Top 7 Challenges For Cloud Services Providers (CSPs) In 2015
What are some of the biggest challenges that cloud services providers (CSPs) could face over the next year? Here's what seven executives from Talkin' Cloud 100 companies had to say.
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What are some of the biggest challenges that cloud services providers could face over the next year? Here's what seven executives from Talkin' Cloud 100 companies had to say.
What are some of the biggest challenges cloud services providers (CSPs) could face over the next year? Here's what seven executives from the Talkin' Cloud 100 had to say.
Additional lists
CloudLock CEO Gil Zimmerman said empowering users to leverage cloud services, along with deploying a people-centric approach to cloud adoption, can be difficult for CSPs. "We've seen too many organizations take a traditional approach of trying to build a perimeter around cloud usage. That approach just won't work anymore," he said. "The more organizations can do to empower users, the more users will thank them by being responsible." CloudLock ranked 79 on last year's Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: CloudLock Takes 'People-Centric' Approach To Security.
Struggling to teach your end users about cloud services? You're not alone, as educating end users can be challenging for CSPs. "The biggest challenge continues to be educating end users as well as potential partners on the solutions and opportunity provided by the cloud," NGenx President JD Helms noted. "Along with that education is the understanding that there are many hurdles that have to be cleared in leveraging the cloud." NGenx ranked 76 on the Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: nGenx Pushes the Envelope With Technology.
Offering a unified experience to customers is vital for CSPs, AppDirect co-CEO Daniel Saks said. "As companies transition to cloud services, the challenge is ensuring a unified customer experience," he added. "At AppDirect, we're ensuring distributors and developers have the tools and capabilities to enable an easy transition to the cloud for their business and customers as well as responding to the need to offer access to these services from any cloud, sales channel and device." AppDirect ranked 74 on the Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: AppDirect Spearheads Cloud Service Commerce With Two CEOs.
TekLinks CEO Jim Akerhielm said the cloud services industry changes quickly, and CSPs must follow industry trends to keep pace. "I think with the pace of our industry in terms of both scale and services expansion that it would be easy to lose focus trying to deliver the application of the day or chasing the 'new tech trend' of the week," he said. "A cloud services provider needs to be building much stronger customer relationships in this environment than in the past." TekLinks ranked 70 on last year's Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: TekLinks Delivers 'Anything-as-a-Service'.
Competition is fierce among CSPs, and providing cloud services at a competitive price could be challenging for many CSPs over the next year. "Staying competitive with our bundles [is challenging]," SimpleSignal CEO Dave Gilbert said. "Customers are better educated [about] the technology and asking for more from their services providers. They want better quality of service and cheaper prices, so overall, it's a more competitive environment." SimpleSignal ranked 54 on the Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: SimpleSignal's Success Is Based On Partners' Success.
Security is the biggest issue that CSPs will face over the next 12 months, according to Claris Networks CEO Larry Bodie. "The threats are getting harder to combat and the compliance requirements are getting more stringent," he said. "In order to be a valuable cloud partner, we must stay ahead of the threats and compliance concerns." Claris ranked 51 on the Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: Claris Networks Delivers 'Worry-Free IT'.
Do customers value your cloud services? Driving value is key for CSPs, Virtustream CEO Rodney Rogers said, but could prove to be difficult for these services providers over the next 12 months. "Cloud services providers must move up the value chain," he said. "Services providers will also need to better cut through the noise of the, 'Which cloud deployment is right for you?,' debate to provide the right cloud to the right application for each customer." Virtustream ranked 24 on the Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: Virtustream Offers Consumption-Based Cloud Management.
Do customers value your cloud services? Driving value is key for CSPs, Virtustream CEO Rodney Rogers said, but could prove to be difficult for these services providers over the next 12 months. "Cloud services providers must move up the value chain," he said. "Services providers will also need to better cut through the noise of the, 'Which cloud deployment is right for you?,' debate to provide the right cloud to the right application for each customer." Virtustream ranked 24 on the Talkin' Cloud 100.
Related: TC 100 Profile: Virtustream Offers Consumption-Based Cloud Management.
What are some of the top challenges that CSPs could face over the next year? Share your thoughts about this story in the Comments section below, via Twitter @dkobialka or email me at [email protected].
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