Top 10 Attributes of a Cloud Service Provider Partner

What are the most important attributes of a good business partner? This was one of the questions Microsoft and 451 Research sought to find an answer to in its report released this week in conjunction with the annual Microsoft Cloud and Hosting Summit.

[See more on the research and read an interview with Aziz Benmalek, Microsoft VP of worldwide hosting & managed service providers.]

451 Research surveyed IT decision-makers on behalf of Microsoft and, among other things, asked them the most important attributes that apply to the partners their organization’s primary hosting or cloud service provider works with. Here are the top 10 attributes:

What it means for you

In a multi-cloud world, partnerships are paramount. Who you decide to partner with and who you trust has bearing on what your customers think about you and your business. It’s not a decision that should be taken lightly. Interestingly, customers are most concerned with the experience and trustworthiness of their cloud service providers’ partners, and less so concerned about the actual product or service, although that is still important. What do you consider the most important attribute in a partner? Let us know in a comment below.