Advisory services: Businesses turn to brokers to get more from the cloud

The Financial Times

...Companies want brokers to help them get more out of their disparate cloud software programmes. Mr Nucci says: "To do any analysis on these services you need to integrate them. Let's say you want to analyse whether your hiring strategy is working. You need to touch at least three or four different systems, including human resources and payroll."

The trouble is, the cloud-based human resources system will not necessarily talk to your in-house payroll programme, without either some complex internal engineering or the help of an external expert.

Such help is not cheap. Appirio says companies can pay between $10,000 and single-digit millions for help in making the transition and in running the cloud system subsequently.

However, Chris Barbin, chief executive at Appirio, says this is less than companies would have spent in the past on IT contractors who would spend three to five years designing an IT transformation project that would often fail. The results of transferring IT to the cloud are quicker and come in increments that can be tested along the way. Changes, even at big companies, can be made in four to six weeks or less...

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