Are Cloud Users experiencing Buyer’s Remorse?

Cloud adoption has been on the steady rise for several years now; there is now a large customer base in the cloud ranging from individual users to enterprise level companies. With this large user base now established we are moving into part two of any products adoption pattern, buyer’s remorse.  No matter how great a product may seem there will always be situations and circumstances where it just doesn't live up to the expectations, and in some cases this is what we are seeing with the cloud.

According to a study from Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) the main complaint that surrounds the cloud is confusion. The survey of 415 executives found continued support and interest in cloud computing but a lot of confusion as to the options and services available to them. Executives simply don’t have the technological expertise to understand the different pricing models and operational stat sheets that surround these cloud offerings.

When asked about their future cloud strategies 60% showed an interest in adding cloud vendors, 25% plan to switch vendors and another 20% plan to eliminate cloud providers dude to security, cost, compliance or complexity issues. With that being said we put together the top 4 reasons (according to this study) why cloud users are experiencing buyer’s remorse, and what they are demanding from their cloud providers.

1. Pricing: Confusion over pricing is the primary reason why executives are apprehensive about moving to the cloud. Pricing can be a difficult thing to handle in the cloud, there are many variables that go into how a price is determined, and as these pricing strategies change it is the customer that bears the brunt of the confusion. In the end executives are struggling to understand where their money is going, making it much more difficult for them to meet their cost objectives.
2. Management:  IT departments are having trouble with the management and migration into the cloud. Cloud providers need to acknowledge that the cloud is a new platform that IT departments need to manage. They can ease that transition by providing familiar metrics, easy-to-use portals and easy to understand, sharable reports.
3. Support: After businesses move to MSPs and cloud providers they expect high quality levels of support, yet many are finding that this support is not provided. More frequently customers are growing agitated that the support they want is not included in their subscription package, or they struggle to get someone with the knowledge to help with their problem.  It is the cloud provider’s responsibility to provide effective support as well an efficient method to deliver it. However, with that said it is also the consumer’s responsibility to make sure that your cloud provider has these processes in place, and that the support you need is included in your subscription.
4. Services: It is important for cloud users to understand their own strengths and limitations. If you have disaster recovery under control but that lack the expertise to onboard effectively then make sure your cloud provider reflects those needs and can provide the expert knowledge that you may fall short on.

In the end cloud computing is purely a service; it is made possible from a cloud provider’s server room. It requires expert knowledge, proactive management and constant monitoring. The name itself can be misleading but the cloud is merely IT as a service, consumers as well as providers need to acknowledge this and keep in mind that it all boils down to providing a quality service for the end user.

Written By: Sam Watkinson
Marketing Associate TOSS C³

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