Channel Futures’ 2023 TA (Agent) Outlook: MDF Gets a Shake-Up

The relationship between technology advisor (agent) firms, technology service distributors and suppliers is changing as the channel moves into 2023.

What an exciting time it is to be running an agency. The technology advisor/broker model, in which partners source technology services for their customers and earn monthly recurring commissions, has proven itself a rewarding venture for entrepreneurs. But the best partners know how to adapt to change, and change is most certainly afoot.

We’ll name the elephant in the room: a recession, whose very mention is causing the world’s largest tech companies to trim their workforces in anticipation of a worst-case scenario.

“I expect more layoffs, stock market volatility, and interest rate increases,” said Michael Agri, president at North Atlantic Consultants. “Some providers may not survive, and M&A activity could increase.”

Channel Impact

And these harsh economic conditions are trickling down into the enterprise IT and telecom world, with many partners anticipating vendors to change their policies around commissions and market development funds (MDF). Vendors and tech services distributors (TSDs) are facing more pressure from partners to add value to partners, and the reverse is true.

For Agri and many of his partner peers, there’s hope for agents.

“Technology advisors are very lucky because recessions bring opportunities to increase efficiencies and reduce costs,” he said.

At the same time, partners need to work hard to keep up with this digital age. Ryan Rowland, partner at Adaptiv Advisors, pointed to the maturation and ubiquity of A.I.

“The A.I. powered interaction, writing, imaging and video tools that are widely available today, for free, are the stuff of sci-fi, “Rowland told Channel Futures. “… You’re seeing it in your LinkedIn feed, in art, in politics, in nearly all aspects of life. I believe we are in the midst of the next industrial revolution, and we’re all going to have to do some learning, unlearning and relearning over the next couple of decades to stay relevant.”

Among the partners and individuals from vendors and TSDs sharing their predictions for 2023 were:

• Ryan Rowland, Adaptiv Advisors
• Eric Ludwig, Rise Technology Advisors
• David Goodwin, ATC
• Nicole Steele, Aryaka
• Idris Odutoye, ATA Trusted Advisors
• Michael Agri, North Atlantic Consultants
• Drew Lydecker, Avant Communications
• MaryTom Hofer, Kairos Data Communications
• Dave Dyson, Eclipse Telecom
• Chris Jones, AT&T
• Bill Hustad, Okta
• Adam Edwards, Telarus
• Dan Pirigyi, Telarus

Scroll through the nine slides above to see the outlook on the upcoming year for the technology advisor channel.

Adaptiv Advisors’ Ryan Rowland

Rise Technology’s Eric Ludwig

ATC’s David Goodwin

Aryaka’s Nicole Steele

ATA Trusted Advisors’ Idris Odutoye

North Atlantic Consultants’ Michael Agri

Avant Communications’ Drew Lydecker

Kairos Data Communications’ MaryTom Hofer

Eclipse Telecom’s Dave Dyson

AT&T’s Chris Jones

Okta’s Bill Hustad

Telarus’ Adam Edwards

Telarus’ Dan Pirigy