Transitioning your company’s services to into a cloud environment can be challenge for any company. For everything positive about the cloud, like cost savings and ease of use, there’s some potential problems in terms of security and data loss. This move can be a disruption but if it is done right it can redefine a company by boosting morale and productivity. A flawless migration is not easy though and companies need to do their homework.
Shane O’Neill, a senior writer at CIO.com, spoke with Microsoft Online Services VP Ron Markezich who highlighted a couple of large BPOS (business productivity online suite) customers like Coca-Cola and GlaxoSmithKline that were able to pull off such a move. In his CIO.com article, “Productivity Tools in the Cloud: Real World Best Practices,” O’Neill and Markezich give us three cloud deployment best practices based on their experiences.
1) Launch SharePoint Online with a New Company Portal
Markezich recommends creating a portal in Sharepoint (like an Intranet) and launch that at the same time the company launches Sharepoint Online. This cuts down on the learning curve and gets people familiar with the new systems relatively quickly. This gives the company’s older technology a swift kick out the door and now everybody’s on the same page, a new page with new technology.
2) Convince CEO the Cloud Is the New World
The key to implementing any new technology is ultimately getting approval from management. Convincing the CEO that the company’s current productivity tools are outdated is a good first step. Perhaps tell them a change of culture is needed. With the CEO behind the movement the chances for success are greatly improved. For example, at GlaxoSmithKline, Markezich says “They made it a business and culture initiative instead of just an IT initiative.” He also adds though without the CEO’s backing the movement never would have worked.
3) Give the Company an Identity
Markezich cites Coca-Cola Enterprises for this next practice. They had an interesting dilemma. While Coca-Cola is obviously a well known brand, Coca-Cola Enterprises was only partially owned by The Coca-Cola Company and based in a separate location. Therefore many of their employees experienced an identity crisis of sorts. To solve this problem, the CMO used email and social networking tools associated with the BPOS to create more brand awareness and at the same time an identity for her employees. This connected everyone, from warehouse workers and truck drivers to people in the offices.
To read Shane’s article and watch video of his interview with Microsoft Online Services VP Ron Markezich click HERE.
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