From installing social distancing apps and non-touch print technology, to rightsizing licensing, resellers and MSPs are busy helping their clients as they attempt a safe office return. Bosses from Insight, XMA, Jigsaw24, Phoenix Software, SBL, DTP, Total Computers, European Electronique, ASL, Bamboo and Arkphire weigh with their top tips.
Name: Aidan Groom
Company: Total Computers
Role: Managing director
VAR 350 ranking: 57
Talking to your clients, roughly what percentage are currently returning - or looking to return - staff to the office/site?
It's difficult to put a percentage on it as it varies so much by sector and vertical. Perhaps what would be of greater interest to you is the volume of customers we're talking to about adopting permanent home-working strategies. As an example, one of these customers has circa 15,000 UK office based employees and is now looking to send back only 3,500 of those to an office environment. I'm hearing many stories of a similar nature: organisations now seriously reviewing their model (fixed property overheads in particular) and weighing up those potential cost savings versus moving a greater percentage of employees to a fixed home working model.
What is the biggest challenge or opportunity for the channel in helping with this transition?
Clearly we're already seeing winners and losers out there (whether that be reseller, distie or vendor). I've always been a believer that change can create opportunity, but what's key is being able to identify the opportunity and to be agile enough to capitalise upon it. From a Total perspective I see a number of opportunities. These would include (but not limited to) devices, security, app & cloud migration, remote monitoring solutions and short-medium term outsourced services.
Given the rise of remote working and socially distanced offices, how do you expect the role of resellers or MSPs change over the coming months?
Clearly as has always been the case the channel will evolve. From my point of view it's more important than ever before that we are working closely with our customers, having a deep understanding of their pain points, challenges, goals and short/medium/longer term objectives.
See next page for Jigsaw24's Tim Bodin's answers
