|
|
|
07 May 2009
The government announced new flexible working legislation in April, mandating that companies extend flexible working rights to employees with children up to age 16. Mixed reactions have ensued, particularly from SMEs.
Lobby groups claiming to represent such businesses say this puts unnecessary pressure on companies already struggling through tough economic times.
We believe that SMEs can lose up to £25,000 a year from staff being absent for various reasons. So technologies that enable flexible working are surely a boon.
Of course, businesses of all sizes have been nervous about investing in anything other than the most essential technologies. That adds up to a challenge for the channel.
Better collaboration between vendors and channel partners could deliver targeted solutions combining technology, finance and an element of hand-holding to reassure customers.
Any project that means ripping out existing infrastructure is unlikely to be approved. Rather, customers seek partnerships and technology that revitalise existing systems.
For some, extending desk phone capabilities to a mobile device can give staff the ability to work flexibly. This need not be costly for the customer.
Vendor-neutral technology that can decouple existing applications from the network and deliver them to users anywhere, using any device, can also help.
Vendors that offer flexible finance to partners and their customers can be valuable. We think that shifting a customer’s investment from capex to opex can get those holding the purse strings to sign up on the spot.
The ability to offer staff flexible-working rights can also ease talent drain by improving access to remote or part-time human resources.
Where previously a good working relationship and a few anecdotes on the benefits of flexible working might have closed a deal, today more is required.
Site visits to see technology in action can reassure customers that yours is a credible business with happy customers.
References from customers willing to talk about the business benefits can also prove invaluable.
For those customers still looking for something more, vendors partnering resellers to replicate a flexible-working technology setup will, we think, have an advantage.
The new flexible working legislation will doubtless encourage customers to look at flexible working technologies. Resellers must seize the opportunity.
Jirina Yates is head of EMEA marketing at Avaya
Related articles
In this video find out about the fast-growing Chinese vendor's plans for market domination and how the channel is its route of choice
Find out what gifts Acer has in store for partners for 2012 in this exclusive roundup of its recent conference
CRN's premier networking event is back on 17 May at the Ricoh Arena
Date: Thu 17 May 2012
Channel fighters preparing to square up once more on 24 May
Date: Thu 24 May 2012
The proliferation of endpoint devices within the enterprise has highlighted the shortcomings of one of the traditional approaches to data security
This Forrester report compares the costs and benefits of legacy email and productivity software with Google Apps
Dave discovers that rozzers are seemingly living in the technology dark ages
Mark Needham, founder of distributor Widget, argues that John Browett leaves for Apple with Dixons in better shape than when he arrived
|
|
|
Do you agree?
Have your say