Used to be we only heard the word “hybrid” in relation to seeds – as in, Burpee has created this great new hybrid sweet corn. Sometimes, you might also hear the word as it related to freak accidents envisioned by 1950s film makers. Today, though, you’re as likely to hear about hybrid cars and hybrid business models as you are to hear about the Alligator People or the Amazing Colossal Man.
Originally, hybrid businesses referred to those companies that were click-and-mortar. I suppose that’s still what most business people think. But, in all my talks with small and medium businesses (SMBs) across the country, I’ve come to realize most of these folks are unabashedly masters of hybridization – by which I mean, they must pick and choose the best practices, technology, and strategies in order to create a model that helps them not only survive, but thrive.
In the past, SMBs have not had access to the same services and solutions that the big dogs do. The Cloud, however, changes the playing field. Whether it’s sales force automation, accounting services, customer relationship management, storage, or actual compute resources, the Cloud can give SMBs the flexibility to compete effectively all while reducing complexity.
I know, it sounds like marketing hype, but Cloud services such as Microsoft Office 365 and the Intel AppUp Small Business service which is built on the Intel Hybrid Cloud platform give SMBs the security, performance, and manageability they need to stay competitive.
“I can get new software, I can get new features. I don’t have to sit and wait, I don’t have to go buy new hardware. The [Intel] Hybrid Cloud has been very, very good for allowing us to stay on the top of our game without down time and waiting,” says Mark Holman from Providence Endodontics.
WEBIT Services, a technology provider in the Chicago area, delivers Holman’s IT services. Eric Rieger, president of WEBIT says, “With the Intel Hybrid Cloud I think we’re going to be able to reach more customers, especially on the vertical specific markets that we focus on. I think clients want to know that they’re going to…be able to touch one person and have them take care of all their needs. And with the catalog that Intel is building, we’re going to be able to do some really neat things in the markets we serve.” Prius? Corn? Cloud? What do you think of hybrids? Let me know here or on Twitter @Eric_D_Townsend.
Until next time, your weekly moment of levity: Joni Mitchell had no idea that IT could also see “Both Sides Now.”
