Keeping up with pace of IT change a growing problem for customers

What is becoming clear is that most of the customers that hold ambitions of digitally transforming their businesses do not have the ability to keep pace with the latest technology.

The skills shortage has been a long running problem but added to that is a sense of urgency that is forcing those making IT purchasing decisions to move quickly.

A lot of the pressure on IT departments is coming internally from staff that want to get access to technology that provides them with more flexibility and a chance to be more efficient.

Earlier this week research from Ingram Micro and Microsoft revealed that creating the modern workplace was a major challenge for customers and as a result a good opportunity for the channel.

Against that background findings from Cogeco Peer 1 add to a picture of a customer base that is looking for help in getting to grips with the latest technology.

The cloud hosting player found that 55% of IT pros admitted to struggling to keep up with the pace of tech changes.

The research found that the issues were spread across verticals with financial services facing the most acute problems, followed by retail, education, business services and media.

Where the channel can clearly bring some value is around advising customers on their options. Cogeco Peer 1 found that 62% of IT professionals feel uncomfortable making buying decisions on new tech.

Susan Bowen, VP and General Manager, EMEA Cogeco Peer 1, said, “The need to keep up to date with technology has never been so critical to the success of a business. Our findings clearly highlight the enormous challenge to those working across a wide range of different industries – professionals are quickly realising they must stay ahead of the curve in order to succeed.”

The Cogeco Peer 1 research indicated that financial services is an area facing pressure to keep up with IT changes and that will involve spending.

When quizzed by software player InterSystems more than half of those making the buying decisions in the financal and banking sector revealed they would be increasing spending on IT over the next three years.

A lot of that investment is heading into cloud and data analytic projects.

“With data volumes growing rapidly and the need to comply with an ever-expanding list of new regulations, banks and financial services organisations are being driven to spend more on innovative new technology both to drive operational agility and to support the urgent need for compliance,” said Graeme Dillane, financial services manager, InterSystems.