While working on a project, I keep thinking that the focus is on replacing current service - and that just doesn't make sense. Not everything that works on-premise can be jammed in the cloud and work the same. And it shouldn't.

This headline from ZDnet caught my eye: Urge to transform the business drives SaaS surge. Of course, moving to cloud should be about making the business efficient, flexible, mobile and more productive.

To do that, there will be some pain points as the employees get used to the new system. (Salespeople will need to manage those expectations during and after the sale.) But if you are going to sell a cloud solution, transform the business.

"Businesses in Australia and New Zealand, countries that are early adopters of SaaS, are flocking to SaaS in search of business transformation.... [to] create new, agile organisations."

"A drive for strategic transformation on 24 percent contribute to a picture where SaaS isn't just being deployed for its core functionality, or for costs savings, but for its ability to unite organisations, streamline processes, and deliver visibility and accountability to business activity." If you are talking about replacing services, you are doing a disservice to your customer. There are many benefits to moving to cloud - for SAAS or PAAS or UC - some that will transform the organization but not without a change in how the employees conduct daily business. (You can't move, be agile, with the same thing.)