Technology is of great importance for your logistics operation. A strong software system helps you to be successful. However, the time that you run self-developed software on your local servers is past us. Way past us. Software suppliers massively switch to the cloud. A development on which you as a logistics service provider cannot fall behind. Then, you cannot live up to your customers’ demands anymore. And, you cannot successfully support your logistic activities. Therefore, Microsoft and our peloton are focusing on the cloud. Are you in? In this blog, we listed the benefits of a cloud-based solution.
The dangers of own hardware
Software suppliers worldwide follow this trend. All focus on the cloud. And with good reasons! Because installing software on servers that run in a local environment brings out more and more dangers.
Increasing cyberthreat
Cyber security is one of the biggest reasons to quit your on-premise solution and switch to the cloud. As a logistics service provider, you are an interesting target for cyber attacks. You are active in the middle of the supply chain, which makes the consequences of a standstill of your systems enormous. An on-premise solution is most vulnerable to these attacks. This software is often not updated to the latest technology and you are on your own when it comes to securing your data.
Shortage of (good) employees
Often lays the knowledge of your servers and systems with one of your employees. Does an employee leave your company? And does that colleague happen to take care of your IT infrastructure? Then, you have a problem! Therefore, it is better to have external experts taking care of your IT environments for you.
Focus on your core business
Software and hardware are getting more complex. It is almost impossible to be the best in managing your hardware next to running your logistics operation. Furthermore, you should ask yourself the question if this is a task that must be on your plate. And if it might be better to stay focused on your core business logistics, instead of focusing on your IT environment.
Laws and regulations
More often, laws and regulations are the cause that a local system does not suffice. For example, it is possible that you have to give insights into your goods to the fire department or customs. Or, the government demands that a certified party controls your administration, like in the United States.
Benefits of a SaaS solution
Clearly, running software on your own hardware is no longer an option. But what alternatives do you have? A cloud-based solution is the answer. And more specifically: a cloud-based solution completely managed in the Microsoft SaaS. That is the course the 3PL Dynamics peloton is heading.
Scale up and down
The rise of the cloud brings new forms of subscriptions. With a cloud solution, you pay a monthly fee and you can scale up or down each month. That means that you can adapt your software to how successful your business is in that period. Furthermore, these monthly subscriptions make sure you do not need a big investment to buy the software.
Price advantage
In addition, the cloud keeps getting cheaper. Especially when we look at the total costs of ownership. Hardware needs to be replaced often, which brings additional costs. And, managing costs of your local installations grow as well.
Fast updates
With the cloud – and the Microsoft SaaS in particular – you make sure your operation is always supported by the latest technology. The SaaS environment is updated monthly. That also means that the impact of every update is smaller and that you will experience fewer errors when testing the new version.
More integration possibilities
Finally, a cloud-based solution offers more possibilities to integrate with other applications in the cloud. Logically, this is much simpler than when you integrate from different individual local environments.
From on-premise to SaaS
After seeing all the benefits above, the shift to cloud-based solutions makes even more sense. Now, the question remains: when do you take the step into the future? As we speak, we and our partner Boltrics are working hard to prepare 3PL Dynamics for an international roll-out on the Microsoft SaaS. Do you want to learn more about how 3PL Dynamics supports the Microsoft SaaS environment? Contact us here!