cloud applications success: lessons from early adopters
DESCRIPTION
Vendor Selection, Deployment & Integration - Thinking about cloud applications? Want to make sure you do it right – choosing the right vendor, implementing them on time and in budget and maximizing business impact? There’s a lot to manage for a successful cloud implementation —from vendor selection to technical details and integration. Watch now for valuable insights and lessons from early adopters who have leveraged cloud applications to improve productivity, speed their time to market and even gain a competitive advantage. Anurag Agrawal, CEO of TechAisle and veteran industry analyst focusing on the global SMB market will share findings from a recent survey conducted with 400 IT and Business Executives who have already adopted cloud applications. He will be joined by Travis Pillen, CRM Integration Lead Schoolwires who will share his first-hand experiences with cloud applications. Watch the webinar and learn: What types of applications are leading the wave in cloud adoption? What are the tangible benefits companies have realized from cloud? What are the key implementation lessons from early adopters? How to maximize the value of new cloud applications through integration? Improve your business performance and speed the time to value from cloud applications through a successful cloud implementation strategy leveraging tips and insights from early adopters. Webinar date: March 2012TRANSCRIPT
Cloud Business Applications
Cloud Applications Success:Lessons from Early Adopters
Cloud Business Applications
Speakers:
Anurag Agrawal CEO & Research ExecutiveTechaisle
2 3/12/2012
Travis PillenCRM Operations LeadSchoolwires
Bill OdellMarketing DirectorDell Cloud Business Applications
“The cloud gives usone of the greatestopportunities we’ve seen in a long history of IT trends to fundamentallychange the way wework and live.”
Michael Dell
Cloud Business Applications
Agenda
3 3/12/2012
• Why cloud and why now
• How to start your cloud journey
• Cloud adoption lessons for success
– Vendor selection is a critical step to cloud success
– Adequate planning to avoid deployment challenges
– Integration for maximizing business value
• Schoolwires cloud adoption story
– Business case for cloud CRM
– Adoption considerations
– ROI on cloud project
• Q&A
Global SMB IT Market Research and Industry Analyst organization.
Focused on Tracking the Future of SMBs & Channels.
Delivering forward looking analysis on emerging technologies such as cloud computing, managed services, mobility, social media usage, and virtualization.
Channel partner research coverage provides in‐depth understanding of resellers and distribution channels globally, as well as routes to market.
Develops predictive models and segmentation using Artificial Neural Networks that achieves very high accuracy levels.
About Techaisle
Findings are based on an online study of 400 US small and mid‐market businesses who use cloud business applications.
Respondents were business decision makers (BDMs) and IT decision makers (ITDMs) in companies with 50 to 999 employees.
The objectives were to understand:
Which cloud business applications are being used by SMBs
What benefits SMBs realized by adopting cloud business applications
What SMBs learned from their cloud implementation experience
What are best practices for maximizing the value of cloud applications
SMB Cloud Trends Survey
Cloud offers compelling benefits
83%85%85%
87%
Cloud businessapplications offer superior
TCO
Cloud makes people &business more productive
Cloud is allowing us to gaincapabilities that only largeenterprises previously
could afford
Cloud applications isproviding us with a
competitive advantage
SMBs’ attitude towards cloud computing(% SMBs responded Agree + Agree Strongly)
Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
SMBs start with business applications
47%
26%
26%
2%
Started using cloud businessapplications/SaaS first
Started using cloudinfrastructure before cloudbusiness applications/SaaS
At the same time
Not sure
Cloud application vs. Cloud infrastructure
Cloud ApplicationsSaaS ‐ CRM, ERP, project management, BI
Cloud InfrastructureServer, security, back‐up, storage
At the same time
Not Sure
Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
Cloud application adoption is accelerating
2 4
7
2010 2011 Expected 2012
Average number of cloud business applications being used by SMBs
Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
6%
31%
40%
24%
< 1yr
1‐2 years
2‐3 years
More than 3 years
Years using cloud applications
Early Adopters
Reasons for adopting cloud applicationsReasons for adopting cloud applications Benefits realized from cloud applicationsBenefits realized from cloud applications
1. Lower total cost of ownership (applications, hardware, maintenance)
2. Faster deployment of solutions
3. Having the latest features/functionality as soon as they are available
4. Repurposing IT staff to address more critical needs
5. Access to capabilities and features previously outside of reach
1. Faster deployment time
2. Simplified access through a browser from any location
3. Allows IT staff to focus on more important business needs
4. Eliminating the need to upgrade individual users
5. Getting new features automatically without having to go through upgrades
Cloud expectations match reality
Base: 751 SMBs considering cloud applications Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
CRM is at the core of cloud adoption
CRM has highest
adoption: 55%
1 in 2 consider CRM to be mission critical
26% of CRM users will add business intelligence
26% of CRM users will add marketing automation
Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
Cloud applications currently used % SMBs
CRM 55%
Project Management 54%
Business Analytics/Business Intelligence 49%
Marketing Automation 48%
Payroll 48%
Human Resources/Benefits & Performance Management 43%
CRM, which includes sales, support and service automation capabilities, is a strong catalyst for improving revenue and customer satisfaction
Cloud adoption lessons for success
Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
Right cloud vendor selectionPlanned deploymentProper integration
SMBs prefer a single trusted vendor
Prefer to procureapplications froma single trusted IT
vendor
Prefer to workdirectly with
different vendors
IndifferentFrom a single trusted IT vendor
From different vendors directly
Indifferent
• “Research for the best and the most reliable vendors”• “Find a vendor with better customer service”• “Look for vendors with the capacity of delivering on time as promised”• “Try to select applications from single vendor”• “We’re in the business for making profit, so we are planning to cut down our expenditure on multiple vendors”
69%
23%9%
SMBs’ preference to procure cloud applications
What some early adopters of cloud applications said in the survey regarding vendor selection:
Base: 140 respondent organizations that used more than one vendor for their cloud business applications
Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
Pain points experienced by early adopters from managing multiple cloud vendors % SMBs
Each deployment has different challenges and issues 58%
Keep track of different SLAs with each different vendor 50%
Explain our business objectives to different vendors 48%
Time-consuming to deal with & manage 44%
Coordinate with multiple vendors for integration 43%
Different response & problem resolution timeframes 42%
We have to manage multiple billings and payments 38%
Right Vendor Selection Avoids Pitfalls
Planning & preparation: Keys to implementation success
49% 41% 40% 36%
6%Longer thananticipated
deployment cycle
Limited integrationwith other applications
Lack of training Lack of customization Other deploymentissues
Types of deployment issues faced by SMBs
• Working with vendors and partners that provide implementation packages rather than lengthy and pricey custom service engagements
Survey respondents mention that quicker deployment can achieved by:
Base: 400 SMBs using cloud applications
Planned Deployment
Drives Better
Experience
Integration needs to be flexible
1% 3%
ExtremelyUnsatisfied
Unsatisfied Neutral Satisfied ExtremelySatisfied
How Satisfied were SMBs with Integration
48%26% 26%
In‐house staffintegrated the
applications by writingsoftware code
In‐house staffintegrated the
applications by usingthird‐party integration
solutions
Third‐Party integratedapplications
Who Helped SMBs Integrate Cloud Applications
63% 58% 54%35%
Easily modify theintegrationbased on
business processchanges
Enhance existingintegrations
Developintegratedbusiness
dashboards
Integrate moreapplications
What SMBs want from Integration• “Applications could have been better integrated”
• “Integration is the toughest part, so we would focus more on this area”
• “Make integration more seamless and simple”
• “More compatible interoperability”
• “Sound integration”
69%
21% 17%
Survey respondents strongly felt that:
Base: 376 SMBs that integrated their cloud applications with cloud and/or on-premise solutions
Sound Integration Ensures Maximum Productivity
Conclusion: Cloud Adoption is beyond HypeSuccessful cloud implementation strategy is highly dependent upon selection of right cloud vendor, planned deployment and sound integration
Cloud Application Adoption Rising
• Cloud applications have given SMBs tactical & strategic advantages• Cloud CRM is at the center of cloud adoption
Right Vendor Selection Avoids
Pitfalls
• Managing multiple cloud vendors creates multiple problems• Procure best-of-breed cloud applications from a single trusted
vendor
Planned Deployment Drives Better Experience
• Reduced deployment time & proper training equals customer delight• Identify cloud vendors that offer implementation packages
Sound Integration Ensures Maximum
Productivity
• Integration leads to significant benefits• Look for flexible, scalable and quick to deploy integration solutions
without coding
1
2
3
4
Travis PillenCRM Operations Lead
Cloud Adoption Case Study:Schoolwires
About Schoolwires
Overview and MissionBusiness Overview
Content Management Systems for K-12 School DistrictsOver 1,000 school districts and 8 million userswww.schoolwires.com
Experience with Cloud Applications
Schoolwires Centricity2 solution is cloud-based
Cloud ApplicationsMarketo, Yammer, GoToMeeting, and ConcurRecently added Salesforce.com and Dell Boomi
On-Premise ApplicationsMicrosoft Dynamics CRM and Great Plains
Schoolwires Business Case for CRM
MS Dynamics CRM for Sales and Service
On-premise solution slow and rigidCRM as a sales toolGrowing company in a maturing industry
Solution: Salesforce.com for Sales, MS CRM for ServiceIntegrate two systems
20
Cloud Adoption Considerations
Integration3rd Party: Custom or Packaged?Flexibility: business processes changeScalability for future integrations
DeploymentSpeed, support, and flexibility
Vendor SelectionUnderstand our business caseCRM expertiseSchoolwires owns the integration process
21
Return on Investment to date…
Go Live at start of Q2!
Financial Customizations and maintenanceStaff time efficiencies
OrganizationalSystemic harmony between Sales, Marketing, and Services TeamsExploration of additional cloud applications and integrations
22
Planning your cloud project…
IntegrationScalabilityInvolve organizational stakeholders
DeploymentRefine and enhance your CRM business processesSeek outside expertiseDeadlines, milestones, and testing
Vendor selectionUnderstanding your business caseResources beyond implementation
Cloud Business Applications23 Confidential
Existing applicationsExisting applications
Dell Cloud Business Applications
An end-to-end solution….
23 Confidential Cloud Business Applications
DELL SERVICES
SINGLE SIGN-ON
CRM Accounting
HRMarketing
Cross-ApplicationAnalytics
Trusted Applications
SeamlessIntegration
Q & A
Cloud Business Applications24 Confidential
Cloud Business Applications
For More Information
www.techaisle.com
Cloud Business Applications25 Confidential
Tracking the Future of SMBs
www.schoolwires.com
Cloud Business Applications
www.dellcloudapplications.com
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