While\u00a0<\/span>businesses of all sizes have jumped\u00a0<\/span>into the deep end of cloud computing solutions\u00a0<\/span>with both feet<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 International Data Corporation expects public cloud spending to hit nearly $500 billion by 2023 \u2013 the risks involved in storing\u00a0<\/span>and accessing\u00a0<\/span>valuable information there have grown just a<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0rapidly<\/span>\u00a0as its popularity<\/span>. Gartner Research says cloud computing\u00a0<\/span>comes with a unique set of risks.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDespite the advantages, cloud computing comes with an added vulnerability if data is stored incorrectly or if the provider\u2019s own security is compromised,\u201d says Gartner<\/span>\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Matthew\u00a0<\/span>Shinkman<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u200b<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”What’s in the Clouds?” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”0″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n As almost any weather<\/span><\/span>\u00a0forecaster will tell you, predicting what\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is in clouds and what they\u2019ll do isn\u2019t easy<\/span><\/span>. Currently<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the three most prominent\u00a0<\/span><\/span>forms of cloud computing are Software as a Service (SaaS),\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and Platform as a Service (PaaS).<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All these services\u00a0<\/span>provide retail businesses convenient access to computing proc<\/span>esses\u00a0<\/span>normally reserved for businesses with their own IT departments and enough capital to develop and run them.<\/span>\u00a0Most of the online giants and big-box stores develop and maintain their own proprietary retail management systems<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>The\u00a0<\/span>cloud computing p<\/span>rocesses available to independent retailers\u00a0<\/span>by SaaS providers typically involves retail business management.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All three of these services\u00a0<\/span>allow independent stores to operate on the same playing field of\u00a0<\/span>business automation as the big boxes and larger chains without the IT inv<\/span>estment.<\/span>\u00a0They\u2019re also typical of big business, today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUber, the world\u2019s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world\u2019s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world\u2019s largest accommodation provider, owns no real estate. Something interesting is happening,\u201d says Tom Goodwin, senior vice president of strategy and innovation at Havas Media.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Storm Clouds ” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”0″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n While cloud computing services are a boon to small business management,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>they aren\u2019t a silver bullet that can magically help independent stores slay larger competitors. Like any electronic solution<\/span><\/span>, they have limitations and drawbacks.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Connections” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”0″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n All the\u00a0<\/span>solutions are dependent on reliable and secure internet connections. Those qualifications alone put store performance in\u00a0<\/span>the hands of an internet service provider<\/span>\u00a0which isn\u2019t always comforting.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A recent <\/span>survey by the\u00a0<\/span>American Customer Satisfaction Index<\/span><\/a> (ACSI), internet service providers (ISP) show retail customer satisfaction level<\/span>s ranging from 62 to 77\u00a0<\/span>out of 100, which any student will tell you<\/span>\u00a0is<\/span>n\u2019t exactly sparkling<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ACSI also reports that while the services are improving, “service is largely considered to be slow and unreliable, and competition is limited in many areas.”\u00a0<\/span>The added stress the pandemic has put those connections, with so many people now working from home, <\/span>increases the\u00a0<\/span>possibilit<\/span>i<\/span>es<\/span>\u00a0of sketchy service.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Onsite solutions – hybrid cloud computing – can\u2019t solve unreliable <\/span>internet connections, but they can provide internet failover switches\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0automatically keep your business operating when an\u00a0<\/span>internet service quits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Access” _builder_version=”4.24.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”0″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n One of the beauties of cloud computing \u2013 maybe the biggest advantage \u2013 is with all the services, businesses\u00a0<\/span>have little investment. However, that is also one of the bigge<\/span>st drawbacks.\u00a0<\/span>Without having onsite hardware, s<\/span>tores are dependent on their providers to safely store all their data and make it acc<\/span>essible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat’s in the Clouds?<\/h2>\n
![\"Touchless](\"https:\/\/paladinpointofsale.com\/retailscience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/12\/RS-MobileWallet.jpg\")
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Storm Clouds<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Connections<\/h2>\n
Access<\/h2>\n
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Pharmacies have various layers of governmental regulations and insurance compliance\u00a0<\/span>