Technology Reseller - v14 2018

technolog y reseller.co.uk VOX POP 31 Dean McGlone, Director, Advanced . “Customers are more open to the cloud than we imagine. Often, we think they are happy with their current solutions and, consequently, wouldn’t consider newer systems or payment models. In reality, any organisation that doesn’t talk to customers about the Cloud is likely to lose them to those that will. “Our advice is: don’t be afraid of speaking to your customers about the huge benefits and potential of taking their critical business systems to the cloud; be their trusted advisor who helps guide the way; and make sure you have the right partnerships in place with cloud-first providers. “For resellers, it’s important to consider cash flow. It is better for partners to sell a cloud-based proposition on an annual basis in advance rather than monthly, as this will make a significant difference to cash flow and make the transition to selling the cloud much easier. “In addition, resellers should avoid focusing heavily on new customer acquisition. If partners have a base of customers that are using dated, on-premise solutions and paying an amount in annual support and maintenance, resellers should consider what the uplift to their total recurring revenues could be if they were moved over to a new cloud-based subscription solution. We have modelled a number of our partners and identified that they could double their annual recurring margins by migrating customers to our cloud-based proposition from their current on-premise solutions.” Gareth Meyer, Director, Ultima . “Enablement and platforms to support cloud services are key, not only for Resellers to sell and manage cloud deployments, but also to deliver customers real-time management information and reliable platforms. “Ultima is a real example of how Cloud systems enable smarter real-time information. Previously, our business was reliant on multiple sources to supply the information required, from which we would try to get some usable information. Now, the transition to Data Warehousing in the cloud and the use of BI tools enables us to deliver Sales and Marketing information back to the sales teams, as well as critical forecasting that allows our Professional Services and Managed Services divisions to plan and allocate resources for successful customer engagements.” Richard Blundell, IT Services Divisional Director, Commercial Group . Commercial provides a broad range of business services, including IT services delivered on-premise and in the private, public or hybrid cloud. “Customers are still suspicious of the Cloud and many like to ‘see their tin’ either on premise or in a data centre. This is particularly true of more traditional businesses in Legal and Education. The Cloud is often seen as the preserve of more cutting edge, Software-as-a-Service businesses that, by definition, are more agile and light on their feet. “Many businesses see the Cloud as a destination – somewhere they’d like to get to at some point, but which they are still not ready for. These businesses would like to have a three-year roadmap showing them the route from the Ground to the Cloud.” Gareth Meyer, Director, Ultima , a leading provider of on-premise and cloud IT infrastructure and managed service solutions. “Technology transition and investment in cloud technologies is always going to be difficult when you have a successful, proven strategy in delivering on premise solutions. Traditional IT resellers have invested substantially in people, partner relations, vendor technical accreditations and systems delivering customer solutions. Then, on the customer side, Cloud was such a buzzword that clients became fatigued in receiving messaging around purchasing Cloud Services, even though their business demanded the benefits of these types of solution. “We’ve been able to migrate clients to the Cloud by focusing on truly innovative solutions, such as Intelligent Automation and Intelligent Venues, and by delivering transformative solutions, concentrating on outcomes rather than just focusing the conversation on moving from on premise to Cloud.” We have modelled a number of our partners and identified that they could double their annual recurring margins by migrating customers to our cloud-based proposition from their current on-premise solutions Richard Blundell, IT Services Divisional Director, Commercial Group . “Experience has taught us that Amazon, Google and Microsoft, the Big 3 public Cloud players, are enormous organisations that are hard to approach and even harder to get hold of when support is needed. This puts many businesses off heading to the Cloud. “Our advice would be that the Cloud has many advantages and must form part of a three-year technology roadmap, but that it is important to go at a pace that is comfortable for your organisation – don’t rush this. Go at a sensible pace, making sure all stakeholders are comfortable and brought in along the way.” Mark Bamford, General Manager, Hollis Technology , a provider of IT solutions to public sector and commercial organisations across the UK. “As an early adopter, Hollis Technology quickly recognised the importance of understanding how customers worked, in order to recommend the most appropriate cloud solutions for the greatest benefit. Resellers need to move from selling hardware to services, which in turn can generate greater revenue opportunities from activities such as migrating customers to the cloud. They must also be prepared for the changes in support workload, the responsibility for which shifts from the reseller to the cloud supplier.” Tim Mercer, CEO , Vapour Cloud . “Clients need to work with a provider that has experience in understanding all the technologies or one that has fantastic partnerships to deliver the services required. They should be looking for Proof Continued... What has your experience of selling cloud services taught you and what advice would you give to other businesses thinking of going down this route? Richard Blundell Gareth Meyer