News in the Channel - issue #21

SAAS FOR SMBS

more and more SMBs opt for digital methods. “A very timely point, considering the recent Microsoft and Crowdstrike outages, but a huge requirement for SMBs is security and reliability. Business leaders need to ensure that their teams can continue to work effectively despite outside factors, such as conflict overseas impacting supply chains, and reduce any downtime. Most SaaS solutions have robust data security in place from expert teams to ensure peace of mind.” Changing expectations But as SaaS matures in the market and more SMBs implement solutions, so the expectations of customers are changing too. “There is a growing demand for industry- specific SaaS solutions that offer features and functionalities to meet niche needs; this is something that we are always working with clients to achieve,” says Joe. Paul agrees that SMBs are now seeking SaaS solutions tailored to their industries. “Customers also want a long-term relationship where they know that the SaaS provider is to support them consistently over time,” he says. “Additionally, there's a growing interest in AI and automation to streamline operations and improve customer experiences. According to research, SMBs value digital agility for growth, scalability and competitiveness, showing their evolving expectations as they adopt new technologies.” Mike Barron, UK managing director, SYNAXON, adds: “SaaS, of course, is not new anymore – it’s already the way many SMBs and larger organisations deploy and manage all apps and services,” he says. “As SaaS matures, user expectations are increasing. They expect services to be secure, responsive and always available, and they want to be sure that someone is monitoring and managing their services and keeping them protected and up to date. “For a lot of partners, it makes sense to work with an established supplier of managed services like SYNAXON to offer core SaaS services, such as managed endpoint security and antivirus. We can also help partners with project deployment. This is especially attractive for smaller SMB partners that don’t have a lot of resources to invest in setting up their own managed services operation. If they work with us, there is no set-up cost or need to employ technical staff to run their own services.” Simon Bennett, managing director – Advanced Solutions, UK and Ireland,

TD SYNNEX, adds that while the initial requirements of customers have not really changed, they do mature over time. “All organisations want to make certain that their information is fully secure and as they use more cloud resources, they want to make sure that they are getting the best value,” he says. “This puts the onus back on partners, who need to be confident in providing advice on how to ensure services are protected and that the customer is using the best platform for their particular needs.” Reseller role Indeed, partners and resellers have a key role in helping customers to get the most out of their SaaS solutions. “We’ve found that as customer usage increases, partners are seeking out more education and technical assistance on software and cloud services,” says Simon. “We’re seeing more engagement and enrolment on vendor-specific programmes for

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According to research, SMBs value digital agility for growth, scalability and competitiveness, showing their evolving expectations as they adopt new technologies.

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Chris Shaw UKI&SA country channel manager

Simon Bennett managing director, Advanced Solutions, UK&I

Paul O’Riordan VP and head of medium business UKI

avepoint.com

sage.com

uk.tdsynnex.com

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