The cloud is changing the future of the technology industry in ways previously unseen. The cloud has the ability to store and process data from anywhere with a mobile device, which greatly changes the way that businesses operate. Everyone has their own predictions about what will happen as the cloud becomes more popular, but Greg Walters of Walters & Shutwell Inc. has some particularly interesting ideas to chew on.

In fact, according to Walters, there are several things we can expect to see from the cloud in the future:

• Algorithms will replace the workforce.
• The office will grow more mobile.
• Barriers will be brought down.

Tasks Become More Automated
Various jobs that previously used to require human interaction can now be performed by algorithms based in the cloud. This goes hand-in-hand with machines being able to perform similar tasks, eliminating the need to pay a physical body for their time and services.

One example, according to Walters, is the introduction of electronic payments. This eliminates the staff required to approve payment processes. No longer do humans have to stuff envelopes into mailboxes (well, not so often, anyway), and all of this can be done with a single algorithm. Take a moment to think about how widespread this concept is. Unless there’s a small Mom & Pop diner in your area, most businesses prefer electronic payment compared to cash simply due to its ease of use.

Forget the Office
We are in an information mobility age, and everything we do is to boost the productivity of our work environment. To accomplish this, we have grown increasingly more mobile and no longer need to be in the office in order to work effectively. In the words of Walters, “Business cycles will still be normal, 24/7 affairs, but we’ll be selling from the beach, presenting from the living room, and securing shipments in the den. These traditional office functions will not need an office presence.”

Improve Access to Data
All of this leads to information being much more easy to access by eliminating the boundaries of where and when you can access it. Instead of information being limited to one particular location – which Walters calls “information silos” – individuals can access it from the cloud.

Employees will no longer have to take part in monotonous everyday tasks. Instead, they will be able to focus more on activities that can expand their knowledge and versatility, making them more valuable to the business for which they work. In Walters’ words, “It would be a sea [of] change in how workers see themselves. We would no longer work for a single company, yet have a profession, working with many companies at the same time – a sort of hypercharged freelancer.”

The future of the cloud is promising, and you can reap its benefits by contacting CTN Solutions. Just like Walters’, we believe that there is no limit to how much the cloud can affect the business world. We can host your data on our servers with a secure cloud, and we can equip your business with productivity solutions that can help you access your information anywhere, anytime. For more information, give us a call at (610) 828- 5500.