Cisco's UK channel boss on the two 'headline areas' for partners as we move out of lockdown

Cisco's UK channel boss Angela Whitty has highlighted two areas that will be crucial for partners as we move out of lockdown.

Speaking to CRN, she said that collaboration and security will be the biggest opportunities for the channel, as workforces remain dispersed despite the gradual return to offices for many employees.

"It's not just about securing an HQ environment; it's how you make people safe at home," she said.

"Some of the data that we have seen is that even in normal times it is an individual's devices that are subject to hacking, so that becomes more of an issue as we move out of a pandemic condition where working from home becomes the norm."

Whitty said that collaboration technology will become increasingly important as the country starts to reopen, both in terms of making sure employees feel connected to their organisation and also helping industries that will have to adapt to social distancing guidelines.

"Where people are working from home they can become a little bit more stressed and isolated, so we need to give them the tools, the technology and the support to work in an effective way and stay safe.

"Then if you look at some of the market segments that were most impacted in the early days - pubs, hospitality, travel and retail - as they start to return to reality there is a lot of focus around how technology can help.

"How can technology be used to assist, whether it be thermal imaging or clocking people in and out of stores [for example]. There is lots of talk around solutions that will help the retail sector get back up to speed and start firing again.

"There'll also be a big focus on telehealth. How do people get access to doctors, social workers and therapists while they're not completely going back to the same way of working as they were in the past?"

Whitty also praised partners for the way they've come together over recent months.

"The spirit that I have seen throughout the entire partner community has been great," she said.

"I've been invited to calls arranged by distributors where they've had multiple vendors and partners sharing experiences around employee well-being and how you support staff.

"That's been really nice to see because companies that would normally compete are actually pulling together to share ideas around how they can support the collective community."