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Infratel Unveils Top 4 Predictions for Web Hosting & Cloud Service Providers in 2013
SEATTLE, WA, Dec 18, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
Infratel, the provider of the MightyCall platform for small
business virtual phone applications, today announced its top four
predictions for web hosting and cloud service providers in 2013. CEO
Bryan Goode expects hosters and cloud service providers to leverage
their position as a trusted resource to small businesses by offering
a collection of services to subscribers. These related adjunct
services support the provider's need to increase average revenue per
user (ARPU) and reduce customer churn.
"In 2013, we will see the service provider's role as a trusted
advisor play a key role in fueling the adoption of cloud services and
small business IT spending," said Goode. "This driving factor will
present an opportunity in the hosting and cloud services market,
where the expertise and convenience of working through a third-party
will benefit small businesses in spades."
According to AMI Research, SMBs are expected to spend over $34
billion in cloud services -- 46% of that will be funneled through
service providers. In part, Infratel believes this will be achieved
through the following predictions:
1. 50% of hosters will embrace the concept of an "internal blueprint"
and offer at least one new adjacent service to web hosting
In the next year, we expect most hosters and cloud service providers
to embrace the concept of an "internal blueprint" to determine which
additional services they will add to their portfolios that help
increase ARPU and reduce customer churn. With amplified pricing
pressures and the continued commoditization of services, web hosters,
and channel providers are hungry for new sources of revenue.
Therefore, it's important for channel providers to engage their users
with more than one service making it harder for them to simply shop
around for other similar solutions on the market. Additionally, this
"stickiness" allows channel providers to build specialized expertise
in verticals or specific business needs to create a niche collection
of service offerings.
2. We will see the majority of top web hosters offer voice services
to small businesses and entrepreneurs
Website capabilities are typically the first technology investment
that a small business makes to establish a professional presence. In
fact, according to a recent study by hosting and cloud services
enablement company Parallels, 70% of small businesses with a website
don't have a professional phone presence. Cloud and hosting providers
who have existing relationships with these subscribers are well
positioned to provide add-on virtual phone offerings as the next
adjacent service.
3. An increasing number of cloud-based solutions will embrace the
channel as a cost effective go-to-market strategy
Since channel providers already have established relationships with
their core customers cloud vendors will increasingly embrace this
model as a cost effective way to reach a high volume of end users
quickly and cost-effectively. With fierce competition and the
plethora of available solutions on the market, direct to consumer
sales models will be viewed as cost-prohibitive particularly for
technologies that can be easily delivered as an add on service via
the channel.
4. Hosters and cloud service providers will begin piloting low touch
solutions that require little to no setup and customization for small
business subscribers
Over the past three years, there has been an explosion in the number
of point solutions available to small businesses. With limited time
and little to no dedicated IT resources, small businesses and
entrepreneurs are struggling to understand what solutions are
available and which one is the best option for their company.
Engaging with a provider eliminates all of the installation concerns
and reduces much of the setup complexity, enabling small businesses
to get multiple services up and running through a single integration,
with no additional tech support.
About Infratel
Infratel, Inc. (@MightyCall) makes solutions that
help connect small businesses with their customers. Infratel
solutions help entrepreneurs, fast growing startups and well
established small businesses build a professional phone presence,
grow through voice-based marketing campaigns and improve their
ability to respond to customers. Infratel has more than 1000
customers worldwide and helped customers manage 1 billion minutes of
calls in 2011. Infratel is an independent, privately held company
headquartered in Seattle, WA.
Contact:
Morgan Bradley
Barokas Public Relations
Email Contact
206-264-8220
SOURCE: Infratel
http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct id=A35AA86CD5F58B0A
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