The pandemic made the need for the cloud clear, but execution is everything

As the world continues to evolve to deal with the change brought on by COVID-19, it's clear that existing business models are redesigning with the cloud in mind. Our research supports this, finding that almost two-thirds of IT leaders in the US have either extended or expedited their cloud adoption plans. In serving more than 350 service providers worldwide, we're meeting with customers every day on this topic, charting with them their own tailored cloud journey.

With the communications industry up against digital-native players born in the cloud, it's critical for operators to make this transformation. It's about exceeding the competition by providing the best possible experience. The numerous benefits of cloud migration create a solid foundation to do so, in addition to providing operators with enhanced data security, optimized scalability, reduced costs, more intelligent integrations, and easier access to business-critical insights.

While various strategies can offer an overall cloud migration action plan that most organizations can adopt, we need to evaluate steps based on unique internal workings and individual business IT requirements. One size does not fit all, and assuming it does can be a grave mistake.

Successful implementation is more than a technology change

With the cloud being new for many, workforce upskilling becomes imperative. Thankfully, the appetite for learning new skills is there. The majority of employees believe they will need to hone their current skills or acquire new ones at least once a year to maintain a competitive advantage in a global job market.

As an industry, we need to stay ahead and lay down well-defined strategies that offer a clear path for our employees to enhance and develop skill sets in the cloud and other future technologies. Years ago, before the pandemic, Amdocs anticipated the future of software would require a radical change, which led to us transforming our workforce in areas like cloud, microservices, and DevOps. This helped our business cope with the pandemic's disruption and ensured we stayed ahead.

As the war for talent continues, cultivating an environment of continuous learning is half the job.

Choosing the right partner is essential

When you think about the future and what technology can enable, it's anything but average. And for our industry, this comes with the responsibility to exceed expectations. I believe the successful move to the cloud, along with new innovative 5G-enabled experiences, is the catalyst to make this happen. However, going at it alone, or doing it the wrong way, could result in a costly, time-consuming process.

A key element of our company strategy is our total commitment to the cloud. We're leading the most significant cloud transformations in the industry, working closely with principal public cloud vendors like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, while continuously expanding our depth of knowledge by acquiring companies like Sourced. And, of course, doing this while we ensure our existing employees have the skills they need to power our increasingly connected digital society.

I am very proud of our industry's performance in these times and believe the move to the cloud is the most critical transformation this industry will ever go through. Together, and with the right technology, we will continue to provide amazing experiences — now more than ever.