highlighted in this January 2 nd year that Citrix Summit devoted an entire track Citrix service provider -. and 2 nd year I hosted a panel to explain why managed service provider of hosted workspaces are usually the more to differentiate them and focus on success
service providers can debate that taking a vertical approach seems counterintuitive - provided that many entrepreneurs would shudder to think consciously business turn-off if it does not fit a narrow model. But our point was simple panels :. With narrower focus often comes higher margins, more effective sales / marketing, and repetitive Business
My session work focused on the following advantages
- Vertical positioning enables service providers distinguished services - industry expertise keeps service provider before commoditization pressure can provide
- verticalized services higher margins - deep industry knowledge will be a premium charge
- Vertical specialization simplified demand generation command - allows more attention with improved response rates
- Vertical focus lead to discussions with C-level executives - better to the suppliers with their clients' business strategy align
Successful service Share vertical consulting
presented this year's Citrix Summit panel four hosted services entrepreneurs who spoke openly about their vertical experiences:
- Gary Feldman, CEO I -Business Network - focused on the accounting and ERP
- MIke McWilliams, Managing Director, 3t Systems - to the health sector focused
- Erik van Laar, director, Multrix - focused at retail, accounting & Education
- Byron Patrick, CEO and co-founder, Simplified Innovations, Inc. - focused on auditor
These people were successful Citrix service provider partner, I knew ... but for the most part, I would never probed about their corporate strategy, or asked what she was doing, she did successfully. So it was a really open and out-in-the-open conversation
The Panel Divided Vertical advice from a variety of subjects .:
- Have you verticalize on " Day 1"? How / when did this vertical?
- How vertical focus marketing has helped margins, etc.
- What are your top host? apps
- How do you go-to-market: How do you sell, what are your messages, what are your options
- You have compete for money? What do you charge for your service (s)?
- Outside of technology, what you have to excel in the chosen verticals?
- What is your competitive advantage?
- War stories about failures? Lessons learned?
What we heard
The panel discussion was broad. But the results are looking for any service provider in hosting applications to surpass desktop PCs or entire workspaces:
- to specialize, you need to acquire expertise vertical object - agreed virtually all hosted workspace Panelist success in a given market specific market expertise required: in the form of personnel . And that could not be easily acquired through market research. The key was to build a staff - especially for marketing and retailers - who understood the specific character, slang, regulatory issues, etc. of a particular market. The construction of this expertise was crucial to internalize not only for the credibility, but also to the needs of the market served
- No, we do not worry Amazon . The service provider panel briefly discussed is the Amazon platform game with commodity IaaS and "naked" desktops targeting. Nobody expected on the plate that AWS to track in any way, would try to "business ready" to create desktop or hosted workspaces. Creating always available, specialized vertical hosted workspaces appear the domain from partners such as Citrix Service Provider remain, add the specified value, customer knowledge and service
- After a handful of customers, you pretty much know what apps important to , "which are the main applications for each vertical:" When desktops and workspaces hosting, a big question on people's minds is always the consensus was that things pretty much repeated after the first 3-4 customers become the top applications show up, and you know what to expect when you go to your next engagement.
- 1, 2 or 3. Never 10 . When specialized, how many industries is the right number? The purpose was the panelists was that easy to be perceived in 1 or 2, maybe 3. But to exceed much more than that and you lose focus, it is difficult to market yourself, and start as a generalist.
- to know a vertical center, to know where the customers are . In other words, if you are focused on a specific industry, then you would know better, including relevant industry associations, technology special-interest groups, trade shows, magazines and websites.
- Failure takes the form of "sure we can do that" - the sage advice given by one of the panelists ... do not fall into the trap of customized for each customer / contract work to do. Pretty soon projects tend to lose profitability and reproducibility. The most profitable hosted workspace businesses revolve around a core set of services and accept only minor adjustments - generally have to do with the integration of specific applications and workflow
If you are a service provider and found to have. these ideas work - or have suggestions, I would listen to secure more from you in the comments
Related Links
- More information about the Provider Program Citrix Service
- Find a Citrix service provider with our partner locator
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