To get a clear picture of how a channel adapts to market change, Techaisle interviewed 2,115 channel firms. Survey data shows dramatic year-over-year changes in channel business priorities. At the top level, last year’s channel was mainly worried about handling uncertainty, while this year’s channel is focused on growth. In 2024, worries about uncertainty have almost dropped out of the top 10 channel business issues, overtaken by agility, competitiveness, and business process improvement goals. The second-highest priority for the 2024 channel, “developing AI offerings,” was not even a choice in 2023. AI is creating a strong attraction for the channel because it is changing the market that the channel serves. Channel firms that thrive through the transition to AI-inclusive technology and business infrastructure must quickly abandon legacy assumptions about how they operate, the services they offer, and the buyers they serve within client accounts.
