Expanding a business to international markets requires careful planning.

In the past, going beyond a company's original borders has been a challenging and time-consuming process.

Adopting cloud technology could help make international expansion smoother and quicker.


International expansion opens new markets and growth opportunities for companies. However, setting up shop in a different country requires an understanding of market dynamics, local culture, employment regulations, and international legal requirements. While a well-thought-out expansion strategy is always required, going international can be made easier by leveraging cloud benefits such as speed, reach, agility, and scalability. 
Here are five ways a cloud can fast-track your international plans.
1. Jumpstarts the process
Setting up operations in a new country — whether over the border or on a different continent — typically requires numerous steps before you can even start doing business, such as finding real estate, setting up the facility, and hiring staff. Another step is setting up a data center with the requisite hardware, software, and networking infrastructure. This alone can take several years.
But by tapping a cloud infrastructure, you can bypass this step and squeeze a three-to-five year plan into six months, assuming all other pieces are in place, said Adam Glick, senior director of portfolio marketing for APEX Cloud Services at Dell Technologies. "If you just cut that part off your timeline, think about how much faster you could go."
2. Supports fast expansion
If your initial international foray is a success, you may want to build on that momentum for further expansion. Let's say your company runs quick-serve restaurants. You open your first one in a city in Asia or Europe and it takes off quicker than you expected. It's a sign the market is ready for your services and a second location is likely to succeed.
The cloud gives you the ability to scale much faster by enabling you to replicate the environment from the first location at a new site. So instead of planning out years in advance, from an IT standpoint, you have the business and operational flexibility to get things done faster, and to adjust with the needs of the business rather than doing a whole lot of planning up front, Glick said.
3. Transplants business applications 
Cloud services can be orchestrated to automatically deploy and update business applications so you don't have to undergo complex, time-consuming implementations at every site. This simplifies and accelerates international expansion. If your new site is in a jurisdiction with different laws and requirements, the cloud also helps by simplifying the adjustment process needed for compliance.
Consider data sovereignty. Some countries and regions don't allow private data to be transmitted outside their borders, so you need a plan to achieve compliance. 
With Dell Technologies' APEX Cloud Services, for example, companies can meet compliance by placing their data where it needs to be. With public clouds, the data resides where the cloud is located. A private cloud gives companies control over data and its location while enjoying the speed and agility they need.
4. Helps to pivot quickly
Not everything happens according to plan, and that can certainly be the case with international expansion. Businesses today must be nimble and adaptable to survive and thrive as market conditions change. 
As you move forward with international expansion, chances are you will need to modify your plan along the way.
Using the restaurant example, perhaps your original plan didn't account for the volume of takeout orders you are getting. That may require boosting bandwidth for online and mobile ordering systems. Or maybe you need to equip more employees with handheld devices to run a curbside pickup business. The elasticity and flexibility of the cloud allow you to make quick changes without protracted planning or large capital investments.
5. Allows to budget accordingly
No matter how modest or ambitious, an international expansion plan requires capital to invest in real estate, systems, equipment, and people. When it comes to IT, however, the need for a large upfront investment can be reduced. By leveraging cloud services, you can finance much of your IT investment on a subscription basis. 
"What if you didn't have to spend $50 million right now? What if the real answer is to spent $20,000 a month?," Glick said. "You don't need that large capital outlay. You don't need to deal with the issues that come up internally with financial justification or rationalization."
This approach enables agility and flexibility in your planning and execution. "You can scale up if it turns out your business is doing much better than you thought it was. And if you've hit some hurdles, you can scale back," he said.
How to ensure international success 
International expansion poses risks and benefits. Without proper planning or a well-defined vision, a plan can go off the rails delaying launches, creating opportunities for competitors and increasing costs. 
By using cloud services, however, you gain the flexibility to adjust the plan up or down as market conditions dictate, giving you a greater chance of succeeding in your expansion endeavors.
Find out how APEX Cloud Services can help your business grow across borders. 
This post was created by Insider Studios with Dell Technologies APEX.

Source: Business Insider

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