How partners can help customers maximise a modern workplace

27 October, 2020

Key facts

  • Industry experts identify two main business responses to the pandemic; a mad rush and measured response.

  • Although many of the roadblocks for businesses remain the same, there is still a long way to go in realising fully optimised digital workplaces and enablement.

  • 350,000 variants of phishing and malware per day – security is mandatory and a fundamental base line for every remote worker.

Maximise modern workplace MSP webinar 2

Deep dive into the key market learnings over the last seven months and learn how you can capitalise on a permanent shift in remote working from our webinar series with Microsoft, HP, CloudM, TeamViewer and Freshworks Australia, hosted by James Henderson from IDG.

78% of Australian office workers believe remote working is likely to become a new normal even after the country emerges from the grip of COVID-19. Driven by a need to foster collaboration irrespective of location, businesses are accelerating efforts to build out a new-look remote workforce strategy, underpinned by technology. 

Following the initial race to facilitate remote working at speed and scale, creating a modern workplace from home is now taking centre stage as a leading customer priority. 

From a customer and business standpoint, businesses were either in a mad rush; blind sided by the changes in the market or had a measured response front – having already embarked on digital transformation with a pivot that wasn’t as severe. 

The two main responses: 

  1. The mad rush response 
  • From SMBs who don’t have a strong IT footprint to government agencies and enterprise customers, it was evident that a vast majority of businesses in the channel weren’t fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic impact. 
  • In addition, these organisations didn’t know (and are still not confident in) the longevity of the impact in the channel. 
  • With no mobility set in place for this group, this exposed fundamental issues and created the rush in hardware, software, applications and security purchases. 
  • Way forward: The rush is stabilising and the channel needs to build out a long term strategy.

“We’re at a point of no return, the modern workplace is now a permanent shift”, Henderson says. 

2. The measured response 

  • Although the shift was unexpected, it was a strategic and measured move for these businesses who were already on their transformation journey; validating their investment choice. 
  • Way forward: Having more advanced conversions and increasing specialised skills.

A market review: What are the partner opportunities? 

Never before has the Australian market been so fragmented. According to Gartner, the expectation now is that radical changes are emerging with the relationship between digital workers and organisations. Having been on the frontline of the transition, the dust is beginning to settle for most of the channel as the next six to seven months calls for a collective, holistic strategy.

The next steps for MSPs and MSSPs is to:

  • Drive customer change management agendas.
  • Prioritise people, not just technology.
  • Package modern workplace with your as a service solutions and your unique business expertise; combine hardware, software, collaboration, productivity, security and connectivity all in one.

Modern workplace priorities: A vendors’ perspective

59% of companies provide the apps workers want and need, but don’t make them easily accessible.

Many of the roadblocks remain the same – organisations struggle with management, cost, security and employee productivity when deploying new applications and workplace strategies. 

Post mad rush priorities:

  • Cost management
  • Security
  • Productivity
  • A disconnected environment

Optimising the worker

While companies often focus on processes, equipment and keeping the business running, the most overlooked element is the personalised user experience.

  • Device experience – give workers the right remote working tools and access to the right apps.
  • Device security – scale up to take into account AI, UI and other network analytics.
  • Optimise the use of technology – it’s no longer for business only but to connect with loved ones, for entertainment and collaborating.
  • Activation and adoption – make sure workers are maximising all the features and getting full value out of their SaaS apps.
  • Home connectivity – ensure workers are able to connect
  • Provide a seamless integrated workplace experience.

Future opportunities 

For channel partners, capitalise on the opportunities to improve and change business processes so they are supported by technology that can be securely accessed at any time, from any device and any location. 

Next steps:

  • Identify the gaps your customers have and deliver packaged holistic and flexible managed services that will address them.
  • Don’t overcomplicate – something simple like managed onboarding/off boarding Microsoft 365 or managed email signature management can be successfully offered.
  • Ensure your managed services are scalable, giving your customers the options to scale up or down on demand.
  • Automate your services to enable you to increase process efficiencies.

Modern workplaces will soon become the backbone of modern business and analysts estimate the market to grow to a staggering $40 billion by 2025.

With no immediate end to the pandemic in sight, two thirds of the workforce will be working from home at some point in the future. Capitalise on the priorities and build on what you have already achieved. Invest in technology that optimises and improves the process efficiencies. Think of a win/win outcome. Organisations are seeking for a partnership relationship that they can trust and build on.

The new normal:
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