A new superhero has arrived: Microsoft’s Cloud Power!

With the growth curve for cloud computing practically vertical and set to remain so in 2011, what will happen to the traditional channel sales model?

There are significant channel players who fear they will lose out from the growing demand for cloud solutions. However, the reverse may be true, despite the disappearance of the traditional supply chain. The fact is that cloud computing will create new service-led opportunities for the channel to generate income and help retain their existing customer base. However, change will be necessary and vendors will have to help their partners migrate to a new business model. They’ll need to provide cross-selling and up-selling education and collateral.

Services-to-product-resale revenue ratios for partners will go up in line with the increasing number of cloud computing solutions on offer as partners become less involved in architectural design and implementation and more with managed services consultancy and support contracts.

In this unfamiliar world, channel partners will require new tools and certification programs. Vendor cloud objectives will need to be translated into profitable and relevant propositions on which they can thrive. They’re going to need a lot of reassurance. Are you ready to help them?