Strengthening the recent UK service provider program announcement, Fujitsu has launched its new EMEIA-wide Service Provider Program, developed for and by its partners. Designed to address the long-term shift in the way customers of all size are moving from a product-centric approach to a greater focus on IT-as-service, Fujitsu is building partnerships service providers who are realigning their business models.
According to research firm IDC, IT spending continues to shift from enterprises to service providers. Fujitsu is focused on enabling service providers to thrive in this market, by differentiating its offerings through service integration. The new Fujitsu Service Provider Program is designed to de-risk the potential challenges involved in this transition, enabling service providers to better compete with hyperscale cloud operators, and addressing the growing shortage of specialised IT skills. Fujitsu is offering service providers two different, cloud-like sourcing models to accommodate risk-profile options, based on 'growth' and 'de-risking' scenarios. In the UK, Fujitsu are actively looking for service providers to get involved in its pilot program as they continue to shape a compelling proposition that partners can help evolve.
Rüdiger Frickenschmidt, Head of Service Provider Business and IoT, Fujitsu EMEIA said, "for service providers, competition is fierce and to thrive and compete successfully in the future demands a transition to become service integrators. To help de-risk that journey, Fujitsu's new Service Provider Program provides the infrastructure excellence needed for peace of mind, plus access to our global expertise and innovation, with which we can co-create – with our partners – as-a-service solutions for customers. We are introducing a flexible model that gives our partners the power to focus on what their customers really need to achieve to win."
A key aspect of the new Fujitsu service provider program is a shift in focus away from products, towards the co-creation of next generation 'as-a-service' customer solutions. This approach leverages the combined expertise of Fujitsu, which is itself a leading managed service provider, and xSP partners, which might be telco-based, managed service providers, co-locators or channel partners belonging to the Fujitsu SELECT Partner Program.
Both service providers and their customers benefit from flexible IT infrastructure capacity that adapts to business growth without interrupting operations. Fujitsu has identified a number of advantages from this approach that suit both service providers and end customers. Not only does the pay-as-you-use model reduce the requirements for capital investment in IT infrastructure, but also usage-based charging moves expensive hardware off the balance sheet.
For customers, risk is also reduced, since there is a lower chance of technical lock-in or obsolescence of equipment, while planned and unplanned downtime is also lowered, thanks to the use of up-to-date technology. In turn, this helps service providers meet customer Service Level Agreements and avoid paying penalties for non-compliance. Additional benefits include the avoidance of failure through migration to new technologies, plus the outsourcing of service, maintenance, upgrades and technical recruitment and training.