One of the biggest advantages to going with cloud-based computing solutions is the promise of huge cost savings. However, companies can also get roped in to cloud-based packages, including cloud CRM, that they may not entirely need, which can drive up costs very quickly.

While some companies were reluctant to embrace cloud computing at the beginning, most have adopted the deployment strategy in one area or another. Some learned the hard way that all the services they took to the cloud came pricing that was very different compared with that attached to traditional on-premise solutions. Keeping track of what is being spent where deserves careful calculation and monitoring.

According to this Business Week report, a company known as Cloudability has come up with a way to help companies monitor their use of cloud-based services, including cloud CRM. Companies that choose Cloudability are able to drastically reduce the amount of time employees spend on tracking cloud CRM and other cloud computing costs.

The solution is helping companies shed light on how they’re spending, and it’s hard to miss the alerts that associates receive regarding costs. Customized e-mails allow associates to see when an account is expected to go over budget. Having the information regarding costs sent on a regular basis, along with alerts, makes it impossible not to address how the company is spending on cloud CRM and other cloud services.

Currently, Cloudability is connected to more than 100 cloud computing services, including the most popular like Salesforce cloud CRM. More than 3,000 customers to date are getting a clearer look into their cloud expenditures.

It’s not easy to track how the budget is affected by cloud CRM and other cloud services because every cloud-based service charges differently, some have a simple monthly payment due on the same day of every month. Others charge clients by the amount of use per month or quarter.

Every department in an enterprise is likely taking advantage of different cloud-based services, which makes it even harder for administrators and executives to know exactly what’s going on with the budget where the cloud is concerned, which makes executive decisions harder to make. Cloudability takes the guesswork out and gives executives the visibility they need to make informed decisions.

In some cases, companies are slashing costs by up to 20 percent with this newfound visibility. When considering the number of accounts that bill by the hour, a real opportunity for cost cutting exists. If a company knows when they can shut down those services, even if only for a few hours a day, the investment in Cloudability quickly pays for itself.

Want to learn more about cloud communications? Then be sure to attend Cloud Communications Expo, collocated with ITEXPO West 2012 taking place Oct 2-5, in Austin, TX.  Stay in touch with everything happening at Cloud Communications Expo. Follow us on Twitter.