If you’re a small business owner, you’re likely accustomed to feeling pressure to remain competitive, no matter your industry. To maintain solid growth, you need to maintain efficient operations, manage employee and customer relationships, and securely access and interpret your data. However, juggling all of those priorities makes for a lot of pressure.

Small businesses are the country’s largest job generators. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, over half of all new private-sector jobs have been added by small businesses since the Great Recession. Although the small business sector comprises disparate products and services scattered among a myriad of industries, it’s becoming increasingly connected through technology, namely cloud-based software applications.

The cloud revolution

It seems like the cloud became a fixture in business almost overnight, but that’s only partially true. Most new technologies follow the diffusion of innovation model, sometimes referred to as an “S-curve.” Developed in 1957 by the late sociologist Roger Everett, the S-curve model outlines how new ideas navigate through five stages of adoption: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and, finally, the stragglers.

Leading change is always harder than merely following early adopters, especially in the technology sector. Early adopters of cloud technology had to face the daunting task of transitioning from legacy systems and on-premises hardware and software, while considering issues of data security and IT maintenance. However, the cloud migration is happening with relative speed. When one examines the diffusion of innovation model, with each technological iteration, the gap between early and mainstream adoption narrows. To put it into perspective, it took more than 70 years for telephones to achieve 50 percent household penetration, 28 years for radio, and a mere 10 years for internet access.

The blossoming cloud industry puts small business owners right in the middle of the pack, alongside the early to late majority. Accessibility has bred affordability, even for end-to-end solutions, and the increased popularity among small business owners, in particular, has led to a thriving cloud marketplace.

Why are small businesses flocking to the cloud?

By 2020, market researchers project nearly 80 percent of small businesses will have already integrated cloud computing into their business processes, up from the current 37 percent. This projected increase reflects technology’s role as a leveler: providing small and enterprise-level organizations with the tools necessary to affect disruptive change and create efficiencies that lead to profitable opportunities.

Here are some of the reasons your business should be part of the early majority.

Data security

As mentioned, a primary blocker for cloud computing adoption is the perceived lack of security. Your business handles sensitive internal and customer information,and storing that information online can seem risky given the data breaches that are making headlines. In reality, the cloud is actually more secure than legacy systems, the operative concept being a need for checks and balances and a solid IT presence.

With cyber attacks on the minds of many in today’s society, a properly implemented cloud strategy is the first step to securing your data. It’s critical to practice strict regulatory standards with respect to login credentials, encryption tools, and up-to-date firewalls and software patches for end-user devices such as laptops and mobile devices. Doing so will ensure your business will strengthen its relationships with consumers who trust you to keep their data safe.

Scalability

The integrative nature of hybrid cloud systems means business owners can connect various platforms, from single-function apps to enterprise resource planning suites. Around 19 percent of small businesses currently utilize hybrid cloud software, with that number expected to rise by 2020. This plug-and-play format gives your small business the ability to build and plan solutions around the needs of your organization as it scales, and levels the playing field for small businesses to compete on a global stage.

Automation

Operational efficiency is at the heart of cloud computing. Leveraging software as a tool to automate administrative tasks such as payroll, inventory management, and analytics reporting frees up business owners to focus on developing more sophisticated strategies to grow and gain market share. Advances in business intelligence, artificial intelligence, and machine learning amongst cloud-based platforms have demonstrated the ability of machine-to-machine communication, which, in turn, improves business functions for humans. You can gain insight into the minutiae of your business operations and make data-driven plans for the future when you use cloud technology.

Technologists and business owners alike are only beginning to scratch the surface of cloud technology’s potential to improve operations and drive revenue. Although incorporating emerging software into your business processes won’t replace the need for human expertise, it will enable you to work smarter and stay ahead of the curve. If you haven’t given cloud computing a chance, you might become a straggler in the small business pack.

This is a guest post by Meg Farrow.