iland 2021 channel predictions

​

As we look forward to 2021, Koorosh Khashayar, VP Global Channels and Johnny Carpenter, VP Sales EMEA at iland (www.iland.com) comments on what the Channel can expect for the forthcoming year.

“In 2021, the new norm will become the next norm and by that I mean we will see the permanent change to remote employees.   A number of organisations are already moving towards this model, where they are questioning the need to go into an office,” says . Koorosh Khashayar, VP Global Channels.

“They have seen that remote working has worked well for the past nine months, without a drop off in productivity, so I predict an increase in remote scenarios and satellite offices going into 2021.  I also think it's going to further solidify the need for a solid infrastructure so that employees can continue connecting and contributing.  

“Whilst I predict that employees will go back into offices to some degree, organizations will start to build everything around a remote site infrastructure and working practice.  Many were caught unawares by the current pandemic and so will be keen to ensure they are in a position to implement a working from home plan as and when needed,” adds Johnny Carpenter, VP Sales EMEA at iland.

“A big change I see will concern channel partners as I think a lot of them are now going to have to move into a world where they weren’t necessarily well positioned before.  Traditionally, partners were trusted by the end customer, particularly as an MSP, as they would sell the customer servers and local software and would manage it.  However, organizations are now understanding their own capabilities and are questioning MSPs on how they can be more agile.

“Customers are now using things like Zoom, Webex and other remote collaboration tools and Financial Directors and the CEOs of organizations are using all these technologies as well.  That is now driving the conversations from the top down and I think the partners will now need to work smarter and have a greater understanding of these new technologies and new ways of delivering value to their customer base,” continues Carpenter.

“From a partner perspective as well, I think many more are turning to subscription and OPEX services to avoid the heavy bumps in the road that CAPEX services have been hit with this year in particular.  The key element here is along the education path, ensuring that sales and solutions teams can not only position these new services that the customers are asking for but to also ensure that these solutions truly meet the customer requirements.”

“If I was to put in a nutshell how our most successful partners have managed to pivot it would be ‘Train your team, educate your customers and make your services compensation neutral for cloud and on premises’,” says Carpenter.