In response to more doom-mongering from the market watchers last week, CRN conducted a straw poll of channel players to gauge the general mood.

We spoke to a variety of firms, including distributors and resellers to see how the land lies in the channel. We tried to speak to players from different sectors, such as software and hardware resellers, and networking and security players. Not an easy task at the start of the holiday season.

Our move followed a KPMG press release last week that claimed the number of UK firms planning to make job cuts due to the increasingly dour economic climate has almost doubled over the past three months.

According to the research, 53 per cent of respondents plan to reduce their staff headcount over the coming months, with 52 per cent planning recruitment freezes. Back in March, KPMG claimed just 29 per cent were looking at job cuts.

Of the firms questioned by CRN, none admitted to job cuts now or in the future. But many admitted it was definitely time to be more cautious about taking on new staff.

The vast majority of them were focusing on keeping the staff they have and running their business with no changes. There has been a definite change of mood over the past few weeks, but overall, most people in the channel are still trying to remain optimistic. I hope it continues.

Sara Yirrell is editor of CRN ­ sara.yirrell@incisivemedia.com

Are job cuts in the channel inevitable?
Vote in our online poll at: www.channelweb.co.uk/poll