Migrating to the cloud is a bit like furnishing a new house.
It’s exciting. There are so many options. And about halfway through, you realize you’re spending way more on your cloud costs than you expected.
Take five. Give yourself room to breathe. Here’s what cloud cost optimization looks like in real terms.
1. Finding a Reputable Partner
Here’s where it all starts.
The fact is that while many cloud partners are great at upgrading your infrastructure, they’re also really good at helping you spend money while doing it.
Proper cloud cost management is a goal in itself – not something you should have to do after you’ve already signed the contract.
A reputable partner won’t lure you into investing more than you can afford before “helping” you find ways to save money. A good partner will be assessing how you can save money from the moment you get in touch.
It’s a subtle difference that saves thousands. If the first thing you hear from a prospective cost optimization partner is about their product rather than about your budget, that’s a warning sign.
2. Reviewing Your Spend
Let’s assume you’ve chosen a good partner. This is their first step.
A trustworthy partner will take a forensic approach to your current cloud spend. They’ll assess how well your systems fit your operations – have you bought into more space than you need? Do you have two different applications doing the same job?
A frank, honest analysis is what every company needs. Fewer companies than you’d think have access to it.
Take the review process seriously. If you realize that you’ve been sold a service you don’t need, that’s fine – don’t take it to heart. Adjust and improve.
3. Considering Your Options
The next step is to choose cloud services that really suit your company’s needs.
Flexibility is key. It saves your business money in areas where you don’t need to be spending heavily.
It also makes you scalable. Being able to increase volume to meet demand is a feature of any successful digital business. This is especially true for e-commerce operations; you’ll inevitably run into that first “major test” where you either sink or swim.
It’s worth preparing for that moment. A reputable partner can help you with that.
4. Deployment
The next step is to deploy and test.
A great cloud optimization partner will provide comprehensive analytics showing how your new service is an improvement over what you had before. If there’s no change, or if the results aren’t as expected, you should expect their immediate attention.
Any good company stands by its product when it knows that it’s good. Top companies make the difference by paying constant attention to how their product is performing and ensuring their customers are 100% satisfied at all times.
5. Continually Optimizing Your Cloud Spend
That same personalized attention will be an ongoing feature of your relationship.
You’ll see rapid savings in your cloud budget. You’ll also have a dedicated team working to ensure that you make more savings wherever possible.
A first-class cloud cost optimization partner understands that their work is never done. There are always more opportunities for greater flexibility and better service.
Again – it’s what you deserve.
Wrapping Up
Finding a trustworthy cloud service provider doesn’t have to be a headache. It starts with asking the right questions as soon as you book that initial call.
A reputable partner will walk you through these steps and give you detailed, evidence-based answers to your questions. Never be afraid to ask – and you’ll get the answers you need to take your business to the next level.
