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Techaisle Blog

Insightful research, flexible data, and deep analysis by a global SMB IT Market Research and Industry Analyst organization dedicated to tracking the Future of SMBs and Channels.
Anurag Agrawal

IBM: Shaping the Future of AI with watsonx and an Ethical AI Toolkit

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is on the brink of a massive expansion. IBM is seizing this opportunity and striving to cater to the escalating demand for this technology. The company has launched watsonx, an AI and data platform specifically designed for businesses, providing GenAI, data management, and AI model governance capabilities.

IBM’s strategic efforts go beyond mere product innovation. They include collaborative ventures aimed at stimulating growth across the industry. The company’s new partner program, IBM Partner Plus, is designed to establish a diverse network of resellers. This initiative is set to ignite growth and spur innovation in various sectors, highlighting IBM’s commitment to making AI accessible and enabling businesses around the globe.

IBM's Journey with watsonx and Responsible AI Governance

Partnerships and acquisitions frequently serve as turning points, transforming entire industries. This is exemplified by IBM’s 2019 acquisition of Red Hat, a prominent provider of open-source software solutions. This strategic move has fortified IBM’s standing in the open hybrid cloud solutions market while simultaneously offering both companies the chance to provide their clients with improved AI capabilities. IBM watsonx is an AI and data platform with a set of AI assistants designed to help organizations scale and accelerate the impact of AI with trusted data across the business. The platform offers flexibility, enabling organizations to start with one component or application and include additional ones as needs grow. It consists of a studio for foundation models, a data store, and a governance toolkit.

ibm watson ai

Anurag Agrawal

Zoho: A Mid-Market and Up-Market Powerhouse - Examining its Suitability and Strengths

In an era of globalization, businesses often pursue economies of scale and standardized solutions. Zoho, a global software behemoth with Indian origins, is carving a distinctive path. It has embraced a unique business strategy known as “transnational localism.” This approach intertwines global connectivity and local grounding, fostering local economies while partaking in the exchange of knowledge and culture. Transnational localism, as defined by Zoho, is a decentralized strategy that harnesses the benefits of a global scale while maintaining deep roots in local communities. It transcends the conventional “think global, act local” mantra, offering a more nuanced and influential method to tackle today’s complexities. This strategy is implemented through a tripartite approach:

  • Developing a Global Technology Stack: Zoho creates its software products suite, ensuring total control and adaptability.
  • Empowering Local Teams: Zoho sets up regional offices staffed with local talent, enabling them to tailor solutions to specific market requirements.
  • Prioritizing Local Communities: Zoho invests in local talent development, infrastructure, and social initiatives, nurturing a sense of collective responsibility and growth.

Transnational localism strikes a balance between global outreach and local engagement. It involves establishing offices in less affluent locations globally, injecting investment, expenditure, and job creation into these areas. The company stays globally connected, not just digitally, but also through a shared ethos and culture, while remaining locally anchored.

Zoho’s CEO, Sridhar Vembu, characterizes transnational localism as a strategy that sources talent from regions often neglected by other companies. These are typically areas experiencing talent emigration, leading to hollow communities. Zoho strives to reintroduce opportunities into these regions, commonly drained into urban centers.

Zoho IMG 9649

Beyond the Numbers: Real-World Examples

Zoho’s dedication to transnational localism extends beyond mere theory. It has actualized this philosophy by setting up a global network of over 25 offices in rural areas. Many IT suppliers overlook these locations for opportunities compared to their metropolitan counterparts. For instance, Zoho has an office in McAllen, Texas, with nearly 150,000 residents within a metropolitan area housing over a million people.

Another notable instance is Tenkasi in India, where Zoho inaugurated its first rural office. Despite being a city of nearly 100,000 people, Tenkasi is considered rural compared to India’s major metropolitan areas. In Tenkasi, Zoho operates a remote farm and an elementary school, both flagship initiatives in its rural revival strategy.

Zoho demonstrates its commitment to social responsibility in several ways. It has invested in rural India through its "10,000 Schools" program, which bridges the digital divide by providing digital infrastructure and training to schools. Additionally, Zoho empowers local communities by establishing offices in smaller towns across the US and Europe, fostering diversity and creating local job opportunities. Finally, Zoho tailors its product suite to specific market needs, showcasing its commitment to global inclusivity by respecting cultural and regulatory contexts.

The Impact on Zoho's Business: A Multi-Faceted Success Story

Transnational localism has significantly influenced Zoho’s business, propelling its remarkable growth. By the end of 2021, Zoho had amassed 500,000 customers, over 70 million users, and 40,000 customers on Zoho One, a product launched in 2017. One of these customers had 32,000 employees utilizing Zoho One. Fast-forwarding to 2024, Zoho’s customer base has expanded to over 750,000, with over 100 million users across 150+ countries.

Anurag Agrawal

2024 Top 10 SMB and Midmarket business issues, IT priorities and challenges

Focused on growth and committed to new solutions that expand business horizons – the SMB market is on the brink of a multi-year growth trajectory.

They are here - Techaisle's annual SMB, Core Midmarket and Upper Midmarket Top 10 IT Priorities, IT Challenges, and Business Issues infographics, 13th year of Techaisle tracking at a WW level, and is sought after by IT vendors, channel partners, and media. Techaisle surveyed nearly 5000 SMBs and Midmarket firms, quota sampled to ensure adequate coverage of four small businesses (1-9, 10-19, 20-49, and 50-99 employees), three core midmarket (100-249, 250-499, and 500-999 employees) and two upper midmarket (1000-2499, 2500-4999) segments. As a result, the data represents a robust and reliable sampling of the market segment for IT products and services.

Techaisle surveys thousands of small and midsized businesses (SMBs) to understand technology imperatives and directions. The annual survey establishes context by asking respondents to identify their top business goals, technology priorities, and IT challenges for the upcoming year.

2024 top10 smb it priorities business issues techaisle infographic

Redefining the art of the possible

The SMB market is a study in contrasts: the tension between boundless aspiration and a constrained reality. However, data shows that a market that has mastered the cloud and is excited by AI will dedicate itself to growth in 2024.

Anurag Agrawal

2024 Top 10 Channel Partner Predictions

2024 will focus on metrics, not manuals, resulting in the rise of customer-centric channel strategies. The year will also center around data, not dials, and the imperative of winning in the new era of AI, partner collaboration, and ecosystem commerce. The partners will be compelled to move from silos to symphony by orchestrating the ecosystem to meet customer demands for AI and as-a-service. The Techaisle channel survey shows that the partner community members are searching for a roadmap to success. That roadmap will vary across partner models, as will the opportunities and requirements for suppliers. This shift will be driven by the rise of AI and ROI, which have made prioritizing metrics that align with business outcomes essential. Once again, vendor disintermediation will be real. The reseller channel will be under pressure as it explores different business models, product mixes, and strenuous demands for new skills and service capabilities. Techaisle partner predictions rely on extensive research with over 5000 partners leveraging a panel of over 300K partners. Here are the top 2024 top 10 channel partner predictions.

techaisle 2024 top10 channel partner predictions

Research You Can Rely On | Analysis You Can Act Upon

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