FEATURE TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
Paul Jackson, Director of EMEA Channel, Foxite:
The honest answer is only if we redefine what‘ keeping pace’ really means. The velocity of technological change today, driven by cloud, AI, security demands and consumption based models, makes it unrealistic for channel partners to master everything, everywhere, all at once. Those that attempt to do so often spread themselves too thin and end up adding limited value to their customers.
The partners who are succeeding have taken a more deliberate approach. They
focus on depth over breadth, specialising in specific technologies, industries or customer outcomes, rather than chasing every emerging trend. This allows them to build genuine expertise, trusted advisory relationships and repeatable solutions, which customers increasingly value more than technical novelty.
At the same time, vendors have a responsibility to recognise that pace of change is not the channel’ s problem alone to solve. If partners are expected to keep up, they need clear positioning, consistent product direction and realistic enablement paths – not constant programme changes or overly complex portfolios. Enablement has to be ongoing and practical, tied directly to revenue opportunities, not just certifications or feature updates.
We’ re also seeing a shift in customer expectations. Many businesses don’ t want every new capability immediately; they want help navigating choices, managing risk and extracting value from technology they already own. That plays directly to the channel’ s strengths.
So yes, channel partners can keep pace, but not by running faster. They do it by being more selective, more focused, and more aligned with vendors who understand that sustainable success comes from partnership, not pressure.
Marianne Van der Pluym, EMEA Software Channel Director, One Identity:
In reality, many partners are faced with having to understand and deal with many complex technology topics: AI, identity, cloud, automation, digital sovereignty and NHIs – the technology surface area is
As the technology landscape continues to change, channel partners are under increasing pressure to evolve faster than ever before. But success is no longer about trying to master every emerging trend. Instead, the focus is shifting toward specialisation, outcome-driven services and deeper vendor alignment, as partners look to balance technical complexity with customer value in an increasingly competitive market. Four channel experts all have their say on the question: Can channel partners realistically keep pace with the speed of technological change?
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS
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