{"id":1295,"date":"2017-11-19T14:47:48","date_gmt":"2017-11-19T12:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/test.stage.sageone.co.za\/2015\/11\/19\/cloud-based-applications-for-smes-i-cloud-myth-busting\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T16:03:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T14:03:18","slug":"cloud-myths-sme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/cloud-myths-sme\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloud myth-busting for SMEs"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/category\/technology-innovation\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Technology &amp; Innovation<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCloud myth-busting for SMEs\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2017-11-19T14:47:48+02:00\">November 19, 2017<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Cloud myth-busting for SMEs\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/cloud-myths-sme\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/author\/keirthomasbryant\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/04\/Keir-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Keir Thomas-Bryant\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/04\/Keir-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/04\/Keir.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Keir Thomas-Bryant<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>South African SMEs are enthusiastically embracing cloud-based applications such as Dropbox and Google Apps. Though the market is becoming more sophisticated, there are still a few myths that prevail about the risks and benefits of cloud computing, says Ivan Epstein, CEO of Sage Australia, Asia, Middle East and Africa. \u201cThe cloud promises to make the&nbsp;use of business IT resources online and on-demand as easy as services such as Gmail and Dropbox,\u201d says Epstein. \u201cIt\u2019s about having a flexible new way of buying technology applications and services you need. Many of the fears that surround the cloud are now out of date.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-myth-1-it-s-not-secure\"><strong>Myth 1: It\u2019s not secure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many SMEs worry that their data will not be safe with a cloud software provider. But a credible vendor will host and manage your application and data in a top-tier data centre underpinned by world-class technology, says Epstein. Such a facility will feature the latest and best information and physical security, he says.&nbsp; \u201cThese facilities will be as secure as those where your bank keeps your confidential financial information locked up. <mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">No SME can afford to spend as much on security as a good cloud service provider does<\/mark>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-myth-2-an-ordinary-mobile-broadband-or-adsl-line-isn-t-good-enough\"><strong>Myth 2: An ordinary mobile broadband or ADSL line isn\u2019t good enough<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many SMEs are already using cloud services on standard ADSL and mobile broadband connections with no problem. The user experience is more than acceptable for most services including accounting and payroll software. \u201cYou don\u2019t need a fast, uncapped fibre line to use cloud apps,\u201d he says. \u201cYour ADSL line will do just fine and you won\u2019t burn through huge amounts of bandwidth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-myth-3-you-have-to-commit-fully-to-the-cloud-or-stay-off-it\"><strong>Myth 3: You have to commit fully to the cloud or stay off it<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many SMEs think that taking advantage of services in the cloud means throwing out their existing applications and committing completely to a cloud provider. That\u2019s not true, says Epstein, since you can opt for \u201cconnected services\u201d that allow you to move over to the cloud at your own pace. \u201cConnected services offer hooks into the cloud so you can benefit from working online while still using a PC software package,\u201d says Epstein. \u201cFor example, a desktop accounting solution might allow you to access a range of digital transaction and payment solutions from within the package\u2019s interface. We believe the future is in the cloud, but not everyone is ready to move completely over to using their software online.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-myth-4-it-s-just-about-cost-savings\"><strong>Myth 4: It\u2019s just about cost-savings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The cloud can help you to save money on buying servers and installing software. It can also allow you to pay for your software per month rather than committing a big sum upfront to buy a software package. Those are important benefits, but they are not as significant as the flexibility that cloud gives your business, he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">The cloud turns IT consumed into a utility, transforming fixed costs into variable costs,\u201d Epstein says. \u201cIt allows you to buy applications such as accounting not as a software suite but as a collection of services<\/mark>. You can buy what you need and increase your use of these services with a few clicks when you need to.\u201d And the cloud makes information and business services available everywhere your employees have Internet access, making your workforce faster, more responsive and better informed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gathering-clouds\"><strong>Gathering clouds<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJudging from the demand for our online solutions, the cloud is gathering traction in South Africa\u2019s SME sector. Sage has built on this solid South African foundation, and applied global insights gleaned from the Sage businesses in Europe and the US, to bring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/accounting\/\">Sage Business Cloud Accounting<\/a>&nbsp;to South Africa, he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Get your free 30-day Sage Business Cloud Accounting software trial to boost your business.<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Reduce time spent on admin by up to 80%<\/p>\n<p>Free yourself from admin with easy-to-use features, built around you. Ideal for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and growing businesses.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/accounting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"cta-id-620\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Sign Up<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-619403886-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Small business accountant\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-619403886-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South African SMEs are enthusiastically embracing cloud-based applications such as Dropbox and Google Apps. Though the market is becoming more sophisticated, there are still a few myths that prevail about the risks and benefits of cloud computing, says Ivan Epstein, CEO of Sage Australia, Asia, Middle East and Africa. \u201cThe cloud promises to make the&nbsp;use [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":280,"featured_media":68327,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,44],"tags":[166,318],"business_type":[2,5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[6,15,16],"imagine_tag":[51,52,64,85,81],"coauthors":[405],"class_list":["post-1295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology-innovation","category-todays-tech","tag-business-management","tag-cloud","business_type-small-business","business_type-accountants"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-za","author_name":"Keir Thomas-Bryant","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-43.jpg","imagine_tags":{"51":"Accountants","52":"Accounting software","64":"Cloud accounting","85":"Small business","81":"Technology and Innovation"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice South Africa","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/280"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1295\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/68327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=1295"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}