Pulsant has published the findings of its latest channel research in which 97% of those surveyed said they experienced growth in the last 12 months.
The research, conducted by independent B2B survey company Censuswide for Pulsant, showed that growth in the market could be attributed to multiple factors, including new talent (63%), incorporating SaaS or cloud into their product offering (47%), working with a cloud services provider, and marketing initiatives (37%).
However, those organisations that were transitioning to SaaS or cloud providers still came up against a number of obstacles — with service delivery the most cited (33%), followed by adjusting to a new business model (20%) and difficulty in finding the right cloud provider (12%).
The survey also demonstrated the ways in which channel businesses are trying to remain competitive. Almost two-thirds of respondents said they were working with partners with complementary solutions in order to stand out, while 60% said they were adopting new solutions like cloud.
Chris Roberts, channel director at Pulsant says: “There’s absolutely no doubt that cloud has changed the way that we do business and is becoming a dominant market force. The channel has been transitioning over the past few years, adapting to the changes that cloud has brought, so this level of positive growth reflected in the research is a powerful indication of the strength of the market.”
Other highlights the research gleaned include:
· 96% of channel businesses say their cloud opportunities have been realised
· 90% of those surveyed are becoming cloud or SaaS providers
· Organisation culture and sales and marketing approach require the most attention when becoming providers
“What we’re seeing from our experience in helping ISVs and other channel organisations make the shift to cloud, is that along with the recognition of the benefits, there are also concerns, particularly around lack of training and skills. Interestingly, those surveyed said they believed that they had the requisite sales skills to succeed, which demonstrates the varying needs and attitudes of these companies. It also points to the value that working with the right cloud partner can bring to operations.”
