MSPs: 6 Ways to Ease Client Pains and Boost Cloud Adoption

Adir Cohen

Managed service providers (MSPs) who want to take advantage of the cloud face a paradox. On the one hand, Gartner forecasts the global public cloud services market to grow 17.5% in 2019 (from $182.4 billion in 2018 to $214.3 billion last year), with cloud system infrastructure services (IaaS) predicted to be the fastest-growing market segment.

And although most businesses have embraced the cloud, skeptics remain, especially among smaller businesses. For MSPs who stand to profit by offering consumption-based pricing models as well as assistance in cloud deployment, migration and support and other supplementary services, the challenge is clear. It’s about building confidence.

Replace these common client doubts with confidence-building steps:

Client pain: Moving to cloud is overwhelming and uncertain. Most clients would adopt new technology that will move their businesses ahead. But they’re fearful that there’s no way back if the company needs to change after they’ve moved their data and applications to the cloud; or that it will be difficult for them to change providers should the one they’ve selected no longer best serve their needs.

• MSP Solution: Take cloud migration slow and easy. Encourage clients to adopt a hybrid approach. Clients can move at their pace, switching to the cloud one service at a time. For example, they can start small by moving only their email services; they can then sample the advantages of cloud without being overwhelmed by a complete and total migration.

Client pain: Moving to cloud is unnecessary. Some clients already know about the benefits of cloud but because of their reluctance to change and to fix what isn’t broken, they’re still sitting on the fence. While MSPs understand cloud technology from top to bottom, they may have problems successfully selling it.

• MSP solution: Here are cloud benefits tailored to your needs. Before you make your sales pitch, anticipate potential objections and be equipped to respond to them. While cloud isn’t for everyone, inaccurate perceptions may stop your clients from making an advantageous business move. Make sure they have all the facts on hand so that they can make an informed decision. Be ready to hear them out, identify their pains and worries, and match your solutions to their concerns. The top client objections include cost, data security, compliance readiness, remote team access, and the seemingly insurmountable task of moving all legacy apps to cloud. Address their concerns directly and present the advantages of cloud migration: faster apps/services deployment times, enhanced security, simplified infrastructure, reduced operational costs, improved collaboration and more.

Client pain: Moving to cloud is costly. For many businesses not yet on cloud, it’s an unknown factor; and many would prefer to spend money to upgrade existing on-premise hardware than invest in something they consider having no proof of concept. Most likely, your cloud solution will more than meet their budget forecast. It’s certainly better than investing in maintaining and renewing aging IT infrastructure.

• MSP solution: Cloud offers financial gains. Explain the significant savings coming from lower operating costs. Their physical server costs money even when they’re idle, so sharing cloud infrastructure with other organizations allows them to pay only for your workload demands; lower energy costs without their own underutilized data center; lower staffing budgets and benefit from a more streamlined workforce; ensures no upfront investments; and requires no purchase of redundant or spare hardware. Moreover, most MSPs offer various pricing models tailored to client requirements, including per user; tiered bundles; and a la carte for more flexibility and customization.

Client pain: Moving to cloud is risky. Companies working with sensitive data may regularly perform backups or invest in security solutions, thinking this is enough to protect data in their …