue, and it’s important to consider these opposing factors to ensure that implementing cloud computing would not work against your business goals. Efficiency The phrase “cloud computing” has not become a buzzword among techies and geeks for nothing. Many industries—especially those that rely on the processing of massive amounts of data—have benefited enormously from cloud computing. Web hosting companies, for example, rely on the said technology to minimise the possibility of any downtime and decrease operational costs, while providing a great experience for its web hosting customers (websites served from a cloud load significantly faster than those served from a traditional web server computer). The courier industry can also derive certain advantages from cloud computing—it can ensure that a courier job is fulfilled on time and without any delay, for instance. Centralised Management The tragic experience of one small delivery company that used its own web servers and in-house computers to store all its customer information—only to lose it all in an accidental fire—is a cautionary tale that sends shudders down the spine of those that think accomplishing a courier job is simply about delivering a parcel. When services offered by data centres became popular, they made the previously mentioned tragedy become a rare occurrence. Now cloud computing has arrived and suddenly all the little hassles and flaws inherent in data centre services seem a thing of the past: with the centralised management of operational and customer-related data, there is almost zero danger of losing the information that has been accumulated over the years - aside from the fact that the technology makes tasks a breeze to accomplish. Security Caveats Despite all the identified awesome advantages of cloud computing, there are certain aspects in the operation of a transport and delivery company that should be exhaustively analyzed before shifting them all to the cloud. As you would know, even a single botched courier job can be costly, especially if it’s with a demanding major client, and the potential of cloud computing to “spread” the error across multiple clients can be too astounding to contemplate. As things currently stand, transferring information to the cloud for the purpose of enhancing operational efficiency is all well and good, but the said transfer only involves data and not actual responsibility. The courier company—or any company for that matter—is solely responsible for the sensitive personal data of its customers, such as date of birth, social security number, and others. If such personal information were transferred to the cloud, with the cloud being as it is, and a security breach occurs, it could be disastrous, especially for a small company. So all in all, the last word is this: overall, cloud computing is a great way to do business, but only after security concerns have been properly addressed. Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier job opportunities in the express freight exchange industry. Over 2,500 transport exchange businesses are networked through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
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