As the adoption of cloud technologies continues to grow, we look at how organisations first dip their toe into the murky waters that is cloud technology. Back in 2007, we first made our forage into cloud technology by trial and error, and fortunately we have not looked back.
Among the key decisions behind the technology we opted for was security, ease of use, cost and how quickly we could implement across our organisation. But with so many various options on the market, how could we make the right decision for us? The answer was simple…we asked for a trial from the service provider.
It would seem this method of search and selection is proving very popular, as according to a recent survey by CIF (Cloud Industry Forum), it showed around 59% of organisations are opting for a trial of services before making a long term commitment.
Lee Durrant, Director at Resource On Demand said “Trials are essential in understanding how the technology can impact your business, create efficiency and promote user adoption. Sadly many trials fall short, in that the trial version you get to test out, only allows you a sneak peek at what is on offer, without the ability to test drive all versions and make proper comparisons”.
With this in mind, those service providers who send out ‘vanilla’ versions of their product, without any real conviction in understanding what the company is looking to gain from using their product, might wish to think again. Approximately 50% of companies looking to implement cloud following a trial will need assistance, with only 16% opting to implement themselves. So, for those lacking in the know-how to get the best from the product or self-implement, could this be a huge turn off.
Durrant went on to say “Understanding the companies needs and creating a trial experience that is unique to them, that will enable them to explore the product fully and better understand its capabilities, will certainly decrease the loss of a sale at the end of the trial period and reduce the risk of them trialing products elsewhere.
We live in an age where ‘try before you buy’ is all the rage. Think Lovefilm; Virgin Wines; Norton Security; the list goes on. This is now extending to the technologies we are looking to adopt. The key for the service provider is getting the balance right between a trial that is applicable to the business without investing too much for what could be no return”.