The IT channel in 2023 is already facing several challenges, threatening the hard-won successes of the previous few years. With a growing concern for the health of the global economy, many across the channel are looking for ways to trim budgets, and while this may seem like a major issue at first, it also presents an opportunity to create new and innovative solutions better suited to meet the needs of the channel.
Amidst the difficult economic conditions of the previous few years, partners worked hard to find their footing and to succeed, which has created a channel with the ability to do more with less, to build momentum thanks to new technology, and to become trusted advisors. Taking advantage of this opportunity, however, is no small task.
EDGE360 Online has looked around at the new trends emerging across the IT channel in 2023 to better understand what can be achieved thanks to the hard work of years past and what partners need to do to continue bolstering their business for years to come.
“More with Less” The Mantra for the Year Ahead – Computer Weekly
“Business as usual doesn’t make sense anymore,” said Shane Buckley, CEO of Gigamon. In a rapidly changing environment, prioritizing solutions that allow end-users to do more with less is critical, but what should partners prioritize with their solutions?
According to Buckley, the main priority for the channel should be increasing both security and performance while finding ways to decrease costs. While this has always been the case, the recent innovations driven by new technologies like AI/ML have created situations where partners can find ways to do more with less. “Channel partners need to come up with something different to catch their customers’ attention,” Buckley said.
TD SYNNEX CEO: Supply Chain Issues Diminishing, Cloud Builds Momentum – CRN
In recent years, one of the core issues facing the IT channel was the global supply chain disruption spurred on by several factors. Rich Hume, TD SYNNEX CEO, said, “The IT channel had been wrestling with continuing issues around supply chains, macroeconomic trends, and partner adoption of cloud infrastructure vs. traditional data center infrastructure.” Hume notes that while these issues remain, they have begun to weigh less heavily around the industry.
“I suspect that by the time we get to the middle of 2023, most of [the data center and infrastructure supply chain] will begin to sort itself out,” Hume said before noting that this is assuming no major unforeseen circumstances arise. Hume added that, while there is a focus on returning to “pre-COVID serviceability”, the channel, and for its part TD SYNNEX, will be focused on how to exceed where the channel was in March 2020.
New Year, New Opportunity – Channel Futures
While there are always challenges in life, the key to success is finding ways to turn challenging moments into opportunities. This age-old wisdom will be put to the test in the coming year. As noted previously, many difficult conversations are happening across the channel about how to do more for less and it is the role of a partner to step in and offer counsel as to the best ways to utilize solutions while not breaking the bank.
Jon Bove, VP of Channel Sales at Fortinet, calls on partners to live up to the name. “Become a trusted advisor in 2023,” he said. “Your customers aren’t just looking for someone to sell them more products; they’re looking for guidance.” In challenging economic environments, forging a relationship by offering pragmatic solutions to meet needs creates a sense of goodwill that can carry a contract for years to come.
To learn more about what is in store for the IT Channel in 2023, click here.
