FUTURE TECHNOLOGY as Software-As-a-Service ( SaaS ) via our IFS Cloud Services , we also know that in regulated industries there is a need for alternative models , whether private , government-approved or even on-premise . This is where channel partners come in and they can play a role .”
Taha agreed with Azeroual on the cloud services push and pointed out that one of the biggest trends that channel partners should look out for in the ERP space is the movement to the cloud and SaaS . “ The SMB sector has embraced the cloud and SaaS , and now larger organisations are also starting to consider moving to the cloud . The shift to SaaS continues as businesses adapt to Digital Transformation . The adoption of SaaS will continue at scale , starting with smaller businesses that can afford the quick transition , while large enterprise businesses may take more time ,” he said . “ The move from on-premise to SaaS is significant , allowing rapid deployment , increased flexibility and scalability , and the ability to assimilate new features and improvements as soon as vendors release them .”
Taha added that one of the main challenges for channel partners is to break with the traditional mindset of on-prem solutions and encourage customers to embrace a cloud-first approach . “ Some partners and customers remain in the comfort zone of only considering on-prem solutions , but they need to think beyond this and consider the benefits of feature-rich cloud solutions and how to offer maximum value to the customer ,” he said . “ Customers are increasingly asking for ERP to integrate with almost every other aspect of their business , such as warehouse management and CRM . Customers want the highest degree of automation , which means they also need to integrate with IoT processes . Channel partners need to understand these trends and be able to tailor solutions that integrate across the customer ’ s business .” Prabhu Balasubramanyan , Global Head – Oracle Practice , Tech Mahindra , added that with such growth of cloud subscription-based software , technology resellers need to ensure there are adequate provisions to cover themselves in the event the end customer wants to cancel
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS Issue 40
35