Appirio Launches Cloud Guild and Cloud Guru Programs Providing Cloud Consulting and Service Organizations Access to Appirio's Groundbreaking Services Platform

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Appirio, a global cloud consultancy, today introduced two new programs providing boutique enterprise service providers and independent enterprise cloud experts new capabilities to grow their businesses, expand prospect opportunities and serve their customers by tapping into the Appirio Services Platform. Through the Enterprise Cloud Guild and Enterprise Cloud Guru programs, these companies and individual industry professionals gain access to this platform and are immediately plugged into the company's "Human Cloud" -- allowing organizations on-demand access to business and technical expertise across a wide range of solutions. From buying an idea, to buying a resource, to buying knowledge and time from an expert, the Appirio Services Platform connects customers with the appropriate service providers and experts through a unified, friction-free experience.

The cloud economy is dramatically changing the way organizations manage and solve critical business challenges. Those who are successful tapping into these new ways of solving problems are breaking free of the old constructs and methodologies used by traditional solution providers and delivering rapid innovation and hyper-personalized solutions to their customers.

To deliver these results, today's service providers must connect customers to the world's top experts through a cloud-based, on-demand platform. Appirio calls this the Human Cloud, and whether it's a boutique service provider or an individual expert, Appirio's Enterprise Cloud Guild and Enterprise Cloud Guru programs can plug them into the same platform that more than 800 enterprises and millions of people have used to access the top business and technical talent in the world. 

"Industry research firm Gartner has stated that by 2017 application service providers will have used global crowd-based expertise to replace 20 percent of their internal applications management staff and 60 percent of technology companies will engage their targeted consumer segments through crowdsourcing," said Erik, Duffield, senior vice president, consulting services, Appirio. "We have been at the forefront of the revolution in how organizations are rethinking the way they do business and are always looking for new ways to disrupt traditional models with new thinking. As part of this mindset, the Enterprise Cloud Guild and Enterprise Cloud Guru programs were born."

The rising trend of industry experts engaging in freelance work and programs, such as the Enterprise Cloud Guru program, is providing significant value to the Appirio enterprise customer base and this movement will only increase. According to a recent study, "Freelancing in America: A National Survey of the New Workforce," more than 53 million Americans are freelancing, contributing an estimated $715B annually in freelance earnings to the economy, with Millennials freelancing more than any other age group.

"The ability to seamlessly integrate with one of the most powerful cloud services platforms in the world not only gives us a leg up on our competition, but also provides us with an opportunity to continue to build our expertise by working on some of the most exciting and innovative projects from leading enterprise companies," said Roman Medvedev, CEO, VRP Consulting. "The [Cloud Guru] program also extends our reach into initiatives to which we would not otherwise have access to and gives us the flexibility to choose which projects we participate in based on expertise and scale."

As a member of the Enterprise Cloud Guild program, partners have an unprecedented opportunity to serve their customers and expand their business by engaging with the Appirio enterprise sales and account management engine. In turn, Enterprise Cloud Guru members are backed by the infrastructure, scale and horsepower of the Appirio Services Platform where they will be connected with enterprise customers looking to take advantage of their unique skills and talents for their innovative cloud, mobile and social initiatives.

"Offering a program that delivers the tools, assets and agile methodologies to execute enterprise deployments in the world's fastest-growing technology ecosystem empowers consultants to dramatically expand their skill-set and ignite new business opportunities," said Dan Streetman, senior vice president, alliances & channels, salesforce.com. "There is a clear opportunity to help thousands of salesforce.com consulting partners and industry experts embrace new resources and methodologies. Programs like Appirio's Enterprise Cloud Guild and Guru program help enable the growing salesforce.com partner economy in entirely new ways."

"We are always looking for new ways to expand our professional network and expose our talent and industry expertise to customers and prospects," said Sundar Ramasamy, CEO, Wilco Source. "By partnering with Appirio through its Enterprise Cloud Guild program we're able to gain the broad visibility we need to grow our business and connect with customers we would otherwise not have access to through the Appirio Services Platform."

To learn more about the Enterprise Cloud Guild and Enterprise Cloud Guru programs and sign up to become a partner visit, http://appirio.com/guild-and-guru/. 

About Appirio
Appirio is a global cloud consultancy that helps customers achieve results in weeks, not years by harnessing the power of the world's top talent. Appirio's 690,000 member topcoder community and crowdsourcing platform, combined with the company's business and technical expertise, have helped 800 enterprises confidently use technology to increase innovation and transform business. Founded in 2006, Appirio is a trusted partner to companies such as Apria, Coca-Cola, eBay, Facebook, Japan Post Network, L'Oreal, NetApp, The Four Seasons and Virgin America.

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SOURCE Appirio