IT channel and supplier selection is continually evolving. Customer service and support, low price, and low cost of ownership are the most important criteria when choosing an IT supplier, followed by a thorough understanding of the industry.
According to a new IDC study, the level of satisfaction with IT suppliers overall is reasonably high particularly where expectations are lower. Unsurprisingly, the areas that could be improved upon are price and cost, and to a certain extent customer service and business and industry understanding.
Indirect channels remain the primary choice for nearly two-thirds of organisations, with a new strong increase in the systems integrators channel across sectors – in telecom, energy, government, healthcare, retail, – particularly among larger companies but also in the midmarket.
The shift to new technologies, particularly those that IDC refers to as the third platform – cloud, mobile, big data, and social media – and the related overhaul of systems and infrastructure are very closely tied to specific business needs and surely played a key role in Western European organisations’ increased reliance on systems integrators.
The survey unveils that organisations buying through SIs and VARs are more demanding but also tend to rate their supplier’s performance more positively. In particular, their expectations are much higher regarding IT suppliers’ industry knowledge, revealing a demand pull for a deeper vertical specialisation of channel partners.
“Customers have become less tied to their traditional suppliers as they move to new technologies and delivery models and look for opportunities to reduce costs,” says Serena da Rold, program manager, IDC European Industry Solutions.
“We therefore expect a continuing evolution both in the choice of the main channel for IT sourcing and the criteria that Western European organisations consider as key in order to select their IT suppliers.”
Indirect channels remain the primary choice for nearly two-thirds of organisations, with a new strong increase in the systems integrators channel across sectors – in telecom, energy, government, healthcare, retail, – particularly among larger companies but also in the midmarket.
The shift to new technologies, particularly those that IDC refers to as the third platform – cloud, mobile, big data, and social media – and the related overhaul of systems and infrastructure are very closely tied to specific business needs and surely played a key role in Western European organisations’ increased reliance on systems integrators.
The survey unveils that organisations buying through SIs and VARs are more demanding but also tend to rate their supplier’s performance more positively. In particular, their expectations are much higher regarding IT suppliers’ industry knowledge, revealing a demand pull for a deeper vertical specialisation of channel partners.
“Customers have become less tied to their traditional suppliers as they move to new technologies and delivery models and look for opportunities to reduce costs,” says Serena da Rold, program manager, IDC European Industry Solutions.
“We therefore expect a continuing evolution both in the choice of the main channel for IT sourcing and the criteria that Western European organisations consider as key in order to select their IT suppliers.”