Don't hide in the long grass

Barrie Desmond of VADition claims resellers cannot tread water, even in tough economic times

Spending on new technology has always spiked during recession. Why is that? Shouldn't enterprise IT managers be more conservative, spending what budget they do have on the same old tried and trusted technology solutions that have been around for years? Well, if you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always got.

Often it takes radically new technology to make enough of a difference to warrant investment. For instance, solutions that physically automate the IT function, and dramatically reduce operating costs. If the chips were really down, what the hell would anyone want with last year's capabilities?

Think about how customers can benefit from new technologies and delivery models, and don't take the short-sighted view that any new innovation will just cannibalise your existing business.

I don't buy the idea that the snake will eat its own tail any more than I buy the idea that treading water is a sustainable reseller business strategy. At the very least, you need to invest time in examining technology futures, and be bold in embracing the disruptive, enabling benefits that they can produce.

Now is not the time to go and hide in the long grass. Explore the market and broaden your business horizons, because your future depends on it.

Barrie Desmond (pictured) is marketing and business development director at VADition

Read his thoughts all this week at Views from the Channel