Article The best way to guide your customers to a solid future in the cloud

Von Insight UK / 14 Jan 2022 / Themen: Cloud

Digitalization, business disruption, and innovation. We are living in exciting times. What will the future look like in 5 to 10 years? It is impossible to say, but one thing is for sure: the cloud is here to stay. As a Service Provider, you might be looking forward to a future in the cloud. Just think about all those new techniques, business opportunities and chances ahead to find new ways forward. But what about your customers? At Insight we help you finding the best strategy to move them to the cloud.

Why wait to move to the cloud?

The advantages of a cloud-based infrastructure are evident. By sharing hardware and software, companies no longer need to set up their own IT infrastructure. That means your customers become more flexible and save money in the long run: an offer that seems too good to be refused. Still, many companies are reluctant to make the change. They like the idea of the cloud but have already invested in their own IT environment. As long as it all works, why change?

Timing is everything

The question is not if your customers are moving to the cloud, but when. Sooner or later, they will need to invest in IT hardware, software, and licenses again. Outdated servers become vulnerable and are often incompatible with the latest operating systems and software. Network performance decreases over time, and the risk of disruptions increases. Your customers might not always be aware of these risks, but as a service provider, you can help them anticipate the future by explaining their different options and guiding them to make the right choices at the right time. This might be easier than you think, provided you have the proper tools.

Strategic choices

What is the best cloud strategy for your customers? There is no simple answer. It differs per customer depending on different factors: the current on-premise infrastructure, the nature and size of their business, goals and ambitions, etc. To give each customer well-founded advice on how to shape their digital future, you need to have insight into the as-is situation and possible future scenarios. Only this way can you determine which (combination of) cloud models and applications is best for your customers.

A detailed roadmap to the cloud

Is it going to be IAAS, SAAS, PAAS, or a mix of local and cloud solutions? Once you know where your customers are heading, you can set up a detailed roadmap for each of them. On top of that, you will also want to have one integrated roadmap for your own business because you can only do so many migrations at a time. An overall roadmap helps you align your business and set the right priorities, for your company and your customers.

Developing a cloud roadmap is quite complicated. It helps to have advanced tooling: intelligent software that provides a clear view of IT costs and performance and identifies points for improvement and alternatives in the cloud. A transparent overview of the current as-is situation is the ideal starting point to optimize costs, analyse future business development, and realize growth.

Need help?

At Insight, we provide many Service Providers with the proper solutions and advice to make forecasts on licensing and compliance issues, and make detailed roadmaps for different cloud migration scenarios to improve the profitability of your customers . We help you to understand your customers’ business and become their long-term trusted advisor. Just what you need to create a healthy business future for you and your customers in the cloud.

Contact one of our cloud specialists to find out how we can support you in optimizing your cloud services in line with your goals.

New ways forward

As a multi-vendor software licensing, workload and platform specialist, we can guide you through all stages of your strategic cloud journey with a series of workshops, assessments, services and best practices. From the first exploration of cloud or hybrid opportunities and benefits to support and optimization after migration. No matter where you are in your journey, we help you to find new ways forward and accelerate your business.