The evolution within the IT channel is gathering pace, says Matt Child, managing director, advanced solutions, Tech Data, UK&I. Child was speaking to Channel Futures about how the distributor is reacting to the changing channel ecosystem. He said adapting and using advanced technologies to deliver something new and valuable to customers “is the heartbeat and lifeblood of our industry.”

Tech Data’s Matt Child

“In addition to partners transitioning their business models from capex to focus on subscriptions, services and consumption, we are seeing more specialisation,” he said. [There is] a clear recognition that one partner cannot do it all in today’s more complex, intensive, and hybrid environment.”

This, he said, has been driving two specific trends. These are increased partner collaboration with a view to delivering complete solutions, and partners building up new skills and practices within their businesses to address ever-evolving technology developments.

Bringing Partners Together

Child said Tech Data is bringing partners together with complementary skills capabilities with a view to creating new solutions. This often harnesses new technologies such as IoT and AI. These “will deliver enhanced value to customers and drive increased income and value-added opportunities. We have industry ecosystem groups that focus on manufacturing, retail and distribution, and health care sectors,” he explained.

“We are also bringing partners together inside the cloud ecosystem. In particular, we are providing partners access to streamline migration tools and capabilities in specific solutions, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365. This enables them to broaden and deepen their offerings and accelerate digital transformation for their end-user customers.

“At the same time, we are enabling partners to acquire new skills and enter new markets,” he said.

Tech Data is providing learning and enablement programs in areas such as cloud, cybersecurity, smart meeting rooms, hyperconverged infrastructure, and IoT and analytics.

From a wider perspective, Child said he is seeing more collaboration and partnering across all strata of the channel.

“ISVs partnering with corporate resellers; vertical market specialists collaborating with professional audio-visual installers; specialists in ERP working with IoT developers; and resellers and distributors working together to deliver the solutions and services that end-user customers need,” he said.

He adds: “We expect to see this multifaceted evolution of the channel continuing and gathering pace in 2022. As markets open up again and supply constraints start to ease, there will be a wealth of opportunity for all channel partners to extend the value they deliver to their customers and build long-lasting business relationships.”