New CompTIA report shows optimistic IT channel companies believe technology services, business solutions and generative artificial intelligence are on the way to success

Annual State of the Path study explores the dynamics of today’s technology products and services market

Downers Grove, Illinois., March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Information technology (IT) channel companies are relying on the technology and complexity of generating artificial intelligence (AI) products and services to grow their businesses, according to a new report from CompTIA, the IT industry’s nonprofit association. labor force.

CompTIA’s “State of the Pathway 2024” shows companies in three of six geographic regions¹ Respondents identified the increasing complexity of technology as their greatest growth opportunity and are expected to drive customer demand for technology expertise. The other half see the sales of generative AI tools and solutions as the primary driver, with 43% of channel companies planning to sell AI-related software and services this year.

“Companies feel they are finally free from the disruption caused by the pandemic and have more breathing room to think about growth, investment and innovation,” said. carolyn april, vice president of industry research at CompTIA. “The biggest business they focus on is IT services.”

Global technology spending is expected to grow by 6.8% in 2024, of which IT service spending will grow by 8.7% $1.5 trillion.² This will push the services category to the top of the spending list for the first time, even surpassing software sales.

“As more and more customers transact goods directly through online marketplaces and supplier e-commerce storefronts, the real role of many channel companies is in the services they can sell,” April said. “From global systems integrators to managed service providers, IT consultants, solution providers and more, a growing number of companies generate significant revenue from services.”

In the CompTIA report, nearly three-quarters of access companies positioned themselves as sellers of technology services (38%) or sellers of business solutions featuring technology (35%). As the focus shifts from products to services, the pipeline companies consider important to them also changes. They are more interested in building their brand and reputation than focusing on highlighting the product suppliers they work with.

One result of this is that the channel company has fewer suppliers to work with. Since CompTIA began tracking partner program participation 11 years ago, channel companies typically participate in between five and 14 vendor partner programs. This year, the largest proportion of respondents said they participated in 1 to 9 projects, and the number of people participating in only 1 to 4 projects increased significantly compared with the same period last year. The number of companies not participating in any activities increased from 7% to 11% year-on-year.

Most access companies maintain a degree of optimism. About 6 in 10 companies say their business is in better shape now than it was two years ago, while 30% say business is the same as it was two years ago. At the same time, a significant number of respondents acknowledged that they need to improve business fluidity. Less than 4 in 10 U.S. access companies describe their company as an “expert” in business acumen (financial literacy, accounting, legal, budgeting, etc.), while more than half say they need improvement in various areas. Nearly half cited industry association training and certification as the primary remedy for improving business skills, followed by peer-to-peer networking and vendor-based training.

CompTIA’s “State of Access 2024” report is based on a survey of 1,042 access company executives and owners January 2024.

About CompTIA
Computing Technology Industry Association (Computing Technology Industry Association)CompTIA) is the world’s leading information technology (IT) certification and training organization. CompTIA is a mission-driven organization dedicated to unlocking the potential of every student, career changer, or professional seeking to start or advance in a career in technology.Millions of current and aspiring tech workers around the world rely on CompTIA Get the training, education, and professional certifications that give them the confidence and skills to work in technology. https://www.comptia.org/

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¹ CompTIA’s “State of the Pathway 2024” is based on a survey of 1,042 path executives North Americathis U.K. and IrelandBenelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), roof (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), ASEAN (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Filipino, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos) and ANZ Bank (Australia and New Zealand).

² “Gartner predicts that global IT spending will grow 6.8% in 2024,” Gartner, January 17, 2024.

Source: CompTIA