New research from OnePoll claims that two thirds of channel businesses are looking for new companies to partner with between now and 2020.
The research, commissioned by Agilitas found that only 27 percent inform their customers that some of their services are being delivered by partner and 39 percent occasionally disclose these partnerships, depending on the nature of the partnership and customer.
Agilitas CEO Shaun Lynn said: “It may seem unusual that only a quarter of IT channel companies disclose to their customers that some of their services are outsourced, especially in an era where collaboration is financially and strategically crucial. We understand that there may be some scepticism from a business that doesn’t want to disclose that it cannot provide a secondary service in-house.
“However, it’s always best for companies to focus on developing their core skills, as trying to develop in areas where its experience is limited can prove expensive and time-consuming. Ultimately, a strong channel partnership will always prove more beneficial for the end-user customer.”
The research also revealed that nearly half of partnerships are formed for all parties to remain increasingly cost-efficient, while nearly 30 percent of channel businesses surveyed enter into partnerships to plug a lack of internal skills.
“Forming technical and training partnerships with other channel companies can prove cost-effective, while helping to overcome various challenges, such as the skills gap”, said Lynn.
“I’m confident that in the next few years, the number of collaborative partnerships will only grow as the need to meet the exacting requirements of the end user, in an increasingly customer-centric environment, becomes ever more crucial.”
The research surveyed 100 senior-level executives at IT resellers, managed service providers and independent IT channel firms.
