Tips for getting executive buy-in for cloud migration

Zennify Team

Cloud migration – moving data, applications, and other business processes from on-premises servers to a cloud-based infrastructure – is one of the most common forms of digital transformation in business today.

Cloud-based platforms and infrastructure offer improved efficiency, scalability, cost savings, and enhanced security. However, getting executive buy-in is one of the most significant challenges many businesses face when migrating to the cloud due to its perceived risks, challenges, and potential for disruption or downtime.

In this article, we will discuss our tips for getting buy-in for cloud migration from your team, including how to address concerns and some best practices for sharing the key benefits with all stakeholders.

Addressing executives' concerns

Executives can perceive cloud migration risks in many ways, which can lead to hesitancy about making the move. Below are some of the most common concerns we’ve found decision-makers tend to have.

‍Cloud Migration Cost - One of the primary concerns executives have about cloud migration is the cost. Because of the one-time fees associated with the initial migration, the process can be perceived as expensive and not be worth the investment. In reality, cloud infrastructure typically saves costs in the long run since there’s no need for legacy, on-premises hardware, no inherent maintenance costs, and many platforms and systems themselves offer flexible ongoing payment options or usage-based pricing that scales up and down on demand.

‍Cloud Migration Timeline - Executives are also often concerned about how long it will take to migrate complex, mission-critical data and infrastructure to the cloud, or that it will disrupt operations or take too much time away from employees' daily tasks. To address this concern, our delivery teams work in lockstep with our clients on a detailed migration plan including a timeline for deliverables and regular communication throughout the engagement.‍

Reduced Human Touchpoints - Another concern that executives and other stakeholders often have is the potential for automation to displace employees, either outright or due to the fact that existing employees may need to learn new processes or methodologies to work with cloud technologies. In reality, more often than not, cloud platforms and their automation capabilities simply enhance human work, reducing redundant medial tasks and cutting down on errors, and allowing employees to focus on more important tasks.

Cloud migration benefits

Once our clients’ chief concerns have been alleviated, many major benefits of cloud migration often start to come into focus. A few of the most beneficial outcomes include:

‍Enabling Growth and Scalability - To stay on the leading edge of an ever-changing technology landscape, companies must evolve to continue to compete and allow themselves to scale. Moving to the cloud can offer improved scalability, flexibility, and efficiency, allowing your organization to grow and expand operations.

‍Increased Organization, Consistency, and Collaboration – Using cloud technologies to create simpler and easier-to-follow processes can lead to increase organization, consistency, and collaboration. Not to mention, in today’s landscape of distributed teams, cloud infrastructure offers convenience for employees working remotely, and all departments can collaborate and view key data.

‍Reducing Costs – Since many platforms allow your organization to pay only for your specific usage, your costs will scale with your needs in real time. Our partnerships with best-in-class cloud providers and expertise in helping our clients select the infrastructure that best fits their needs allows you to compare cloud costs to your current systems quickly.

‍Enhanced Security - Storing data in the cloud bolsters security for sensitive data. Cyberattacks, ransomware, and other types of cyber threats are becoming more prevalent, and the cloud offers advanced security measures that can help protect your business from a myriad of bad actors.

‍Get in touch to learn more about how we can help your organization continue down the path of digital transformation.