The channel ecosystem is constantly shifting, and as a leader I’m often asked how to manage the current industry transformation. My response is that it’s about anticipating partner and customer needs and providing solutions that resolve current issues while also building and maintaining the capabilities to evolve alongside them.
Looking at today’s work landscape, we’ve seen an emergence of what I refer to as an “elastic work” environment where employees are increasingly looking for consistent, secure access and user experience (UX), whether that be in the office, at home, or wherever they are working. Research from our Work Rebalanced report found that 65 percent of employers say employees now expect a higher degree of flexibility than they can accommodate from a business perspective.
So, as a partner, how can you help your customers build this elastic approach that provides their workforce with the UX they want, without sacrificing critical areas like security?
Let’s look at the importance of flexibility in employee experience and the role I see partners playing.
Flexibility: An Expectation, not a Preference
Once a cause of frustration for employees, technology is now a source of empowerment for employees, according to our research. Workplace technology has undergone expedited innovation to support employee experience, and the momentum of work elasticity doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
The way that the workforce uses technology today has evolved drastically compared to even a few years ago. Being able to accommodate a flexible work experience isn’t just a preference among employees, it’s now an expectation that has the potential to impact talent retention. With 63 percent of business leaders recognizing that flexibility has become a key determinant in the job market, many organizations are now trying to identify the next best course of action. Not only do these strategies need to prioritize UX and flexibility, they must also take into consideration how to bolster security against today’s threat landscape.
There’s no handbook on how organizations can steer their businesses to success in the workplace of today, but one thing we’re continuing to see is that empowerment is the most vital experience for employees. Within the partner community there are ongoing conversations around how to identify your value in today’s landscape. To put it simply, it’s about providing solutions that solve real business problems. Organizations are looking for partners with solutions for their high-value challenges, not the next flashy new technology.
Knowing that employees are looking to feel empowered, and that flexibility is a key component, business leaders are focused on ways in which technology can drive a more flexible experience each step of the way. As a result, “flexibility-as-a-service” models are on the rise, bringing new meaning to operational and technological flexibility and further emphasizing the importance of having the right partner. Channel partners are uniquely suited to deliver this value because they specialize in understanding the specific needs of an organization, then simplifying and optimizing complex products and services to create an environment that supports desired business outcomes.
Optimize Your Work Environment
With tech advancements moving at a rapid pace to keep up with ever shifting needs, the relationship between partners and customers requires close collaboration.
Similar to the shift we’re seeing with traditional workplace technology, channel partners are moving away from traditional business models that were focused on selling a product or solution and instead moving toward hosting a service for a customer and/or hosting an offering. In this utility model, customers want to pay for what’s needed, not for pre-designed bundles that include solutions or computing resources that will remain under-utilized or not utilized at all.
We know that one solution doesn’t fit all and that the key to success is taking a customized approach. The most successful channel partners are the ones that help to tailor solutions to meet business’s needs, instead of trying to force approaches to fit into their existing models.
With change across the industry being so constant, it’s critical that channel partners understand how to navigate unpredictable terrain by understanding customer needs and being able to provide the solutions to help get to their desired goals.
While change can be daunting, it’s something partners are well-accustomed to. At Citrix, we aim to be a driving force helping to move businesses toward their desired business outcomes.
