Better Customer Service | 4 min read | Published July 29, 2020

B2B Customer Support: Up in the Cloud or Down on the Ground? Part 2

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“Cloud is about how you do computing, not where you do computing.” – Paul Maritz, VMware CEO

“Cloud is about how you do computing, not where you do computing.” – Paul Maritz, VMware CEO

Once you decide to implement a new B2B customer support software solution, the first step is to do an internal assessment to determine how to choose the right provider. In Part 1 we recommended starting with determining if the system you choose should be cloud-based (a server hosted in the Cloud) or on-premise (application is installed and maintained on the company's internal servers), and we gave you a good starting point to understand the basic differences between the two as it relates to B2B customer support.

Even though cloud storage is becoming more common, security remains a top concern, and could be the reason that many firms choose on-premise applications. Here are some reasons why the Cloud is a secure option, if managed properly.

  • Data stored in the cloud is nearly always stored in an encrypted form that would need to be cracked before an intruder could read the information. Commercial cloud storage systems encode each user’s data with a specific encryption key. Without it, the files look like gibberish rather than meaningful data.1 But companies that offer cloud hosting should not rely on the encryption alone. relatively simple ways users can boost their own data’s security beyond what’s built into systems they use, such as This method stores not only an encrypted file, but additional metadata that lets a user detect whether the file has been modified since it was created.
  • Information stored in the Cloud can only be accessed by those with login credentials. Access permissions can be set by department managers according to factors such as dollar amount or sensitivity of the data and/or documents.
  • The most secure Cloud environments are backed by a deep set of security tools and meet the most stringent compliance and governance standards and certifications.

Don’t play well with others in the same sandbox?  The shared cloud is designed to provide small- and mid-sized businesses with an affordable way in which they can enter the Cloud while still providing the flexibility of usage needs and customizations. But many companies, particularly enterprise, require their own server, either because of security concerns or usage rates, or both. When it comes to cloud-based B2B customer support, TeamSupport is the only online help desk software provider that offers a completely private cloud solution. Installing TeamSupport in a private cloud environment can help enterprise firms meet very specific security, performance, and regional requirements. In addition, TeamSupport’s private cloud includes specialized support dedicated to meeting your customers’ needs as well as your company’s.

(Learn more about TeamSupport’s private Cloud.)

1Beth Daley, How Secure is Your Data When Stored in the Cloud?, The Conversation, Jan. 25, 2018, retrieved from https://theconversation.com/how-secure-is-your-data-when-its-stored-in-the-cloud-90000 on July 27, 2020.