New research released today by leading global channel services provider, Agilitas IT Solutions has revealed that confidence in the future of the Technology Channel has reached a record height amongst UK industry decision makers, with the overall confidence score reaching 7.8 out of a possible 10. Agilitas unveils these findings through the launch of its annual Technology Channel Confidence Index 2022, the inaugural report of the new EVOLVE era.
Senior leaders from across the Technology Channel were asked to rate their level of optimism on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being very pessimistic, 10 being very optimistic) in a number of key areas impacting the sector today. In addition to staple themes from previous years, Agilitas introduced a number of new topics in response to new trends related to a sustainable future for the planet, people and partners; Culture, Leadership, Globalocal, Purpose, Alliances, and Values.
As we continue on a course of post-pandemic recovery, this year saw a steady rise in total confidence about the future of the whole Technology Channel to 7.8, compared to the 7.4 levels recorded in 2021. When thinking about the future success of their own company over the course of the next 12 months, confidence was even higher with a combined score of 7.9.
Findings show that many Technology Channel leaders are already recognising the need for globalocal supply chain innovation. When asked how important building local supply chains and ecosystems across global markets will be to their business in the next 12 months, respondents offered a mean score of 7.7 (where 10 was ‘very important’). Of those surveyed, over half (59%) of channel leaders scored 8, 9 or 10, with Business Owners and Managing Directors citing a significant focus on a globalocal approach to their business model, with scores of 8.3 and 8.1 respectively.
Other key findings from the report include:
- Almost half (47%) of decision makers stated their organisations measures sustainability targets quarterly
- The level of confidence in delivering customer experiences saw a return to pre-pandemic scores, climbing back up to 7.9 for the next 12 months
- Confidence in the channel’s ability to form collaborative partnerships that balance profit with purpose was high amongst channel leaders, scoring 7.9 out 10
- Company culture was highly important to this year’s respondents, sitting at 8.2. Astriking 70% rated its importance 8 and above
- Technology Channel leaders showed strong confidence in attracting and retaining talent at 7.8 out of 10, with 64% scoring 8 or above on the scale.
“As the first Agilitas market report of the post-pandemic era, there is no surprise that the first EVOLVE Technology Channel Confidence Index would offer up such a diverse mix of results, full of lessons learned, progression and disruption. The vision to act with impact extends to all corners of the Technology Channel to build an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable future. Now, the true value of success is no longer determined by financial gain alone, as many channel players seek to re-evaluate the way they do business to find the right balance between profits and purpose,” comments Shaun Lynn, CEO, Agilitas.
Agilitas surveyed 250 respondents working in UK-headquartered channel businesses, with an annual turnover of over £5million. Designed as a barometer for change to monitor the direction of the Technology Channel, the report measures decision-maker attitudes to curate trends, predictions, forecasts and commentary about the current state of the Technology Channel and the outlook for the year ahead.
The findings explored in the report are the results of commissioned research conducted in partnership with leading research firm, Opinion Matters in February 2022. Agilitas’ ‘EVOLVE – The Journey to a Sustainable Future’ campaign will continue throughout 2022, providing ongoing market research and analysis to deliver actionable insights to the Technology Channel in the year ahead.
To download the full report, please visit: https://www.agilitas.co.uk/agilihub/initiatives/channel-confidence-index-2022/