Agilitas IT Solutions has launched its ‘CONNECT for Enhanced Experiences’ report. This guide forms the final instalment in its Technology Channel insight campaign, ‘CONNECT - Voice of the Channel’, which continues to provide actionable, free-to-view market insight for Channel businesses.
Agilitas’ latest research-led ‘Channel Confidence Index: New Horizons’, positioned productivity as high importance on the agenda of today’s channel leaders, achieving a collective score of 7 out of 10.
The findings of the latest research commissioned by Agilitas also revealed the need to prioritise the customer experience, with 74% of those asked ranking 8 or higher out of a possible 10 for customer experience importance within their organisation. This was followed by how confident those in the industry felt about the improvements in customer experience in response to recent challenges. This saw optimism amongst 83% of respondents who ranked between 7 and 10. Of this number, 22% scored the maximum 10.
To understand the outlook on productivity and customer-centricity amongst Technology Channel senior leaders, the research highlights that changing business models, expanding propositions and ultimately transforming the industry can help channel firms survive and thrive, whilst making way for a future of more enhanced experiences. This comes at a pivotal moment as the Technology Channel and the wider world looks towards life after COVID-19.
In addition to recognising the need for productivity in the future of their own business, Technology Channel decision-makers generally showed significant awareness and understanding of the challenges that are most likely to hinder efficiency. When asked, 36% stated reluctance to change as the biggest obstacle in their workplaces, followed by lack of planning (30%) and unsuitable software and systems (33%).
“The last two years have taught us to prioritise customer-centricity and how we measure productivity,” commented Shaun Lynn, CEO of Agilitas. “For the UK Technology Channel, working productively also goes hand in hand with enhancing these experiences in a more competitive landscape, and those putting people at the forefront are best placed to create motivated teams that succeed and deliver.”
When exploring who across the Technology Channel are planning ahead most, Agilitas found that business leaders are now, at the very least, thinking of ways to make their businesses more productive, and have already cited the challenges within their workplaces that needed to be rectified. Top responses included allowing employees to make their own decisions (42%), investing in the workforce (39%) and recognising team members’ ideas through implementation (39%).
Lynn then goes on to say “It is hugely positive to see decision-makers demonstrating such commitment to following a customer-centric approach, allowing their businesses to anticipate what channel partners want and create not only services and offerings that suit their current needs, but ones that are designed to benefit partners in years to come.”
