Providers of software for companies are moving closer to their customers—whether they want to or not—thanks to cloud computing. The greatest challenge for manufacturers of enterprise software in the paradigm shift towards the cloud is offering a convincing customer experience. The days of abysmally poor releases and mediocre customer service are over, recognize the consultants at Bain and Company in a current study.
Customer experience is what matters
In the past, customer experience did not carry the weight it deserved with manufacturers. “If the software or hardware had been installed and was up and running, most users cringed at the thought of changing providers because of the cost and effort involved, even if the technology did not meet their expectations,” write authors Chris Brahm, James Dixon, and Rob Markey.
The cloud is changing procurement processes and expectations
Cloud computing has fundamentally changed processes, including IT procurement processes. Where once only the IT manager would make purchasing decisions, now there are many more people involved in the decision-making process, in particular those on the business side of the company (what happens when developers suddenly start ordering software is explained by Martin Casado, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz). At the same time, continues Bain, the expectations placed on manufacturers are changing. Customers now expect functionality and availability around the clock (24/7), and for many, providing this means taking on a completely new role.
Retarus has been close to its customers since 1992
This is not the case for Retarus, who has always offered more than simply software via the cloud delivery model by providing managed services right from the start. Customer experience and availability in the world of outsourcing has always decided the outcome of this battle. With its own data centers filled with carrier-grade equipment, a global delivery network with active carrier management, and resilient systems (that is, the entire IT infrastructure is designed to offer high availability and high load capacity), Retarus is committed to transparency and sustainability when it comes to its customers, and that is why some of its business relationships go all the way back to 1992, the year the company was founded.
