Cloud is now the number one driver of channel engagement in the UK IT sector according to a survey carried out by global interconnection company Equinix which shows that 47% of those surveyed in Britain are now using channel businesses for cloud-based services.
With Gartner research revealing that 80% of enterprises plan to migrate entirely away from on-premises infrastructure to colocation and the cloud by 2025, it is clear the Channel is well positioned to help customers implement critical infrastructure upheaval. In fact, 59% of UK business surveyed said they would choose to work with channel partners because it’s more cost-effective than other routes to market.
When asked about what will differentiate channel partners and lead enterprises to work with them, quality of service was universally named the most important differentiator by 56% of UK respondents.
Commenting on the survey, Matt Williams, Head of Telstra EMEA, Telstra said: “Organisations underestimate the value of finding the right partners in their digital journey. Successful partnerships not only fill gaps in expertise, they can bring long-term value. Many businesses are finding success in migrating from a purely transactional model to values-based partnerships.”
Oren Yehudai, Senior Director, EMEA Channel Sales, Equinix added: “The move to the Cloud has been incredibly exciting to see. By 2021, European spend on cloud will hit £100 billion. Channel players have to be ready to support this, and for many that means making significant changes, from accelerating the development of consulting and ‘cloud-complementing’ services to adapting to a monthly billing system or changing compensation plans to match new purchasing patterns.”