The first XaaS (Everything-as-a-Service) online event this week heard how many more IT partners are supplying services, even though some are not that good at closing deals. In a market that relies on differentiation, some basic processes need looking at.
The emphasis is on innovation, attendees were told, particularly in security where the old point solutions are no longer adequate.
No longer will security technologies be bought as a one-off. It will become more cost-effective when better planned and managed, researcher Frost and Sullivan’s security expert Danielle VanZandt (pictured with IT Europa Editor John Garratt) told the online meeting. “And it will not solve just one issue. Many of the technologies can be re-imagined and re-used for other purposes within the organisation.”
And diversity in solutions is needed says the researcher - not just for specific technical areas or vertical industry. The adoption of the services model opens everthing up. And the squeeze on spending will force customers and channels to look at what they are doing and selling. There will be no accelerated recovery in security spend she says, with some opportunity lost in next few years and suppliers will feel different effects, depending on their reactions. But there is no doubt that security as a service is in demand from customers unwilling to invest in fixed infrastructure, she concluded.
Gary Marsden, head of Thales Cloud Protection & Licensing also talked about how rapidly security is moving to services: “The pandemic opens up markets in secure remote access; the move to cloud can increase security, but the models need to be rethought – to move away from lumpy cash to annuity selling.” In 2020, Thales is recruiting many new partners to help it grow, he added.
The particular issues in 2020 were referred to by many speakers, including WatchGuard’s Jon-Marc Wilkinson who says its research currently shows that UK customers are under a lot of targeted attacks as the “new normal” pushes the client perimeter to the home office. Those working at home may have basic security, but home devices are not well controlled.
This is an area where services are expanding rapidly.
But the sales processes could be made better by less focus on technology, more on impact, as Josh Scott, Sales Director at Konekt said: “It's about business outcomes and if you don't have those integrations in the technology platforms you're deploying, you're not going to get an efficient business outcome.”
And as Leahanne Hobson, CEO & Founder at Aliena Partners Consulting told of her experiences as a secret shopper with leading European services providers, it became clear that there is room for improvement. Two-thirds of buying experiences they are involved in did not lead to them getting any proposal even as they were promised, she told the group.
And it goes deeper: “Most companies in B2B selling focus on technology, not speaking to the buyers they want to attract,”she complained and that is why sales don't succeed - 66% of sellers can't be found, 60% can't close.
In the panel debates (below), it was clear that the issues are understood by the vendors who are rushing to provide education and advice, but that the partners face many calls on their time in a difficult period. As a strategy the “Everything-as-a-service” model is sound and growing rapidly, but there are a lot of diversions currently.
Details of event here: Thanks to our sponsors: Datto, Exclusive Networks, IT Glue, Konekt, Logmein, Nuvias, Sophos, Thales, Skout and WatchGuard
