'CLOUD FIRST': The New Mindset Applies A Stronger Grip

With a "cloud first" buyer mindset driving demand, more than $150 billion in IT services a year will shift to cloud and cloud-related spending categories, according to Gartner.

Eighty-eight percent of organizations have a "cloud first" strategy, Tramacere said, since it will help them drive growth, reduce costs and improve organizational agility.

He recommends that service providers "build partnerships with leading cloud vendors," and market consulting and professional services as supplemental offerings.

"In the cloud world, you're probably going to be partnering," Young added. "A lot of the change is being able to move your clients to cloud."