Behind the Scenes: The Direction of Technology Today and Tomorrow
Contributed by Jill Kermes, Corporate Vice President, Corporate Communications and Corporate Citizenship, TD SYNNEX
Last year, TD SYNNEX accomplished something completely groundbreaking: We became the first distributor and solutions aggregator to release a global industry survey of the technology ecosystem, sharing the voices of resellers around the world.
We’re proud to unveil this year’s 2023 Direction of Technology Report, which just launched this week. More than 550 partners shared their insights into the technology landscape, allowing us provide actionable insights for SMB businesses around the world.
First Thoughts
As we continue to navigate uncertain economic conditions, two key themes in the report resonated with me:
- Our partners are optimistic about growth.
- The IT ecosystem is a stabilizing force amid disruption.
With so many industry buzzwords today — generative AI, IoT, cybersecurity, hybrid cloud, edge computing, data analytics — it can be easy to be overwhelmed by where to focus, but it’s clear that the channel has become a trusted advisor in helping navigate new technologies and provide skills and training to help implement them.
Optimism Through Adaptation
For many businesses, 2023 has been a challenging year. But according to the Direction of Technology, more than 77% of our respondents anticipated revenue growth this year. We should be encouraged by this level of confidence, especially because it’s not blind optimism, but a recalibration to meet the changing needs of the market and the end customer.
Our partners are expecting to grow because they’re resilient, adaptable and are highly flexible to adjust their portfolios, re-prioritize their skill sets and adopt new technologies to meet changing demands.
Growth opportunity follows a few key themes:
- New Offerings — The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and other high-growth technologies (e.g., data analytics, AR/VR, to name a few) are ahead of schedule than anticipated even just a year ago. The introduction of technologies like ChatGPT has democratized generative AI over the past year, and as a result, our survey indicates a 625% jump in partners who are currently offering AI and ML solutions.
- New Skill Sets — Organizations are prepared to make critical talent investments in both business and technical skills. Globally, security, networking and data analytics were the most in-demand technology skills among partners, while managed services, professional services and business planning were the most sought-after business skills.
- Responsibility to the planet — As the leader of our Corporate Citizenship efforts at TD SYNNEX, it was tremendously energizing to see that the 2023 report saw a surge in Environmental, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) prioritization. At TD SYNNEX and across the channel, it’s clear that ESG is shaping the path ahead.
A Stabilizing Force Amid Disruption
As I mentioned at the top of this blog, respondents referenced the stability that the partner ecosystem provides in the midst of constant change. 60 percent that adapting to change is their №1 business challenge.
And when you consider that, according to Canalys research almost three-fourths (73.1%) of the $4.7 trillion worldwide addressable IT market in 2023 is delivered through partner-delivered channels, it’s clear why. The technology business partner ecosystem brings today and will continue to do so well into the future.
Behind the Scenes: Survey Methodology
In the second year of our survey, we had a tremendous response rate — more than 550 small and midsize businesses globally — double the amount of respondents from last year. Respondents were asked to reflect on their successes and challenges over the past year and to anticipate priorities in the years ahead.
Continuing Channel Collaboration
The 2023 Direction of Technology report embodies what I love about the channel: collaboration across our ecosystem. It’s this open line of dialog between TD SYNNEX and our channel partners that will make our relationships, and not coincidentally, our collective businesses, thrive.
As I leave you to find your own meaningful takeaways from the 2023 report, I want to emphasize our appreciation for not just the partners who participated in the survey, but to all of our partners around the world who allow us to keep a pulse on the direction of technology and play a role in shaping it.
We thank you for your partnership, your confidence, and above all, your trust as we accelerate and innovate together.
