Cloud services: 5 things to consider when choosing a cloud service provider

Cloud computing and digitalization is not a technology project

Cloud services and digitalization are actually very little about technology and more about communication, organization and business models. The transformation, where IT has gone from being a support function to becoming an important part of business development, places completely new demands on suppliers in terms of understanding the business. Choose a supplier who shows interest in your business and its processes and who can translate technology and new cloud services into business benefits and competitiveness.

You get good at what you focus on

Just like in sports, the more you practice something, the better you become in other contexts. However, if your partner has a completely different focus, the collaboration will probably not develop in the right direction. The supplier who still sees IT as a support function with a focus on operating servers will not be best suited to implement business support solutions with a focus on business benefits and competitiveness. Look for a provider that has cloud services in focus and shares your view of the future of IT. Read their blog posts, they usually give good indications of where the supplier's main focus and knowledge lies. Book a meeting with those you find interesting.

Not all knowledge can be read

Certificates and documented knowledge are of course not unimportant when choosing a cloud service provider, but it is difficult to read everything. Some knowledge simply requires experience. With this in mind, it is important that the cloud service provider you choose has the right experience to take on your particular project. This can be ensured by having the provider talk about how they have worked on similar projects, what it has meant for the customer and what lessons they have learned from those projects. It is also important that the supplier itself works in the cloud service solution they sell. This creates invaluable knowledge that you as a customer can take advantage of. Also ask the supplier to demonstrate the cloud services you are interested in.

Consume cloud services like you consume electricity

A major advantage of modern cloud computing is the ability to consume IT like electricity - that is, you pay for what you use. Cloud services provide the ability to scale the solution both in terms of the number of users and performance. Make sure the provider has modern contractual arrangements that do not limit the scalability of cloud services.

Proactivity and quality assurance

Cloud services provide continuous access to new features that create new opportunities for competitiveness. As an end customer, it is not easy to be aware of all these possibilities. Look for a supplier who works proactively and has a long-term strategy for your environment, where news is continuously presented to you as a customer with a focus on the business benefits they contribute. Let the supplier also tell you about how they work to ensure the quality of their work.

We hope that this guidance is helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!