Leverage CSP

Introduction

WPC2016 has ended. From 35°C in Toronto back to 25°C in The Netherlands. It has been an intense and fantastic few days. What have we noticed over the past few days in Toronto? Speaking of climate. In particular, I think the general climate change within Microsoft.

Changes at Microsoft

Besides the drive to grow, as usual, Microsoft's biggest change is to open up to partnering and be a connecting hub. From a technical point of view: opening up their solution towards Apple and Oracle's technologies. From an organisational point of view: supporting systems of direct or indirect partners. For these partners, it is of great value that they can connect with each other and with Microsoft. By adopting this open attitude, Microsoft will experience even faster growth, the same goes for their partners.

CloudBilling and CSP partners

CloudBilling experienced this week as great. We had several meetings and conversations with CSP partners about the CSP business and how you need to have your basics in order if you want to maximise your CSP revenue. To achieve this, CSP partners need to work hard in three areas:

- Commercial: defining a go-to-market strategy with cloud solutions and cloud sales
- Operational: the ability to deliver and manage CSP services
- Financial: being able to pass on usage-based CSP services

CloudBilling focuses on the latter point. Last week in Toronto, it was reaffirmed for us that this is a pain point for CSP partners. We had conversations with large and not so large partners from different countries and all of them are on the eve of making the transition to a Cloud Solutions organisation.

We are able to help them address the key issue: creating billing hygiene, getting the basics right. But where we can really make a difference longer term in the CSP market are the insights we deliver into the financial dynamics of your cloud business and the ability to act accordingly. Imagine all the things you could do with all the revenue and margin data we collect in real time.

For now, we look back on the past week in Toronto with full satisfaction. Besides the number of meetings and interesting conversations we had, we mainly had a lot of fun.