Sundar Balasubramanian, Senior Director, General Business (Commercial Sales & Partners), VMware India, shares the company’s channel strategies for 2019
Key highlights 2018 and opportunities for 2019
Three trends ruled the IT channel sector in 2018 – digital transformation, security and digital workspaces. I expect to see the same trends carrying forward to 2019, with the only difference being the intensity of the energy around them. Appetite for all three will grow larger and more focused in the coming years. The partner network is already abuzz with identifying and implementing new intrinsic strategies that help customers achieve a higher degree of security, for instance, helping the customers secure their infrastructure.
Digital workspaces too will remain the focus in 2019, with an added focus on device management. Partners are in tune with market demands and are involved in supplementing their skillsets to offer differentiated strategies for mobile workforces. There has also been a recalibration around on-premise and public cloud infrastructure and how partners can help customers implement hybrid and multi-cloud strategies seamlessly.
Top tech trends for channel community
The most important technology trend that they should be betting for is the shift to the public cloud. The shift to the cloud is the foundation for digital transformation and the first stepping stone for any organisation looking to make the transition.
The second trend the channel community is betting on is mobility. Anytime, anywhere, any device access is no longer good to have an option but a business necessity that is key to improved productivity and even morale. By 2022, there will be more than 700 million smartphone users in the country. The new Indian consumer is online, connected and accustomed to ease of use and instant access that traditional business models just cannot deliver. Partner network is well positioned to deliver innovative mobility solutions in the coming year.
The third trend that I feel will strengthen further in 2019 is the Internet of Things. Already some sectors like manufacturing are leveraging IoT solutions to improve efficiencies and ultimately profitability. As more organisations move to the cloud, mobility makes further inroads within the subcontinent and connectivity improves, we will see IoT coming into its own with more sectors and organisations tapping into it for newer and better ways of functioning.
Channel directions for partners
We have recently launched VMware Master Services Competencies in 2018 for our partner network and will continue to capitalise on it 2019. Master Services Competencies recognises outstanding services partners, for expertise in specific VMware solution areas. Attaining a Master Services Competency can help accelerate capabilities and grow their business, providing a pathway to greater profitability. Our partners can enroll for this program and stay aligned with vision and strategy for growth.
