Wilson Group Drives Cloud Cost Efficiency with Cloud Ctrl

From Guesswork to Granular Control

Wilson Group, a family-owned enterprise with over 50 years of experience, is a leader in integrated security solutions and parking management across Australia and New Zealand. The group encompasses Wilson Parking, Wilson Security, First Security, Wilson Storage, and Medic One. 

Cloud cost confusion 

As Wilson Group expanded its reliance on cloud services, tracking and managing costs across multiple vendors and resources became increasingly complex. The lack of visibility hindered cost allocation, budgeting, and accurate forecasting. Non-technical personnel struggled to navigate vendor platforms, forcing the applications team to manage all cloud expenditure reporting. 

Manage, monitor, analyse and switch cloud resources 

SixPivot, an existing software partner, introduced Wilson Group to Cloud Ctrl, a multi-cloud service management platform built by SixPivot. Cloud Ctrl serves as a brokering service, dashboard, and management portal, enabling organisations to manage subscriptions and services across cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. 

Simplified cloud resource management and chargeback 

Within weeks of implementing Cloud Ctrl, Wilson Group achieved: 

• Improved visibility: The ability to drill down and analyse cloud spend across all providers

• Enhanced efficiency: Combining AWS and Azure management into a single portal streamlined operations

• Precise cost allocation: Tagging and allocating specific costs to internal customers or business units

• User-friendly interface: Empowered non-technical staff, including the accounts team, to track cloud costs effectively

“Cloud Ctrl has enabled us to put cloud cost management back into the hands of our accounts team because once it’s set up it is simple to use, you don’t need prior cloud experience, or a technical lens, which is very different from the Azure portal for instance.” - Trevor Booth, Applications Technical Manager, Wilson Group 

Monetary impact 

While still reviewing annual cloud costs, Wilson Group has already identified potential savings: 

• A resource used by the infrastructure team has been switched out for a cheaper one, saving AUD $2000 to $3000 a month

• Previously misunderstood cost spikes can be investigated, the expensive resource removed or restricted, and the spend reallocated to the correct budget

• Spend governance measures have been set up so that the procurement of additional licenses requires senior manager approval

An unexpected benefit was the team's improved understanding of complex cloud contracts, enabling more informed future decisions.  

Pushing Cloud Ctrl forward together 

The collaboration between Wilson Group and SixPivot has evolved into a two-way partnership. Wilson Group actively contributes suggestions for Cloud Ctrl improvements, particularly in forecasting and reporting features. Direct communication with SixPivot's developers has been particularly valuable, ensuring that Wilson Group's needs are understood and addressed promptly. 

“When you work with large enterprises, you pass on feedback and it feels like it goes into a vortex, you don’t get to speak to someone, but with SixPivot being a smaller team, we get immediate responses from developers who are genuinely interested in helping us succeed and get the most out of the tool. Not every idea gets to production, but we are encouraged to provide input, and we appreciate that opportunity.” - Steven Want, Head of Enterprise Applications at Wilson Group 

Conclusion 

The implementation of Cloud Ctrl has transformed Wilson Group's approach to cloud cost management. By providing granular visibility, streamlining operations, and empowering non-technical staff, Cloud Ctrl has not only delivered immediate cost savings but also positioned Wilson Group for more strategic cloud resource management in the future. 

Moving forward, Wilson Group is well-equipped to optimise its cloud investments, make data-driven decisions, and continue its growth trajectory with a more efficient and transparent cloud management strategy.

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