In these uncertain times, working virtually and approaching new challenges with agility, is of paramount importance. As your company continues to address the needs of customers and suppliers including the risks, there are tools to help make this transition more effective and efficient. It is possible to maintain business continuity during these challenging times and we’ll show you how.
This first of its kind survey reveals the biggest threats facing quality managers in 2020, new strategies and trends among quality managers around the world, and some pretty big gaps in how operations are run.
Many businesses have started to migrate to cloud based quality management software in order to increase their data efficiency and overall productivity. It’s estimated that in 2020, 83% of workloads will migrate to the cloud, with security concerns being cited as the chief concern motivating businesses to incorporate cloud adoption.
So, what are the benefits of moving your processes, documents, and data to cloud based quality management, and how do they compare with on-premise quality management software? This blog will speak to the superior value of cloud based software, and why many companies currently using on-premise systems are moving to the cloud.
While many businesses still make use of on-premise quality management tools, the use of cloud based quality management software systems is becoming increasingly popular, especially as processes and technologies evolve.
While the use of on-premise systems keeps quality management in-house and in the hands of your internal IT department, cloud services are managed by your provider, and typically offer enhanced security options, support, customization, and in some cases, data integration.
Many businesses are making the move towards a cloud based management system based on five major factors:
These factors allow for cloud quality management to create a user-friendly interface for improved data validity and system performance. Let’s take a look at the direct influence each factor can have on your business’ bottom line.
Typically, most of the cost of moving to a cloud hosted quality management software is incurred up front - from then on, costs related to the equipment (e.g. software and hardware) is covered by the vendor. This is one of the major differences between using the cloud and on-premise quality management, as on-premise may entail the purchase and maintenance of equipment by an in-house IT department.
In terms of systems maintenance, the cost to your business for quality management cloud ends up being significantly lower, and in some cases, non-existent. This allows your internal IT department to focus on crucial tasks for the growth and productivity of your own business, without the headache of continual application management issues.
In addition, many on-premise vendors for QMS software will bill for any subsequent maintenance and support for software, whereas cloud QMS software solutions typically avoid any of these recurring costs.
With cloud hosted quality management software systems, you can be assured that you will always have the most up to date capabilities and business intelligence features.
Where on-premise quality management software typically requires installations for updates, cloud quality management systems allow for instant updates that ensure that your business doesn’t fall behind in terms of keeping track of quality issues and complaints.
New cloud based Quality Management Software (QMS) is accessible in real time, providing you with superior data governance and the best possible data quality management tools at a fraction of the time (and cost) of an on-premise option.
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This is one of the most valuable aspects of cloud based quality management. While on-premise data quality management often requires additional hardware, licensing, and infrastructures to get multiple users on the system, cloud quality management deployments only require a password and licenses for users. Cloud systems tend to be faster and more user-friendly, especially for monitoring quality.
Cloud based quality management software also offers users the ability to utilize software from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This enhances user efficiency, as mobile readiness allows data quality to be easily managed and maintained from anywhere, and at any time.
Changes like this can entirely shift the way your organization approaches quality management. You don’t need to wait for your entire team to be sitting together in one office room panning through data. Rather, everyone on the team can make small efforts and conduct analysis whenever they have time and wherever they are. New insights can be more easily found, and meetings about quality become shorter and more focused.
Cloud based quality management software can grow as your business grows: features, users, memory and bandwidth can be scaled as is necessary. This allows you to focus on the key components of your quality processes, without worrying about system performance.
In terms of cost, you can scale as needed through per-user pricing, or any subscription model. This will allow your quality costs to scale with your business operations and performance.
One of the chief issues many businesses have with on-premise management systems vs. cloud based is the potential for data breach as a direct result of employee error.
A report from Shred-It states that 47% of business owners claim that data breaches within their company were a result of human error - an alarming statistic that demonstrates that negligence as a result of phishing, malware, and ransomware is more prevalent than many business owners would like to acknowledge.
A research study by Nominet indicates that 61% of security professionals believe that cloud based quality management software systems minimize security breaches and threats in comparison to on-premise options. Typically, these cloud based quality management systems consist of the following features:
Having your company’s most valuable data assets on-premise can increase the chances of unwanted exposure, should a malicious party hack through your company’s firewall. Often, these breaches create extensive downtime for your IT professionals.
A cloud-based model ensures better protection of your assets, as well as quality control over on-premise quality management options.
These quality management software security features enhance your business’ data protection, minimize bad data, and offer additional peace of mind for your data steward in the event of cyberattacks or a big data breach.
Not all cloud solutions are created equal.
For example, some businesses will require a QMS software that incorporates modules for regulatory and training purposes for data managers (i.e. if that business has “unique” quality components and tools that other businesses do not have), and some will be comfortable with a “one size fits all” module.
Like all aspects of your business, good data quality management will depend entirely on your company’s specific needs.
In order to enact best practices, it is crucial to evaluate your business needs, ensure that all of your processes are working and up-to-date, and review and revise any processes that do not fit the infrastructure you need to integrate your QMS software.
Once all of these steps have been completed, you will be better able to determine what data quality management software system will work best for your business.
Cloud based quality management software is the best possible integration tool for businesses that are looking to get the most out of their data management software. With QMS software options catered to every business structure, your business will be brought to the forefront of digital innovation in its data management, security, and engagement.
To learn more about your business’ cloud based quality management software options, and what you can do to safely and securely migrate to the cloud, contact Veeva today.
