COMMENT
Change is still afoot We may be three years on from the original lockdowns but the IT sector is clearly still coming to terms with the changes such a monumental event ushered in.
The fact is the rules have changed. The great resignation shows how ordering employees to commute is not enough, businesses have to make the effort to make the office a nice environment. That doesn’t necessarily mean bean bags and pool tables in every office. But the digital wall installations that inform employees almost have the same effect. AV has a funny way of appealing to our fickle side and walking into an office kitted out with rolling news, a list of available rooms, and the local weather can improve morale amongst existing employees and create a great impression for visitors. More on page 12. But the lasting effect, as far as I can see it, is our acceptance that solutions can do the jobs we don’t want to do. As Dan outlined last week, the growth in AI can be seen to be scary; especially for someone who’s main skill is writing words. But by opening up our arms to artificial intelligence for things like order processing, auditing, and targeting, employees are freed up to take the time to strike up relationships, build a rapport with customers that will last, rather than taking a quick phone call and then filling out a myriad of spreadsheets, as we uncover on page 38. I hope you enjoy this issue. As ever, if you have a topic that you want to cover in future issues, or you want to get involved in editorial or advertising, please drop us a line at press@newsinthechannel.com
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be fed up by talk of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a journalist a news feed dominated by lockdowns, new strains, and economic downturn was only broken up by writing about the implications in the IT industry. But as we move close to spring, we mark the third anniversary of that speech where our Prime Minister announced a nationwide lockdown, in line with much of the rest of the world. Taking a step back whilst reading this month’s magazine, it’s clear to see that the effects of the lockdowns continue to impact all facets of B2B technology. Initially the mind will go to the cyber security implications. Moving from the secure corporate networks that benefitted from careful CTO investment, to a patchy personal service with free personal security, is almost an open invitation for hackers, as we discuss on page 16. But that’s too obvious, in fact, I think the biggest change has come in the AV sector. While online meetings were ‘already a thing’ before the pandemic, as I continue to be told, the shift to remote working for a portion of the week has meant that businesses need to make the office a place that is worth coming to. In collaborations, interactive boards are great to get everyone on the same page, but digital walls in reception and communal areas are a better demonstration of the effects of the pandemic.
Elliot Mulley-Goodbarne
CALLING ALL BRANDS
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