2023 PREVIEW
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Peter Cowan , group chief operations officer, Data Direct For Data Direct – and the wider sector – in 2023, I am most definitely hoping for growth. There’s has been some decent recovery in parts of the print sector and with our product and service proposition, we have helped dealers get back to close-to-normal ways, providing excellent value across the board. For 2023, we are planning
Of course, the economic conditions will influence the print sector in 2023. While nobody in their right mind would welcome a recession, it means this is a time for Data Direct to shine – we will work even harder to bring real value to our dealers in terms of cost reductions and business efficiencies. We also expect that dealers will push even harder to make savings on stockholdings and logistics, all of which falls into our service package, along with the huge savings to be made from compatible consumables and spares. In terms of confidence about the prospects for businesses in general in the print sector for 2023, as always, good businesses will most often survive through a process of change. Being willing to adapt their business to the new normal will be part of that course as well as having a keen eye on trends that will affect consumption. At Data Direct, we have a team of business managers who can support change, minimising shocks and helping dealers build for the long-term.
some exciting announcements and expect further growth in our business, most importantly for our customers and their end users to capitalise upon. The major trends in the print sector in 2023 in terms of customer demands/wants will be continued from those we saw in 2022. For instance, the continuation of the move to more formalised hybrid working will continue to shape demand for better adapted products and better service. Our own PIPS product, for example, a device monitoring solution, means companies no longer have to check on large print formats in large offices but can have an efficient and cost-effective overview to manage supplies wherever people are based.
Peter Cowan group chief operations officer Data Direct
data-direct.co.uk
Mark Ash , chief revenue officer, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd As UK businesses and organisations of every type look to ‘do more with less’, the Digital Workplace will become even more important in 2023 and through cost savings and better use of skilled employees’ time.
Linked to this is robotic process automation, whereby AI takes over certain processes, often repetitive labour-intensive functions. Video analytics are another important aspect of this automation. Also, mindful of ‘The Great Resignation’ following the pandemic, businesses need to deliver the best possible experience to keep existing employees engaged and satisfied, while attracting fresh talent. This particularly affects Generation Z workers: 58% (vs. 43% overall) of them are likely to consider changing employers this year. One-third of employees already changed their jobs in the past two years. The top reasons for not accepting a job offer include a lack of flexible hours (37%) and location flexibility (28%), as 53% are more likely to prioritise health and wellbeing than before the pandemic. Companies that take this into account and provide a better work-life balance through flexible models satisfy their employees, attract new talent, improve productivity and remain competitive. While we are still in challenging economic times, more businesses will be looking to meet those challenges by using IT-as-a-Service. Instead of buying IT hardware, software and services outright, the business receives everything required at a set cost for each member of the team. This avoids high initial capital expenditure costs and an in-house IT provision to service it, while ensuring
beyond. Pressures to increase sustainability, while reducing costs and supporting hybrid working and engendering workplace flexibility, will mean greater pressures on the IT provision and increased use of automation. There will be several major tends, such as the growing importance of communication and collaboration tools in times of hybrid working. The increasing move to hybrid working has highlighted to many businesses that older communications platforms, such as email, are no longer suitable for enhanced online collaboration needs. Mission critical for remote working and collaboration during the pandemic, Microsoft Teams has proven that it is far more than just a video call rival for Zoom. Teams serves as a hub for teamwork, facilitating project management, chats/calls and meetings, content sharing and authoring – all in one place. Another trend will be doing more with less. With the Internet of Things continuing to expand seemingly without limits, more and more systems are being encompassed by business networks. This explosion in workplace data availability ensures that artificial intelligence (AI), which learns processes and patterns, can offer great opportunities in automating workflows and thereby finding greater economies
Mark Ash chief revenue officer Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd
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