Vendors leaning on distributors more

Vendors and solution providers are looking to IT distributors for guidance, support and resources,  the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC) EMEA summit was told.

GTDC CEO Frank Vitagliano said that innovation was a key sales driver and rising value proposition for the channel as businesses struggle to keep pace with increased labour costs, global competition, and regulatory compliance.

“While organisations rely on IT solutions and technology providers to address those concerns and meet other critical objectives, distributors are a force behind the scenes. They deliver more technology options, services and support capabilities than ever before,” he told the gathered GTDC throngs.

Distributors had evolved from their core pick, pack and ship roles into channel orchestrators, he said.

“All the investments in digital platforms, marketplaces, and emerging technology practices are coming into their own today, simplifying go-to-market strategies and expanding the reach for vendors and solution partners,” Vitagliano said.

He said that distributors were force-multipliers in the adoption process, providing vendors with the support, resources and visibility required to thrive in the channel.”