Why You May Need A Cloud Services Provider For Your SaaS Solution

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Let’s face it: one of the reasons your organization chose a SaaS solution (whether Microsoft Dynamics 365, Netsuite or SAP) is that it is subscription-based. The upkeep is done. Or so you think.

Let’s face it: one of the reasons your organization chose a SaaS solution (whether Microsoft Dynamics 365, Netsuite or SAP) is that it is subscription-based. The upkeep is done. Or so you think. 


The last thing you or any business person wants to hear is that you may need yet another cloud services provider in the lineup, right?  But beyond the items that require management by you as the customer, there may be a number of benefits you’re missing out on without getting an expert assessment of the bigger picture. 


Although many SaaS ERP packages are marketed as a turnkey, “signup and go” type offering, there are several scenarios requiring strong managed services to ensure optimal performance and user satisfaction. It’s important to consider what responsibilities your organization wants to take on, versus the areas where you choose to supplement your bandwidth or expertise – both now and in the future.


Note, cloud providers come in all shapes and sizes and with a myriad of services. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to talk about the benefits of a fully-managed multi-cloud provider such as Concerto Cloud Services. In both the private and public sector, organizations tend to benefit from adding a managed cloud solution provider in five important ways:


  1. Bandwidth
  2. Objectivity
  3. Expertise
  4. Strategy
  5. ROI

 

1. Bandwidth


Let’s take the table of customer-responsible items for Dynamics 365 for example. While Microsoft is responsible for the day-to-day production and maintenance of the D365 solution, you as the customer are responsible for several other aspects including: sizing projected workloads; adding additional users; storage, managing and monitoring of development, test and staging environments; scheduling usage peaks; and more. Adding cloud management services can alleviate bandwidth issues, as well as proactively support performance and other issues with expert oversight.


2. Strategy


Do you have a clear cloud roadmap? Or, are you finding yourself tackling one cloud project at a time, hoping that all the critical items will integrate and fit together? By working with cloud advisory services teams like ours, you can develop a fully customized plan that meets your specific needs, avoids pitfalls such as platforms that won’t evolve or integrate with what’s next, or contracts that lock you in, as well as a plan for getting there efficiently.


3. Objectivity


When you work with a cloud provider who offers a wide range of services and platforms, you gain an objective view of your technologies. At Concerto, for example, we not only offer our own private and hybrid cloud platforms, we are deeply-trained and certified on best-in-class tools such as Microsoft, Amazon, Azure and Cisco, among others. This holistic approach translates into more options, less ‘noise’ from working with multiple providers, and ultimately, more value.


4. Expertise


The cloud skills gap is well documented. High-demand skills (especially security experts) are simply hard to find and even harder to retain. Working with a cloud services provider, you can leverage deep technical knowledge and security expertise for multiple cloud platforms. This access to world-class technical resources, developers, security experts and compliance specialists can be priceless for your organization


5. ROI


Calculating ROI on a SaaS ERP solution seems straightforward. But there can be more factors at play. Contract lengths, overages, downtime, data breach or a change in requirements can all impact the overall costs.  Which makes investing in managed services improve the overall return in the longrun. 

 

Are cloud management services right for you?

How do you evaluate whether adding cloud management to your SaaS solution is worthwhile? First, consider a discussion with your cloud services provider. If you related to any of the above, it is not only worth the discussion, but it’s likely worth doing a more detailed assessment


In addition, check the reviews. The cloud and the solutions offered are ever evolving. That means you should seek a cloud services provider committed to a long-term relationship with your company. Third-party, objective customer survey data that provides an unfiltered perspective of a company’s services can help you understand whether they are a good fit for the long haul.


Let’s Talk . 

Still intrigued by what a managed CSP can do for you? Give us a call! We’d be more than happy to chat about your SaaS ERP solution. 

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Comments (1)

Ranjit ShankarSr. Manager - Marketing and Strategy

Commented:
Great article! Useful links, also the important points "Bandwidth, Objectivity, Expertise, Strategy, ROI" and the details about the points are very much clear... "it is not only worth the discussion, but it’s likely worth doing a more detailed assessment..." - very true! Also, you are right i.e. checking the reviews is more significant before going with any cloud computing consulting services provider for a long-term relationship... Thank you!

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