reason cybersecurity ranked second behind AI as an investment driver in Telarus’ recent survey is because AI is now being widely leveraged to combat cyberattacks. Yet there is a sentiment within the network and communications services channel that its technology advisors have not sufficiently seized upon this opportunity, likely due to the perceived barriers to entry in this crucial-yet-complex space. This is despite the fact that 46 percent of enterprise technology leaders surveyed by IDC said they expected to increase their use of external partners to help bridge cybersecurity skills gaps. More generally, partner revenue data from Telarus seems to suggest technology advisors could be missing the proverbial boat when it comes to capitalizing on the current challenges and demands being articulated by IT leaders. When comparing technology advisors year-over-year revenue share and top revenue drivers, one could argue that the changes are not commensurate with the shifts taking place across business networks. For 2024, for instance, the largest shares of technology advisors’ annual revenues are traditional connectivity (36 percent) and UCaaS (32 percent). These are virtually unchanged from 2023, with UCaaS even ticking up one point. At a time when organizations are undergoing digital transformations and seeking to advance their digital maturity, areas such as advanced networking/ connectivity, cybersecurity, cloud and mobility have experienced little or no gains in channel partner revenue share from 2023 to 2024. To be fair, technology advisors surveyed by Telarus did express intent to step up their games, with increasing numbers stating plans to add cybersecurity, mobility, next-gen connectivity and cloud solutions to their portfolios. And helping customers manage their way into and through the “digital business era” is far from a short-lived opportunity. “Although the pandemic has been a catalyst of digital acceleration,” said IDC analysts, “only 22 percent of global organizations have achieved full digital maturity – these organizations have a long-term digital business strategy in place and an orchestrated, enterprise-wide digitalfirst trajectory.” Technology advisors with the expertise to help businesses navigate a growing landscape of technologies and simplify procurement complexities are sure to be a part of this journey. o 45 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2024 | CHANNELVISION
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