Connect. Transact. Profit.
Lessons Learned:
5 Reasons Cloud is CFO Friendly
“Cloud Computing”
• According to Gartner cloud computing is “a style of computing where massively scalable IT-related capabilities are provided ‘as a service’ across the Internet to multiple external customers.”
• According to Wikipedia - A style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them.
• The concept incorporates infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) as well as Web 2.0 and other recent (ca. 2007–2009) technology trends that have the common theme of reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users.
5 Reasons Cloud is CFO Friendly
1. Better cash flow: Pay-as-you-go model, instead of heavy up-front investment
2. Operating expense flexibility: A cloud expense can be scaled up as business needs arise, or dialed down
3. Minimal risk: Eliminates extensive contracts and on-premise implementations that can go unused and never achieve ROI. With cloud, you only pay for what you use
4. Fewer unexpected surprises: Cloud providers can tell you how much a process or solution will cost
5. Better return on assets: Cost is incurred at time of usage, enabling rapid ROI and ROA
TradeCard’s Case Study
TradeCard IT by the Numbers
TradeCard is a Global Organization
Roughly 50% of workforce based overseas.
Employees 220
Countries 6
Locations 7
IT Service Availability
>99.9%
IT Staff 4
IT Budget <2% of revenue
Netsuite Project & Benefits
Consolidated multiple back office systems across multiple subsidiaries and locations• Oracle financials• SAP• Excel• SalesForce.com• Clockware
Significantly improved enterprise business intelligence and reporting• provided visibility to core metrics by providing real-time
dashboards and reports• reduced time required to compile board level reports by
almost 80% (2-3 week process reduced to less than one week)
Netsuite Project & Benefits
Reduced expenses by 60%• eliminated or reassigned 3 FTE• eliminated costs associated with maintaining internal
infrastructure, licensing, and support.
Improved service delivery• increased availability• improved and simplified accessibility• reduced complexity
Streamlined multiple core business processes by
leveraging new platform
Netsuite Project Challenges
Departmental processes• Difficult to train and maintain
departmental SME• IT ultimately responsible
Adoption• Change is ALWAYS difficult.• Periodic process/application review
is key.• Training is critical.
Netsuite Project Challenges
Change Management• Top Level Buy In is crucial• IT cannot drive corporate change – must
partner with key stakeholders.
Licensing/Modules• Difficult to fully understand prior to
implementation• Negotiate future increases as part of initial
contract.
Today’s Satellite Office Infrastructure
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Shenzhen
Sri Lanka
ADDNSDHCPFile ServeBackup
ADDNSDHCPFile ServeBackup
ADDNSDHCPFile ServeBackup
ADDNSDHCPFile ServeBackup
ADDNSDHCPFile ServeBackup
IT Current Role
Has evolved from a cost center to a strategic business partner• Support Growth• Align with corporate direction• Foster Innovation
Optimize service delivery
• Increase functionality• Improve availability• Lower Operating Costs• Reduce Risk
AvailabilityFunctionalityProductivity
CostRiskComplexity
TradeCard Walking the Walk
Netsuite – ERP - Financials, CRM, SFA, HR
Google Apps – Enterprise Collaboration - Google Docs, Sites
Hosted Microsoft Exchange – Email, Calendar
Contactual – Contact Center – IVR, Voice, Chat
Current Cloud Solutions
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