Cloud computing is being talked about more and more these days. In terms of software and technology, Yuchun Lee, the CEO and Chairman of Unica, says the cloud is still in the very early stages of adoption. According to him, less than 10 percent of all spend in software is being spent on the cloud. However, many new startups today are developing cloud-based applications, which means that the area is growing.

As Lee explains to WebProNews, cloud-based software systems are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses. In larger companies, he says Unica is seeing adoption more on a department-by-department basis. It is challenging for marketers since they have a complex customer data infrastructure that is hard to put on the cloud.

In order to understand customer needs, marketers have to analyze all the sources of data about their customers. Because the data is in different channels, the challenge is in setting up a system to use. Once a system is in place, marketers will have access to more data and have the opportunity to leverage it.

On the topic of cloud growth, Lee points out that they are seeing the most aggressive growth in suite adoption. It’s hard for companies to put different apps together from various channels, so they are adopting entire suites to avoid this.

Lee tells us that he is surprised that there is not a standard for marketers at this point.  He is excited to be working with Unica’s recently announced owner, IBM, and he believes it has the resources to provide this needed standard.

In closing, he offers a word of advice to companies in regards to cloud computing. He says, “A company should focus on strategically what they’re good at and what’s core to their business. Sometimes managing computers and hardware may not be the core for some of these companies, so the cloud is a great option.”