Recently our CEO, Richard Thompson, and Indirect Sales Manager, Ryan Martin, attended the premier channel event; Comms Vision 2023. Bringing over 150 experts together from the telco industry, Comms Vision consists of three days full of expert-led keynotes and fireside sessions, boardroom breakouts, industry insights, networking and more. The Comms Vision 2023 conference shed light on pivotal trends shaping the landscape of channel partnerships.

Here are three key takeaways that underscore the challenges and opportunities facing industry players that came to the fore across the 3 days:

 

1. **Skills Gap and Vendor Complexity**

Channel partners are eager to broaden their service offerings, venturing into cloud, security, and digital services. However, a significant hurdle lies in the form of a skills gap and the intricacies of collaborating with vendors. The complexity involved in navigating these technologies is a roadblock for many, emphasizing the pressing need for skill development and streamlined partnerships. We had several conversations across the event with Partners frustrated they were being asked to provide services they simply didn’t have the ability to deliver and how addressing this was a key part of their 2024 strategy.

 

2. **Partner Enablement as a Cornerstone**

Evolution is the name of the game for channel partners, and the focus has shifted beyond product offerings. Partner enablement is now a cornerstone, with partners seeking suppliers who can support them in building comprehensive capabilities across sales, presales, marketing, and training. The paradigm has shifted from a transactional relationship to one where suppliers act as true partners in the growth journey of their associates. The channels strength has always been its ability to adapt and pool supplier resources to build the perfect proposition for their customers. This evolution will be no different but the partners we spoke to at the event were clear that supplier capabilities, overall enablement offering & vendor accreditations will be key factors when they chose who to partner with.

 

3. **Urgency in Diversification**

The clock is ticking, and Comms Vision attendees resonated with the urgency to act swiftly. Partners are acutely aware that failure to diversify their product portfolios into cloud, security, and digital services could result in being left behind. The competitive landscape is intensifying, especially with the looming ubiquity of Full Fire coverage. Operating at low margins, partners face the dual challenge of staying ahead in a dynamic market and adapting to the evolving connectivity landscape. Whilst connectivity remains fundamental to delivering additional services, the focus has now firmly moved to over-the-top services across cloud, security, and digital.

 

In summary, Comms Vision illuminated (quite literally with the Sky Wholesale drone show) the intricate challenges facing channel partners as they look to evolve and diversify. Navigating the evolving terrain requires a commitment to skill enhancement, strategic partnerships, and timely diversification. As the industry hurdles towards ubiquitous connectivity, the resounding message is clear: the time to act is now.

At ANS, our Partner Programme has been designed with the channel at the heart of it. We are putting our 25+ years of expertise in your hands, delivering a comprehensive programme of Pre-sales, sales, marketing, delivery support and training. Our services cater for all customer needs, from SMB/SME customers looking to move to the cloud for the first time to Enterprise customers looking to secure their existing cloud environments or explore how adopting Dynamics 365 can help their business efficiencies and grow.

If you are interested in knowing more about the ANS Partner Programme, please join us on our Partner Summit on Dec 6^th at our Manchester HQ. Register your place here: ANS Partner Summit: Tech the halls! – ANS