Connect. Transact. Profit.

Lessons Learned:

5 Reasons Cloud is CFO Friendly

“Cloud Computing”

• According to Gartner cloud computing is “a style of computing where massively scalable IT-related capabilities are provided ‘as a service’ across the Internet to multiple external customers.”

• According to Wikipedia - A style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them.

• The concept incorporates infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) as well as Web 2.0 and other recent (ca. 2007–2009) technology trends that have the common theme of reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users.

5 Reasons Cloud is CFO Friendly

1. Better cash flow: Pay-as-you-go model, instead of heavy up-front investment

2. Operating expense flexibility: A cloud expense can be scaled up as business needs arise, or dialed down

3. Minimal risk: Eliminates extensive contracts and on-premise implementations that can go unused and never achieve ROI. With cloud, you only pay for what you use

4. Fewer unexpected surprises: Cloud providers can tell you how much a process or solution will cost

5. Better return on assets: Cost is incurred at time of usage, enabling rapid ROI and ROA

TradeCard’s Case Study

TradeCard IT by the Numbers

TradeCard is a Global Organization

Roughly 50% of workforce based overseas.

Employees 220

Countries 6

Locations 7

IT Service Availability

>99.9%

IT Staff 4

IT Budget <2% of revenue

Netsuite Project & Benefits

Consolidated multiple back office systems across multiple subsidiaries and locations• Oracle financials• SAP• Excel• SalesForce.com• Clockware

Significantly improved enterprise business intelligence and reporting• provided visibility to core metrics by providing real-time

dashboards and reports• reduced time required to compile board level reports by

almost 80% (2-3 week process reduced to less than one week)

Netsuite Project & Benefits

Reduced expenses by 60%• eliminated or reassigned 3 FTE• eliminated costs associated with maintaining internal

infrastructure, licensing, and support.

Improved service delivery• increased availability• improved and simplified accessibility• reduced complexity

Streamlined multiple core business processes by

leveraging new platform

Netsuite Project Challenges

Departmental processes• Difficult to train and maintain

departmental SME• IT ultimately responsible

Adoption• Change is ALWAYS difficult.• Periodic process/application review

is key.• Training is critical.

Netsuite Project Challenges

Change Management• Top Level Buy In is crucial• IT cannot drive corporate change – must

partner with key stakeholders.

Licensing/Modules• Difficult to fully understand prior to

implementation• Negotiate future increases as part of initial

contract.

Today’s Satellite Office Infrastructure

Hong Kong

Taiwan

Shenzhen

Sri Lanka

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IT Current Role

Has evolved from a cost center to a strategic business partner• Support Growth• Align with corporate direction• Foster Innovation

Optimize service delivery

• Increase functionality• Improve availability• Lower Operating Costs• Reduce Risk

AvailabilityFunctionalityProductivity

CostRiskComplexity

TradeCard Walking the Walk

Netsuite – ERP - Financials, CRM, SFA, HR

Google Apps – Enterprise Collaboration - Google Docs, Sites

Hosted Microsoft Exchange – Email, Calendar

Contactual – Contact Center – IVR, Voice, Chat

Current Cloud Solutions