By Michael Brown 1

As MSPs it’s important to know where the market is heading and what type of forecasts are out there. This will help you better hone your search for new clients as well as provide better service to the existing ones. This article over at Forbes is jam-packed with Cloud Forecasts and Market Estimates for the upcoming year. Whether you are looking to join the cloud-based file sharing market or something else, the information is here. Statistics are based on a study by IBM of 1,600 conversations with CIOs from 70 countries and 20 industries worldwide. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights:

Interest in and use of cloud computing has doubled since 2009 – In 2009 about 30 percent of CIOs were focusing on exploring cloud computing technologies. That number is 64 percent today. And growing.

Cloud related tech spending is forecast to triple from 2011 to 2017. That number shows astonishing growth in cloud spending. By 2017 total spending could be $235 billion. And not only that but 42 percent of C-level execs are increasing their investments in cloud computing over the next year.

67 percent of CIOs are investigating how cloud technology can better serve and collaborate with customers.

CIOs' new focus on the customer – The majority of CIOs are now focusing on improving the customer experience and getting closer to customers via cloud computing, social networking, and mobility tools. The goal has now become to truly give customers access around the clock via multiple digital services.

Everyone is going mobile – Mobile solutions and technologies are being considered by 84 percent of CIOs. So maybe it is not everyone, but it sure is close and will only continue to grow.

Application platform as a service is still on the rise, and Salesforce.com is the largest provider. “Salesforce continues to accelerate the pace of innovation in the enterprise platform market with the Salesforce1 platform, which includes SDKs and API libraries specifically for mobile”.

Cloud applications currently account for 82 percent of all mobile data traffic, but that number will jump to 90 percent in the next 5 years. Mobility is also the third highest technology rated for potential positive return on Investment.

These are only a few of the impressive numbers the article shares about the growth of cloud-based computing and mobile tech for companies. MSPs will be looking heavily into services that will help their clients attain these goals and expand their reach.  “Eight-eight percent of C-suite and VP-level respondents to the survey believe that companies who do not embrace digitally-based strategies will lose their competitive position and face extinction.”  No company wants that.

Do you agree? As an MSP what are your current focuses and goals for the upcoming year? Be sure to share in the comments below.