“Responsiveness & flexibility is key for the Channel”
– Sara Wilkes comments with Comms Business
Agilitas study identifies partnerships, customer experience and sustainability as key themes for next 12 months. Sara discusses with Comms Business Magazine
Responsiveness, flexibility and strategic enablement are all high on the agenda for channel companies. That’s according to Agilitas IT Solutions’ newly published ‘Blurred lines between suppliers’ report.
This guide is the first instalment in its Channel Trends Report series, which provides actionable, free-to-view market insights.
The report, which explores the findings of the latest research commissioned by Agilitas, discusses the importance of building strong alliances, partnering for innovation and customer experience, as well as meeting ongoing sustainability targets.
A key takeaway from the report is how channel partnerships have become less transactional, with responsiveness, flexibility and strategic enablement high on the agendas of those across the sector. The technology channel is largely transitioning into a service-based industry, therefore the potential benefits of these partnerships depend on who businesses choose to partner with.
Technology channel decision-makers have shown optimism for the future, with partnerships a key component of successful operations, allowing companies to expand their market reach, strengthen their relationships with customers and increase their visibility.
Agilitas’ annual research has identified that partnering for growth, improved customer experience and sustainability will become more prominent over the next 12 months. Another area highlighted was the importance of delivering a good customer experience, with 85 per cent of channel businesses surveyed agreeing that this was a high priority. Looking deeper at the data revealed that 42 per cent of respondents are currently using third-party support to help enhance their customer experience, with a further 29 per cent stating that they will implement this in the next 12 months.
Sustainability also continues to be prominent metrics in business development across the Channel, with sustainability partnerships playing a key role in helping businesses address social or environmental problems. More often than not, these partnerships are not just focused on reducing a company’s carbon footprint, but launching new sustainability initiatives to meet long-term goals.
Respondents remain confident in the Channel’s ability to build collaborative partnerships that balance profit with social consciousness, with an average result of 7.7 (around 80 per cent). When looking at the results by business type, more than 66 per cent of MSPs and VARs are very confident in the Channel’s ability to balance profit and purpose when building partnerships.
Sara Wilkes
Chief Executive Officer
Sara’s Comments
“The Technology Channel has made significant strides in choosing the right partners, selecting those whose values not only align but also offer longevity,” said Sara Wilkes, chief operating officer at Agilitas. “Confidence has remained high but did vary across companies of different sizes, meaning partnering with like-minded organisations has never been more important for teams to leverage each other’s strengths, expertise and resources to accelerate innovation and development.Aligning the correct people and analysing services to tailor offerings to each customer is key, accelerating growth for all parties now and in the future, and the research results highlight that the industry is already making progress.”
