Some days back I observed that my little daughter, who is not able to eat properly using her own hand, is able to fiddle with my iPad applications. I tried to reverse the order, put all the application modes as per my requirement but found to my surprise she is changing all the modes to her convenience.
I could not stop imagining how technology is becoming so consumerised that a kid now can manage everything of her own. She does not need anyone’s assistance. And what is the relevance of the partners now those who are still selling products? Are they making justice to their potential? Probably these people are most potential ones who, may be 20 years back, plunged into this business, which was an unknown territory for them leaving behind their traditional businesses. But today when the market is moving forward and asking them to make another move, which could change their life for next decade, why do not they do it again? Because they are already masters now and understand the domain properly.
There is an argument that every style of business has a space. That is true. But there is an order or way that the business should happened or people should behave and it keeps on changing. If you do not change and fall in line, then you struggle to cope with the society. Similarly, today’s IT partner business is less of products, more of software, solutions, applications, and services. If you move in this direction, then your bottom-line will be high – may be your top line will suffer for some time.
What do we learn from the companies like Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, Dell and HP, Amazon and Google, how these companies are transforming over the years? And, what is their survival mantra? All these companies are trying to move away from the consumerish technologies in the b2b space and those product lines which do not require value addition and customization. All these companies are pursuing customers to adopt cloud services or solutions that can ultimately put them into cloud mode. The goal of the companies is to make customer organizations happy and comfortable, and at the same time make their own organizations most vibrant ones and profitable.
Of course this is a difficult path that the vendors are choosing and expecting the partners to move away from their comfort zone and accompany them. But this is the rite move and here lies the true meaning of partner business, otherwise you can always buy products from China and Taiwan, and sell into the market. But is it a viable model for all?
