The cloud is transforming business faster and more pervasively than any other technology in history. Gartner predicts that by 2020, a “corporate ‘no-cloud’ policy will be as rare as a ‘no-internet’ policy is today.

If the cloud is where tomorrow’s technology will be built, then one would assume every business and IT leader would be racing to the cloud. Yet our recent survey findings reveal that 32% of midsize companies still don’t have any plans to move mission-critical workloads to the cloud.

With the latest advancements in cloud technology, the ability to modernize for the future is easily within reach of organizations of all sizes. So why isn’t every organization capitalizing on the speed, scalability, and economic value of the cloud?

Lack of Cloud Expertise to Blame

The public cloud is not only a viable option for companies of all sizes but also the preferred path given its many benefits. However, transitioning to a cloud-first model comes with new considerations and challenges. Going at it alone is not recommended – not even by the cloud providers themselves. For this reason, Microsoft encourages midmarket organizations to engage with a Cloud Solution Provider to help guide the way.

What is a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider?

A Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) is a third-party company that offers a comprehensive cloud-based platform, allowing organizations to partner with a single provider for all their cloud strategy; licensing, road mapping, implementation, user productivity, user adoption, security, and ongoing managed services.

Moreover, dealing with a single partner allows businesses to leverage consolidated expertise in a single billing transaction. Companies who choose to transact in traditional ways tend to be left with the complexity of coordinating multi-vendor management and dealing with a lot of unknowns that end costing an organization time and money down the line.

Why Should My Company Leverage a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider?

Cloud adoption requires the utmost care in planning and deployment and is certain to provide long-term advantages for your business. CSP offerings can help midmarket organizations through the process of planning and deployment using a dynamic set of practices in a controlled approach. Here are a few of the top benefits of working with a CSP:

Cost Savings

The first major benefit of using a CSP is the cost-savings and stability you can expect. Outsourcing not only lifts the burden of finding and hiring dedicated expertise in-house, but there are discounts and rebates that a CSP can pass onto their customer as well. Additionally, the cloud offers applications and computing at a monthly cost that is predictable and flexible, which significantly reduces the capital expenditures of on-premises equipment and maintenance.

Centralized Services & Disaster Recovery

Using a CSP means that you have a stack of centralized services and disaster recovery solutions at your fingertips. No matter where your business takes you, the cloud makes it possible to access your information from anywhere, offering amazing collaboration and continuity. With 99.9% availability in Azure, you’re also able to significantly reduce the risk of downtime.

Support & Microsoft Interfacing

Lastly, when you choose a CSP, you get Microsoft’s support and interfacing. CSPs work closely with Microsoft support to ensure the best customer service is delivered you. You’ll benefit from faster answers and resolutions, which ultimately leads to a better experience for your customers. In addition, CSPs are aware of upcoming changes before most, which gives you the leg up on the competition.

The Bottom Line on CSPs

Microsoft is shifting away from individual service and is largely encouraging companies to work with CSPs. CSPs can enable your organization to make the transition to the cloud, keep your customers happy, and have a seamless experience along the way. At BDO Digital, we work with clients at every stage of their cloud adoption journey. If you’d like to learn more about how a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider can help you along your journey, contact us to discuss your unique needs and requirements.