Platform as a Service (PaaS) implementations continue to grow. According to Statista, the global market, valued at $113.30 billion in 2023, will grow at a 16.74 percent CAGR to reach $210.40 billion by 2027. This predicted growth outpaces earlier expectations, which ResearchAndMarkets.com estimated at a 13 percent CAGR from $47.29 billion in 2020 to $88.11 billion in 2025.
Expect your clients to be more open to PaaS implementation as innovation and tech advancements enhance performance and make it easier for developers and businesses to use. With Platform as a Service, companies can develop their own applications – from simple, low-code/no-code apps to complex enterprise applications. Before you dive into this market, be ready to help your clients maximize the value they get from their investments – including avoiding common mistakes with platform selection, security, and PaaS implementation. Be aware of pitfalls in these five areas:
1Vendor Selection
If you don’t do your homework on vendors, it could cost you and your clients time, money, and frustration. First, research the vendor’s history, including how long they’ve provided a PaaS solution and how long they’ve offered a managed version of their platform. Also, consider whether the vendor has successfully implemented a PaaS solution in your client’s industry. For example, a PaaS solution for the growing healthcare market for this technology can vary widely from a PaaS solution for supply chain operations. In addition, check out their service levels to ensure they can provide your clients with the uptime and support they need at a price point they can afford.
While you do your due diligence to ensure the PaaS provider will provide your clients with everything you need, also take some time to investigate the benefits you can expect from a partnership with that vendor. Look for a vendor with a channel program that works with how you do business, has resources that can support your internal team, and is committed to your success in selling the solution.
2 PaaS Features
You may have had success with a PaaS implementation for one client. However, that platform may not be the right choice for another with different objectives. First, consider your client’s use cases, then make sure your recommended solution is a good fit. The capabilities developers will have with the PaaS solution and development tools are fundamental, but also consider whether the platform’s architecture will give them the ability to use their apps in other environments – or lock them in.
3 Security
Security in a PaaS implementation is two-fold. First, as a PaaS provider, you must ensure that the vendor’s infrastructure is secure. The vendor should provide all the information you request about SOC 2 or other standards the vendor meets.
However, you must also be aware that PaaS providers generally have a shared security model. The vendor will update its infrastructure and applications and monitor them for security events. Depending on the service you provide, your client and possibly your business are responsible for securing the accounts they create and their identities, their data, and often the applications they develop on the platform.
Don’t assume that because your client is using the platform, the vendor protects all their data. Your client will need to secure access with multifactor authentication, endpoint protection, and other solutions that keep their business safe.
4 Selling on Price vs. Value
The price of any solution is important to take into account, but failing to consider value is (always) a mistake. The wide variation in PaaS offerings, their design, added services, and functionality of the apps the user can create makes the value it can provide much more important than initial costs.
However, don’t discount the PaaS solution’s pricing model. For example, some platform vendors will charge by the seat or the account, whether your client uses the solution every month. Instead, look for platforms with pay-as-you-go models, if possible, if they check the boxes for features, SLAs, and security.
Stress with your sales team that they aren’t only selling a solution for the client’s needs today but also in the future. A PaaS implementation should be scalable and flexible, enabling your clients to continue seeing value from it in the future. It will also help build sticky, long-lasting relationships with your PaaS clients.
5 Forgetting About the Big Picture
Businesses and enterprises are focused on digital transformation, and PaaS implementation allows them to create applications and apps that streamline their workflows, capture valuable data, and build business processes that help them operate more profitably.
Set yourself apart by learning about your prospects’ needs and pain points. Then highlight the unique advantages the PaaS solution your offer can provide to their businesses.
PaaS implementation is just a part of the strategy to help your clients create the connected, automated, efficient operation they envision. Help them stay focused on their overall goals while providing them with a PaaS solution that will meet their needs as they work to achieve them.
