--- title: "Bechtle AG Service Factory provides managed cloud services in Germany; 77% accept standardised services for cost/scalability advantages." sdDatePublished: "2026-05-11T09:05:00Z" source: "https://www.bechtle.com/de-en/about-bechtle/newsroom/it-solutions/2026/what-sets-managed-cloud-services-apart" topics: - name: "computing and information technology" identifier: "medtop:20000225" - name: "computer security" identifier: "medtop:20000229" - name: "telecommunication service" identifier: "medtop:20000233" - name: "data protection policy" identifier: "medtop:20000627" - name: "business strategy and marketing" identifier: "medtop:20000192" - name: "public officials" identifier: "medtop:20000596" locations: - "Germany" --- Bechtle AG Service Factory provides managed cloud services in Germany; 77% accept standardised services for cost/scalability advantages. “Technology sets the pace, people provide the support.” “Technology sets the pace, people provide the support.” Interview with Radoslav Marjanac, head of the Bechtle Service Factory, and Ingo Janßen, Managed Services Business Manager. Ingo Janßen (left) and Radoslav Marjanac. Bechtle AG supports organisations and public‑sector clients in the standardised, automated and secure operation of cloud environments. As part of its managed cloud services, Bechtle assumes responsibility for governance, security, cost control and performance within the shared responsibility model. The underlying principle is straightforward: technology handles operational delivery, while people ensure governance, quality and compliance. Cloud services are designed to remain scalable, sovereign and economically viable, even across complex IT landscapes. At first glance, buying cloud services looks simple—you book them, use them, and that’s it. So why do they require active management? Marjanac:That impression makes sense if you think about how we use cloud services privately. You book some storage or a service, and that’s usually it. In a business context, though, the situation is very different. In enterprises, the shared responsibility model applies. The cloud provider looks after the infrastructure itself, but responsibility for things like cost control, security, monitoring and regulatory compliance stays firmly with the customer. And that’s where risks can creep in. If workloads are misconfigured or unintentionally exposed, you can create serious security issues very quickly. That’s exactly the gap we address. We take care of these operational responsibilities and help customers reduce risk—whether that’s around security, compliance or application performance. In simple terms, we give organisations confidence that their cloud environments are being run properly. What sets the Service Factory apart from traditional managed service providers? Janßen:For a long time, managed services were very much a people‑driven business. People did the work, and technology supported them. In the cloud, that logic flips. Today, the target model is the opposite: technology does the heavy lifting, and people provide the support around it. That’s exactly the idea behind the Service Factory. We invest centrally in automation, standardised tools and scalable processes, allowing us to deliver services very quickly, even in extremely large environments. We can, for example, onboard and support a customer with ten thousand users without first having to build up dedicated teams. Is digital sovereignty a genuine customer requirement, or mainly a political topic? Marjanac:In practice, it’s very much a customer requirement. Many organisations and public authorities are bound by clear rules that require data to be processed in Germany or at least within Europe. To meet those requirements, we’ve developed our own services. They are delivered from Bechtle data centres, combined with European partners such as IONOS, and supported by alternatives like Nextcloud for the digital workplace. This gives customers real options. Today, we can meet almost any requirement around digital sovereignty without forcing organisations to compromise on functionality. Around 77 percent of managed service customers are willing to accept standardised services and forego custom requirements if they deliver clear cost or scalability advantages. Ingo Janßen, Business Manager Managed Services, Bechtle AG Do customers want standardised services or custom solutions? Janßen:In reality, they want both and they don’t see that as a contradiction. Our customer survey from 2025 shows that “around 77 per cent of managed service customers are willing to accept standardised services and forego custom requirements if they deliver clear cost or scalability advantages.” At executive level, that figure is even higher, at 84 per cent. That isn’t particularly surprising. Customers already accept the standards set by hyperscalers. Nobody goes to AWS expecting service‑level customisation. The difference lies in how things are combined. Standardised building blocks form the basis, but they are assembled into solutions tailored to each customer. That’s where our IT system houses come in—handling everything from strategy and migration through to integration into existing IT landscapes. What role will AI play in managed cloud services going forward? Marjanac:A decisive one. We’re already using AI to automate the creation of service offerings and documentation and over the coming years, the way users interact with cloud services will change fundamentally. Instead of navigating complex systems, users will simply describe what they need in everyday language and the relevant services will be run directly in the background. As a result, traditional ticket systems will increasingly become unnecessary and long waiting times shouldn’t be an issue either. The AI resolves many requests immediately. Janßen:AI is no longer an optional add‑on. In many tenders, it’s already assumed that providers have AI integrated into their service delivery. If you can’t demonstrate that, you often don’t even make it onto the shortlist, showing how quickly the market is moving. We’re well positioned, but it remains a fast‑evolving environment. What advice would you give to sales colleagues looking to present managed cloud services to customers? Janßen:Listening is key. It starts with asking the right questions. What challenges are they dealing with right now? Do they have visibility and control over their cloud costs? Can the organisation keep pace with the speed of digital change? When customers feel that we genuinely understand their situation, trust develops. That’s the foundation for everything that follows. From there, we can work together to shape solutions that reliably cover areas such as security, networking and availability—always with the aim of freeing organisations up to focus on their core business, rather than on running their cloud environments. Prices in Euro plus VAT. IT Solutions - May 11, 2026 What sets managed cloud services apart. How the Bechtle Service Factory industrialises cloud management This post was published on May 11, 2026.