Rising customer interest and adoption of Cloud-based alternatives is forcing tech companies to offer cloud services to satisfy their customers’ changing demands.
Editor’s Note: Over the next few weeks leading up to the 2014 NexGen Cloud Conference, we will be publishing exclusive interviews with many of the speakers scheduled to appear. We have prepared six questions for each speaker related to the cloud and cloud services for solution providers, and each speaker has been generous enough to share their answers with us and our blog readers.
Below is the fourth interview in our series featuring Jeff Kaplan of THINKstrategies. Links to the other interviews in the series are included at the bottom.
Meet The Speaker
Name: Jeff Kaplan- Title/Company: Managing Director, THINKstrategies
- Session Topic: Cloud Vendor Executive Panel: Leading Vendors Discuss The Cloud’s Impact On The Partner Ecosystem
- Date And Time: Thursday, Dec. 4 from 10:30a – 11:15a PDT
- LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/pub/jeffrey-kaplan/0/39a/878
1. Why is it so important for tech companies to embrace the cloud?
Rising customer interest and adoption of Cloud-based alternatives is forcing tech companies to offer cloud services to satisfy their customers’ changing demands. Cloud-based solutions are not only easier for customers to implement and utilize, they are also easier for tech companies to deliver and manage. But, more importantly, tech companies that provide Cloud services are able to monitor how their customers are utilizing their solutions which enables them to better meet their needs, improve customer loyalty and gain a competitive advantage.
2. How do consulting services provided by THINKstrategies accelerate the future of the cloud for today’s businesses?
THINKstrategies provides strategic consulting services which help enterprise decision-makers, tech companies and software vendors, as well as investors better understand the business implications of the shift of products and services to the Cloud, and how they can capitalize on this trend to achieve their business objectives.
3. Which of the six pillars of the cloud should service providers be most concerned with adding to their portfolio?
Because no company can provide all the Cloud services and skills necessary to satisfy their customers’ needs, successful Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) will establish a partner ecosystem which encompasses all six of the categories outlined in the pillars. Creating this type of partner network is essential to satisfy the wide array of needs facing businesses today.
4. What partners have been instrumental in helping your business take its steps forward with cloud technology?
THINKstrategies works with a network of highly specialized consulting firms to address the technical and management issues facing our clients.
5. What excites you the most about the NexGen Cloud Conference? Why did you decide to get involved?
THINKstrategies is teaming with the Channel Company to co-locate our mutual events in San Diego to meet the needs of our mutual audiences. THINKstrategies’ fourth annual Cloud Channel Summit on Wednesday, December 3, will provide an intimate environment for senior executives to share best practices regarding how to build successful partnerships in the Cloud. THINKstrategies and many of the companies participating in the Cloud Channel Summit will also be a part of the NexGen Cloud Conference & Expo helping channel companies better understand how to build successful Cloud businesses.
6. Can you give me a preview of what attendees are going to learn about when they attend your session about the cloud’s impact on the partner ecosystem at NexGen?
The session I’m moderating will help attendees better understand how the key players in the tech industry supply-chain are evolving to respond to the changing market demands of the Cloud. Attendees will also learn how these companies are helping VARs, SIs, MSPs and other IT solution providers transform their business models to deliver Cloud services.
Get Answers To The ’6 ?’s Of The Cloud’ From More NexGen Cloud Con Speakers:
To register for the NexGen Cloud Conference, please visit nexgencloudcon.com. Click here to view the full list of speakers scheduled to appear at the conference.
