final thought
GO PRO
Daniel Hobson of Pulsant explains why professional services
are the key to data centre success.
I
t’s no secret that the IT
environment has changed –
and that’s not just in the way
technology is advancing. Sales
models, revenue streams
and the services themselves have
shifted dramatically, making it
increasingly difficult for service
providers to differentiate themselves
in a crowded marketplace.
During the past few years the
number of new entrants in this
market has risen dramatically, as has
the drive by organisations to expand
their portfolios with supplementary
products and services. This has
come about largely through
acquisitions, partnerships and
attracting the right talent with a
specific skill set. It is no longer
enough to be known for managed
hosting or colocation, but rather
being able to provide total solutions
and supporting technologies.
For the end user or consumer
of these services, this increased
competition is a positive thing.
Customers are more informed than
they have been in the past, armed
with solid Internet research on
different providers, their offerings,
and even their sales teams.
Shift in mindset
From consumers of IT services, there
has also been a shift in mindset.
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Technology is increasingly seen as
more of an opportunity or enabler,
and less so as a burden or necessary
evil. As a result, businesses are
changing focus towards proactively
managing IT – moving away from just
keeping the lights on and keeping
costs down.
So how does this affect the
data centre market? With a wider
selection of solutions in the
market, more competition and
better informed customers, data
centre providers need to be able
to differentiate themselves. The
ability to adopt the role of a strategic
partner and really understand what
outcomes the business is trying to
accomplish is key.
A professional services team
assists in aligning the goals of
the business to the solution that
is required. A lot of people focus
on finding a solution that fits the
current business model. However,
with the amount of variables and
fluctuation for a typical organisation
over a three or five year period
(a typical data centre contract)
it can be hard to plan for the
future. Especially a future that
may encompass anything from
organic growth and acquisitions,
to operational changes in the way
services are being delivered to
clients. Professional services fill that
gap between the organisation and its
IT by understanding the full business
strategy, factoring in the variables
and minimising the unknowns. This
ensures that the technology solution
not only fits today but throughout the
duration of the relationship.
Flexible contracts
Alongside this, flexible contracts are
becoming a useful tool for both the
supplier and the customer. The ability
for customers to gradually transform
their infrastructure throughout
the course of a contract means
organisations can become a lot
more proactive with their IT and also
quickly respond to changes in the
market. Professional services play a
key part in aligning the contracts to
prepare both parties for these kind
of relationships, resulting in smooth
transformations for all involved.
With more and more
organisations deciding to focus on
their core services rather than trying
to be an infrastructure house, the
demand for data centre services
increases. Professional services
will continue to expand accordingly,
remaining vital in building and
maintaining relationships, and
ensuring the success of the overall
customer experience – benefiting
both the end user and the data
centre provider in the long term.