Accenture's Glenn Heppell tells Telecom Asia how vertical services allow telcos to differentiate their cloud offerings on business-oriented solutions as opposed to core infrastructure
Telecom Asia: What are the strengths of targeting specific verticals with a tailored cloud service?
Glenn Heppell: Companies are well aware of the significant benefits that cloud computing-based services and technologies can deliver to organizations of all sizes in every sector. The momentum around cloud computing continues to drive adoption, and the next promising opportunities lie in developing new markets and services tailored to specific industries such as health care, transportation and banking. To date, these opportunities have been largely untapped.
Vertical services allow service providers to differentiate their cloud offerings on business-oriented solutions as opposed to core infrastructure. Increased relevancy through vertical solutions allows service providers to shift the conversation to one centered around business value rather than pure cost avoidance.
How does a telco determine which verticals to go after?
Cloud services are an attractive way to help organizations reduce costs, enhance scalability, increase implementation speed, and improve applications and business processes. However, its value becomes even greater as a way to launch new services and new businesses in new markets. We anticipate the demand for market-specific, cloud-enabled services that are unique to verticals will continue on a strong upward trajectory. Today, there are several examples of emerging industries that are tapping into the benefits of moving processes and costs to the cloud. Determining where to start begins with sizing up the relevant local market opportunity and growth areas - typically those industries that are naturally in a state of disruption or transformation. This is then overlaid with where the service provider has the best value proposition, considering their position in the market and ability to deliver services to that vertical.
Growth in data volumes is driving organizations to rethink their approaches to data management, and opportunities to scale in the cloud. Cloud opportunities are rampant among industries encumbered with massive data volume growth. Although data growth is germane across industries, customers are in search of industry relevant solutions to suit their specific needs.