Australian channel partners embrace data to drive 2026 growth, Westcon-Comstor finds
Distributor’s research reveals data-driven offerings and capabilities are key to partners’ growth strategy
LONDON, UK – 8 January, 2026 – Channel partners in Australia are prioritising data-driven innovation to fuel growth in 2026, according to new research from global technology distributor Westcon-Comstor.
The survey of 500 partners in Australia and four other countries reveals that 43% of Australia-based respondents plan to invest in data-led offerings to unlock new opportunities and increase profitability over the next 12 months – outpacing other priorities like market expansion and pivoting to managed services or subscription models.
That’s the second highest proportion of all countries surveyed and compares to a global average of 40%.
Additionally, 29% of Australian partners see data-driven consulting services as the single most promising revenue stream from digital transformation – more than in any other country.
Westcon-Comstor found that, across all five countries surveyed – Australia, Singapore, Spain, UAE, and the UK – most partners are already leveraging real-time data to enhance customer experience and inform business decisions.
Popular applications include tracking customer behaviour and preferences (57%), refining marketing and sales strategies (50%) and identifying market trends (42%).
The research forms part of Westcon-Comstor’s Future Ready programme of channel analysis and coincides with an acceleration in adoption of the distributor’s analytics-driven sales programme, Intelligent Demand (iD).
Calendar year 2025 saw a 132% year-on-year increase in the number of channel campaigns supported by Intelligent Demand, rising from 540 to more than 1,200.
The programme uses predictive analytics to drive growth, enhance customer lifetime value and identify new markets for partners and vendors. It combines best-in-class data, AI, analyst research and channel expertise with Westcon-Comstor's proprietary data science models.
“Our research confirms that data-driven innovation is now embedded as a critical driver of AI growth and differentiation for channel partners,” said Atul Damani, Chief Data Officer at Westcon-Comstor. “In the era of lifecycle selling, leveraging AI-powered data and analytics can enable partners to save time, uncover highly targeted sales opportunities and focus their energy on where they’ll get results. As channel evolution accelerates, the importance of data will only grow and at Westcon-Comstor we feel distribution has a vital role to play in ensuring partners are equipped with the insights and capabilities they need to thrive.”
“Australian channel partners are stepping up as data-driven innovators, with 43% prioritising analytics to power growth in 2026,” said Phil Cameron, Managing Director, Westcon-Comstor Australia. “It reflects the market’s appetite for smart, insight-led strategies that deliver agility and unlock new opportunities in a competitive landscape.”
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