Here's how you can give feedback to your clients in a cloud computing consultancy role.

Having absolute customer focus is key when advising on cloud computing or any solution. 1. We need to understand the business needs, technical needs and operational issues which we may need to solve for customer. 2. Collaboration with different stakeholders in customer environment and analsis for the workloads which will be candidate for cloud. 3. Understand the different dependencies which customer might have in environment and also what key initiatives customer wants to fulfill. 4. Share the complete summary of discussion and key goal and initiatives to achieve after the discussion with customer and data gathering. Ensuring to get customer buy in on next steps and deliverables.

Understanding client's business needs and objectives is crucial in a any consulting role. Active listening is key to uncovering their true concerns and goals. Feedback should be tailored to address their specific needs. Using client-specific examples and being transparent about potential risks and benefits builds trust. Follow up to ensure that your recommendations are effective and be open to adjustments / hearing them out. This approach will strengthen your client relationships.

Understanding your client's business needs and objectives is a game-changer before diving into feedback. Listen actively to their cloud concerns and goals, whether it's boosting scalability, beefing up security, or slashing costs. Tailoring your feedback to hit these targets shows you really get their situation. For example, if they're worried about cost optimization, suggest using auto-scaling and reserved instances to save bucks. This approach not only builds trust but also makes them more open to your advice, proving you're not just talking tech, but aligning with their biz strategy.

Understanding the complexity of the client's business, its domains, its integrations, business rules, legacies, strengths and weaknesses, are fundamental to the success in adopting a cloud framework, so we can provide the correct tool for each type of problem and opportunity

When giving feedback, keep it clear and jargon-free. Break down technical stuff in simple terms so your clients get it. For instance, if you're recommending switching from IaaS to PaaS, explain how this move can make dev work smoother and cut down on in-house infrastructure hassle. Saying something like, "PaaS lets your team focus more on coding and less on managing servers," makes it relatable. Your knack for simplifying complex ideas will boost their confidence in making big cloud decisions.

As an architect, I tend to adopt the ubiquitous language in each company I work for or as I worked in the past as a consultant. The ubiquitous language can communicate in an extremely clear way, at any level of the company, from the management level to the technical level of software implementation.

While pointing out issues is crucial, giving actionable solutions is where you add real value. If a client's cloud setup is bleeding cash, suggest fixes like auto-scaling or jumping to serverless to slash costs. For example, you might say, "Hey, let's set up auto-scaling so you're only paying for what you actually use." By offering clear steps, you help clients go from just spotting problems to actually solving them, cementing your role as their go-to cloud guru.

As an architect, we must have a strong technical background and experience in different types of designs and architectures, in order to be able to offer an adequate solution to a given problem or opportunity for improvement.

Positive feedback from influential and capable architects gives teams the ideal drive, pointing out correct paths for a given situation, as there is no ideal solution, there is an ideal solution for that problem, that situation, having the feeling of identifying these situations demonstrates excellent soft skill of an architect

Feedback shouldn't just be about what's broken—highlight the wins too. If a client has nailed their disaster recovery or their security game is tight, give them props. Say something like, "Your DR plan is rock solid, and your security protocols are on point—keep that up!" This positive reinforcement boosts morale and makes it easier for them to take in the areas where they need to level up. It’s all about balancing the critique with kudos to keep the relationship strong and productive.

Don't let feedback be a one-and-done deal. Keep the convo going with regular check-ins to see how those tweaks are working out. If a client switched to auto-scaling, for instance, touch base to discuss if it's cutting costs as expected or if there are hiccups. These consistent follow-ups show you're in it for the long haul and genuinely care about their cloud success. Plus, staying in the loop means you can quickly address any new cloud issues that pop up, keeping their operations smooth and efficient.

This is huge. You cannot know customer needs and goals or offer solutions unless they tell you what's going on. Establish trust by asking open-ended questions and letting your curiosity take you deeper into their world. If you can articulate their challenges clearly, they are much more likely to feel understood and have confidence in your suggestions.