Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/833286
THE DATA CENTER JOURNAL | 23 www.datacenterjournal.com a company can accom- plish this challenging task by either offering managed services or by acting as a broker of those services through partnerships with its customer base. In both cases, differentiation through high-quality value-added services is mandatory. But how can this feat be achieved? differeNtiatiNg for SucceSS e catalog-driven approach is suitable because it helps determine not only what to deliver but how to deliver reliable services. e first step is analyzing customer and market de- mands, then defining the product and service portfolio on the basis of the results. e last step is operational- izing the service information for other subprocesses, such as billing, account- ing and customer support. A catalog-driven approach drives business growth and increases efficiency in delivery and operations. By defining a service portfolio up front, MTDC providers can balance customer demands as well as business interests. Additionally, digitized port- folio information is available for reuse in delivery, operation and customer- support processes. It simultaneously enables more process automation and, consequently, more opportunities to save money. MTDCs also gain more con- trol to manage services they deliver across multiple sites and to manage their suppliers. In addition to fast and efficient service delivery, they can fur- ther increase automation and reduce operational expenditures. product-orieNted approacH To achieve these results, a prod- uct-oriented approach must replace the traditional project-focused per- spective. Treating every service like an individual project is a practice that's becoming a relic. e product catalog thus becomes the service provider's most valuable marketing asset, and the service catalog showcases what customers can receive. In other words, MTDC providers need to industrialize their production, and for that reason, production should be driven by the available products. Consequently, the product catalog drives service delivery and operation. A product catalog is fundamental for sales teams, as they can instantly build a bespoke proposal that ac- commodates the customer's needs with pricing already approved. is approach equips sales teams with a commercial advantage, particularly when negotiating options with the customer. adapt iNduStrializatioN priNcipleS Henry Ford perfected the process for building configurable products at massive scale in a highly standardized manner. By minimizing changes to the Model T platform, reducing the number of factory hours required to produce each car, setting and achiev- ing low target prices, and producing cars with standard parts in factories