COMMENT
Brighter outlook The UK economy is – finally – heading in the right direction, which should only add to the increasing sense of optimism among businesses in the channel currently.
Waking up to some positive economic news, as I did this morning, is still something of a novelty after recent years. Official figures show that the economy grew by 0.6% between January and March, ending the recession that we had over the second half of last year. While 0.6% isn’t much economic growth, it is at least growth. It remains to be seen whether this is sustained over the coming months, but, for now, it is good news. If the economy is starting to bounce back, then it should be good news for the channel, as more businesses might feel able to make investments in technology. It should hopefully add to a growing sense of optimism among resellers, distributors and manufacturers involved in the channel. Talking to various people in the industry in recent months, and it is becoming clear that there is much more positivity now about the prospects for the channel now and in the coming months. For example, Neil MacDonald, HP’s channel director for the UK and Ireland, believes this is an exciting time for the industry, with plenty of opportunities for sales for the channel thanks to several factors such as artificial intelligence and the upcoming Windows 11 refresh. Read his thoughts in our exclusive interview starting on p33. The changing demands of customers are also providing opportunities to the channel, such as with the rising demand for managed services. Growth in this sector is expected to be healthy for the foreseeable future as online technology becomes more complex and sophisticated – along with the threats to it – and more businesses seek to outsource this to experts to manage it. Read more on p38. The print channel is also experiencing change, and many in the sector are looking
to branch out into other services and technologies. Sharp is one manufacturer that has done it, broadening its portfolio of products in recent years, as Colin Blumenthal, managing director of Sharp IT services, explains. He adds that many print reseller businesses are also diversifying to survive. Read more on p14. Peripherals are another part of the channel where optimism is growing. With the return to the office, along with the enduring appeal of hybrid working, peripherals are crucial to employee efficiency and making a working environment as comfortable as possible – and something that help resellers to boost sales. Find out more on p26.
Dan Parton
As this range of articles shows, there is plenty of change in the channel currently, which is providing new opportunities for businesses. Allied to the improving economic conditions, it seems the optimism among increasing numbers in the channel is warranted. As ever, I hope you enjoy the issue. If there is any topic you would like to see covered in a future issue of News in the Channel – or you want to get involved in editorial or send over an op-ed or news story – please drop me a line at dan@newsinthechannel.com.
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