24 percent in 2022) and utilities (13 percent to 31 percent). Omdia’s research shows IT budget growth plans for 2022 are international, with more than 55 percent of enterprises expecting growth across all regions. Return to Spending Strategies Another study, CompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook 2022: Return to Strategy paints a picture of IT professionals focusing on a return to digitizing workplaces and increasing a focus on cybersecurity. The study suggests this return to priorities has channel partners starting to rekindle the strategic initiatives and aspirations that were put aside during the uncertain times the pandemic caused. CompTIA’s report states, “There is a sense of renewed yet cautious determination.” Consider what the study found: nearly 80 percent of channel companies responding to the survey said they are positive about their prospects for 2022, including 37 percent that are feeling “very good” and 40 percent feeling “pretty good.” That’s a 14 percent increase over last year. The study’s results show there is little doubt that partners view technology and the business of selling it a valuable service. According to a prediction found in a Citrix blog regarding the channel in 2022, “partners will evolve and empower customers across their environment vs. focusing in on one specialty.” Citrix said this broadening will offer customers an “optimized experience” while creating new levels of opportunity and involvement for channel partners. Establishing Expertise To increase their chances for success in this environment, channel partners will need to offer a variety of technology solutions and deep expertise within the areas most valued by customers. This could be a dilemma, because the IT industry is more complex, and it changes rapidly at the technology and business levels. Channel partners who once represented a stable set of infrastructure products in a reseller’s portfolio must expand their products/ services and their pitches to represent myriad software-as-a-service applications, data and cybersecurity tools. That says nothing about the emerging technologies that also are beginning to flood the market, such as internet of things, artificial intelligence, machine learning and more. To provide influential consulting to their customers, channel agents need to establish themselves as legitimate experts in the technologies they represent. CompTIA points out that one of the most consequential developments affecting the channel is the rise of online marketplaces, which upends the buying process and impacts actions that follow. Customers can circumvent partners and buy everything online. That’s why channel partners need to find a way to bring service back into customer service. The study predicts channel partners who will thrive in 2022 will expand their market reach to new customers and verticals, partner with competitors and embrace emerging tech. For many, this may mean leaving their comfort zones, but after nearly two years of economic uncertainty because of the pandemic, indications are pointing toward investment and the pursuit of technical and business innovation. 57% 56% 50% 45% 40% 35% Most U.S. IT Pros Feel Optimistic About Role Source: CompTIA Demand for skills leading to career options Importance of tech to business objectives Reliance on technology following pandemic Strong network of technology professionals Perception that tech helps society Diverse skills available for exploration Plans for Solutions and Services Offerings in 2022 Source: CompTIA Mostly extending existing product/services Equal attention to new & existing products/services Mostly focusing on new product/services (i.e. emtech) Wait and see approach Shifting from transational business to consulting Given the choice to specialize, 57% of respondents said they’d go deeper into a specific technology, while 27% opted to zero in on a vertical 37% 29% 20% 8% 7% 31% 31% 27% 27% 3% 57% 56% 50% 45% 40% 35% Source: LastPass, LogMeIn Global Survey Passwords will never truly be eliminated Sense of being afraid to change what we already know Complicated to implement Concerns that it is less secure No challenges Most U.S. IT Pros Feel Optimistic About Role Source: CompTIA Demand for skills leading to career options Importance of tech to business objectives Reliance on technology following pandemic Strong network of technology professionals Perception that tech helps society Diverse skills available for exploration Plans for Solutions and Services Offerings in 2022 Source: CompTIA Mostly extending existing product/services Equal attention to new & existing products/services Mostly focusing on new product/services (i.e. emtech) Wait and see approach Shifting from transational business to consulting Given the choice to specialize, 57% of respondents said they’d go deeper into a specific technology, while 27% opted to zero in on a vertical 37% 29% 20% 8% 7% 51 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022 | CHANNELV ISION
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