To win in a digital world, you need to be a digital partner
In this Future Ready opinion piece, Louise Taute walks us through the findings from our latest industry research, exploring the digital journeys of our partners and practical steps they should be taking.
For years, partners competed mainly on price. But today, it's about much more than that. Partners are now in competition on intelligence, speed, and customer experience.
To succeed, you need a digital-first approach. I'm seeing this demand for digital strategies everywhere, not just in the Southern Africa region but globally. It’s driven by a perfect storm of vendor priorities, our own operational realities, and of course, what partners and customers are asking for.
In our latest research, we asked partners about their digital journeys to understand their progress and where they see opportunities for growth.
Here are some of my key takeaways from the findings.
Skills matter, not just software
Our survey found that the biggest barrier for partners adopting digital tools is a lack of internal expertise (34%). This doesn’t surprise me. After all, skills, not software, are what make digital transformation a success.
But before doing any skills enhancement or training, partners need to unpack the benefits of the platforms and tools for the users, as change naturally tends to create some anxiety.
Before you invest in any new platform, define your goals. What business problem are you trying to solve? Is it efficiency, growth, or a better customer experience? Without this clarity, technology can become a costly experiment.
Then, involve your teams. They understand operational pain points better than anyone and can provide practical insights that shape realistic solutions. When employees feel they’re part of the process, adoption accelerates, resistance drops, and timelines improve. This is change management in action – built on collaboration, not mandates.
Turn real-time data into real value
We also asked partners how they use real-time data. The top answer, at 57%, was tracking customer behaviour and preferences.
For me, the important question is: how do we turn that real-time data into real value? Collecting data is not a differentiator anymore – it’s table stakes. The real advantage comes from analysing it intelligently and aligning insights to your company’s growth objectives.
This is where AI can play a huge role. It helps businesses move from simple metrics to real strategies that solve problems and drive growth. The challenge is that data overload can be paralysing. Many organisations struggle to turn data into value because they lack the right tools and skills.
In such instances, partnering with distributors who have access to vast data – and can help you use it – is a smart move. Our Intelligent Demand program is a good example of this, using predictive analytics, market understanding, expertise, and more to support partners in their data-driven growth strategies.
Ultimately, the solution is to focus on your objectives, not just the dashboards. Every insight you gain should tie back to a clear business goal and help you stand out from the competition.
Speed is important, but value is the endgame
When we asked partners what the most important factor is for winning business over low-cost competitors, 31% said providing faster or more responsive service. I agree that speed is critical, but it’s not enough to build a future-proof business.
Responsive service is now a baseline expectation. But for long-term growth, you need to offer more. Mature customers value quality, reliability, and a strategic partnership over a cheap price. As the old saying goes, buying cheap often costs more in the long run.
Future-proofing your business means investing in what makes you different, like advanced analytics, AI-driven insights, and customer experiences that go beyond simple transactions.
What practical steps can you take?
Based on these findings, it’s clear that digital transformation is a journey. Here are a few practical steps you can take to get started:
- Define your goals: Start with the business outcomes you want to achieve. Create a clear roadmap with timelines and key performance indicators.
- Invest in skills: Upskill your teams in key areas like AI, security, and cloud technologies. You can leverage vendor programmes to help with this.
- Build data-driven capabilities: Implement real-time analytics and AI-driven insights to identify gaps and growth opportunities.
The partners who balance digital strategies with clear business outcomes won’t just survive the changes ahead – they’ll lead the market.
If you need support to reach your digital transformation goals, Westcon-Comstor is here to help. Reach out to us today to see how we can work together.
