Do you value your Estate Agency’s data? 3 reasons to use Cloud storage.
A lot of small businesses continue to work with the good old paper and pen. That’s all well and good, but paper doesn’t last too well against theft, natural disasters or innocent accidents like a tea spill. (We’ve all done that!)
As estate agents you go through a lot of important files, so between those contracts, inventory sheets and high quality property photos, you want to make sure that data is kept safe. That’s where cloud storage comes in.
You don’t have to be a geek!
First off, don’t let the geeky jargon throw you off. “Cloud storage” is a fancy way of saying your data is stored on a secure server in someone else’s data centre, rather than on your own computer’s hard drive.
You can pick from a multitude of providers that make using the cloud easy — some you’ve almost certainly heard of — like Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive. Each of these has free & paid options, and it’s just a matter of picking the platform you’re most comfortable with. (e.g. If you use Microsoft Office a lot, OneDrive may be ideal. Use Google Docs instead? Drive will be your best bet.)
With all that said, let’s get into the 3 main reasons you should be using cloud storage.
1. Safety first
One main problem with storing files on your agency’s computers or even external hard drives is that, if anything was to happen to your store or your equipment gets stolen, all of your data is long gone.
The beauty of cloud storage is that it’s safely stored remotely — away from your agency.
Your equipment may get damaged or stolen, but your data will still be accessible by logging into the platform you use. And if by chance your computer or drive has been stolen, you can typically ‘revoke’ usage for that particular device.
2. Convenience: Access anywhere
On a personal note, I value convenience as one the main benefits from using cloud storage. Because you can access your files from anywhere, using almost any device with an internet connection, you can be productive away from your desk too.
Need to share photos of a property quickly? The Google Drive app for example allows you to instantly take and upload a photo into a specific folder. That automatically removes the boring admin tasks of getting back, plugging in your phone, transferring files into your computer and then organising them.
And of course if you’re running errands outside of the office but need access to that one crucial document, you don’t need to bother colleagues for it. Just grab it yourself using the apps.
It’s a whole new level of efficiency.
3. A paperless office
When I started working with Chirag Solanki, Director of Devonshire Estate Agents in Ealing, he was really keen on creating a paperless office environment.
Granted, it’s a small space, but he wanted to create a cleaner and more modern environment. After all, seeing folders and paperwork everywhere isn’t exactly appealing!
We introduced Google Drive so that they could minimise the need for paperwork and centrally store all of their data. Even the bulky printer that looked like it was from the 90’s had to go, so we replaced it with a more compact alternative that could fit onto a table-top instead.
This combination meant that they saved office space, it looked cleaner and made the team work more efficiently since all their data was easily accessible.
Final thoughts
Whether you use cloud storage purely as a backup or your core location for managing files, it’s incredibly important to have something in place to protect your data.
It’s always best to be safe than sorry!
Author: Fabio Virgi is a freelance marketer working with small London businesses. See more of his work over at LetsTalk-Tech.com.
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