Zoom In: 'There'll be a knock-on effect as customers cut budgets,' e92plus boss says

Mukesh Gupta remains optimistic despite expected budget cuts, and says channel has not experienced the cash flow problems he expected

e92plus boss Mukesh Gupta is optimistic about the future of the cybersecurity industry, despite expecting budgets to be cut as we move out of lockdown.

Speaking to CRN as part of our Zoom In series, Gupta said that the channel has navigated choppy COVID-19 waters well, but said a challenge has come in the form of trying to do business with resellers that have furloughed staff.

"From our point of view, we've had partners that have had main people that aren't working, so who is making the decision?" he said.

"I assume their customers would have felt that as well, so that's been difficult. The decisions have been falling on people further up the ladder, or they're not happening. That's where the delays are happening."

However Gupta said that he has not seen the impact he expected in terms of cash flow and delayed payments.

"In the early parts we came out with a couple of initiatives to mitigate that," he said. "However we've not had to use them.

"From a cashflow point of view and credit point of view we have not felt a delay in payment... so that has been good.

"What happens next quarter could be a may be a different challenge… what's happened in this quarter could start reflecting in the quarters to come."