Authors: Erin Hichman, Gard Little
This IDC MarketScape excerpt features Publicis Sapient.
The 2024 IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Cloud Professional Services evaluates 24 vendors, providing buyers with a comprehensive snapshot of the current market. The assessment chart positions vendors based on their capabilities (vertical axis) and strategies (horizontal axis). In the Leaders quadrant are PwC, Capgemini, HCLTech, EY, Accenture, Publicis Sapient, and Deloitte. Major Players include TCS, NTT DATA, EPAM, SoftwareOne, CGI, HPE, and KPMG. Contenders are IBM, DXC, Dell, Mphasis, Samsung SDS, Rackspace, LTI Mindtree, Perficient, and Cognizant.
For detailed methodology, market definition, and scoring criteria, see the Appendix.
This excerpt includes content from the following sections of the full IDC MarketScape: IDC Opinion, Vendor Inclusion Criteria, Essential Guidance, Vendor Summary Profile, Appendix, and Learn More. Figure 1 is also included.
Buyers of cloud professional services have a wealth of choices, as providers continue to expand their end-to-end capabilities, making selection more challenging. This sixth biannual evaluation assessed a record 24 vendors, offering buyers a fresh perspective. IDC recommends buyers consider providers' expanding capabilities much like a college graduate with a major and a minor, and prioritize their needs accordingly.
When buyers were asked about the most important characteristics for a successful cloud professional services vendor at a global level, the top attribute was "provide technical insights and competence," which rose from second place in 2022. The second most important was "provide an appropriate and high-quality team for the project," reversing the order from 2022 and 2020. The increasing complexity of hybrid and multicloud solutions, as well as the surge in generative AI (GenAI) built on cloud, are likely factors. The least important characteristics were "presence of local offices and local resources" and "previous track ratio of onshore/offshore efforts on the project."
Globally, buyers rely on cloud professional services vendors to help deliver on business priorities. The top priorities are "comply with new or existing regulations" and "improve operational efficiency." Regulatory compliance remains a top priority, while operational efficiency has become more critical, reflecting the focus on cost efficiency amid economic uncertainty. The lowest-priority response remains "expand into new markets/geographies."
Vendors were included based on two criteria:
Clients often justify vendor selection with "you get what you pay for." In cloud services, it is often possible to deliver high quality quickly and at a good price, so other considerations come into play. Higher-priced firms may offer more contractual flexibility and supplemental expertise, while lower-priced firms may be more rigid but sufficient for well-defined projects. The total relationship between buyer and supplier, including managed services and joint solutions, can also influence costs and value.
When selecting a provider, consider:
This section summarizes IDC’s key observations for each vendor’s position in the MarketScape, based on the criteria outlined in the Appendix.
Publicis Sapient is positioned in the Leaders category for worldwide cloud professional services in 2024, according to IDC analysis and buyer perception.
Publicis Sapient believes clients must shift from managing hybrid cloud infrastructure (access, security, uptime, support, performance) to managing digital outcomes (growth, trust, experience, productivity). Its professional services align with four customer transformation strategies:
Publicis Sapient’s industry cloud offerings (e.g., financial services, retail, transportation) are part of its reimagination strategy and are integrated via its smart ecosystem, connecting industry specialists with cloud-enabled partners from various industries. The company’s three key strengths are end-to-end engineering and technology capabilities, a business impact and outcome-led approach, and ecosystem capabilities for innovation and cocreation. Publicis Sapient also operates an internal venture capital firm to fund selected ecosystem plays. Regardless of clients’ cloud maturity, Publicis Sapient focuses on building and sustaining desired digital outcomes.
Choose Publicis Sapient for a balance of creative and technical capabilities in cloud-driven business transformation. The company excels at projects at the intersection of CMO- and CIO-led initiatives and is adept at driving business change. For examples, see its Impact Films, which offer a nontraditional approach to client case studies.
While the 24 vendors evaluated represent the majority of worldwide cloud professional services spending, other notable vendors include Atos, AWS Professional Services, BCG, Cisco, Fujitsu, Hitachi Digital Services, Huawei, Indra, Infosys, Microsoft Consulting Services, McKinsey, NCR, NEC, Oracle Consulting, Tech Mahindra, and Wipro.
Criteria selection, weightings, and vendor scores are based on IDC’s research, structured discussions, surveys, and interviews with market leaders, participants, and end users. Market weightings reflect user interviews, buyer surveys, and IDC expert input. Vendor scores and positions are based on detailed surveys, interviews, public information, and end-user experiences.
The cloud professional services market includes elements from four of IDC’s services foundation markets, as defined in IDC’s Worldwide Services Taxonomy, 2022. Examples include:
Related Research:
This IDC study assesses the 2024 cloud professional services market using the IDC MarketScape model. The research combines quantitative and qualitative analysis to explain vendor success and anticipate future performance. The evaluation covers a variety of vendors and is based on a comprehensive framework and parameters conducive to success in both the short and long term. Buyer perceptions of key characteristics and provider capabilities are included, with surveys conducted across all three IDC macroregions.
"Buyers of cloud professional services continue to enjoy a wealth of choices among provider types, and cloud professional service providers continue to expand their own end-to-end capabilities, making the selection process more challenging than ever," said Gard Little, research vice president, Global Services, Markets, and Trends, IDC. "A record 24 vendors were evaluated in this sixth biannual evaluation, giving buyers a new snapshot of vendors to consider."
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based technology decisions and achieve key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG, Inc.).
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