Digital Transformation is Reshaping Expectations

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This article was originally published on Channel Futures here.

To be sure, much of enterprise IT investment saw substantial cuts amid the coronavirus. What’s equally apparent, however, is that spending on strategic digital transformation solutions is the glaring exception. As circumstances compelled companies to focus on new approaches for adapting and optimizing their operating models, global expenditure on technologies and services enabling businesses to move digital is estimated to have grown 10% in 2020. Direct investment in digital transformation, meanwhile, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.5% to reach $7 trillion within three years.

Just like almost every other aspect of the economy, the B2B sector was transformed in the wake of COVID-19, with traditional face-to-face meetings disrupted and the use of e-commerce and online marketplaces vastly accelerated. McKinsey reports that 90% of B2B decision makers expect the digital and remote model to persist, and more than half find it equally or more effective than sales models used before the pandemic.

In light of these prospects, software vendors and technology service providers need to constantly keep tabs on the ever-changing expectations of their end customers and apply best practices to succeed in the fiercely competitive business environment of the 2020s. Here are three of the most critical ways in which B2B buyers’ expectations are changing how channel partners need to operate.

#1) B2B Customers Want A Simplified Purchasing Journey

Lockdowns meant more people than ever were reliant on e-commerce and online purchases for their every-day consumer needs. This greatly accelerated a growing trend that analysts had already recognized in recent years: B2B buyers are increasingly in search of a buying experience that mirrors that of B2C sales.  

Now that 70% of B2B decision makers are open to making new, fully self-serve or remote purchases in excess of $50,000, vendors and service providers are best advised to shift their sales approach and mimic B2C in its simplicity to keep current customers and win new ones. Studies show brands that highly simplify the purchase-decision journey are 86% more likely than those with very low decision-simplicity scores to be purchased by the consumers considering them. What’s more, they are 9% more likely to be re-purchased and 115% more likely to be recommended to others.

To this end, software vendors and service providers who wish to stay ahead of the curve should invest in technology tools that offer functions such as omni-channel experiences on the customer side. 

Marketplaces are another area where software vendors and service providers should look to invest to improve the customer purchasing journey. No matter if it’s larger ISVs or MSPs launching their own digital marketplaces, or smaller vendors and  providers incorporating their products and services within bigger marketplaces, B2B buyers are increasingly expecting the same convenience and expediency they get when buying their consumer goods on Amazon or Alibaba. 

Whether it be live chat or chatbots, automated subscription or billing management, or digital marketplaces, tech is redefining the customer journey. Likewise, it should be considered whether these tools allow for unification of ecosystem operations—where channel partners can manage all their vendors, partners, resellers, and products from one place. 

#2) B2B Customers Want Holistic Solutions

Gone are the days of break/fix service models where IT services were provided and billed on an as-needed basis. Customers no longer ask their MSPs for one-off software, but prefer holistic solutions that shape the overall business experience. For instance, a recent challenge for service providers has been to make the remote work experience mirror that of the office, which requires supporting different customers across different platforms. The demand for holistic solutions will only intensify as the role of IT service providers is shifting from trusted technology adviser to major strategic business partner and advisor.

MSPs are now required to support customers in different steps of the process, such as using the cloud vs. on-premises data centers to allow SaaS apps to function fast, installing software such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom to enable communication, implementing cyber security measures to protect home offices, or using edge computing to allow home networks to function as fast as those at headquarters.

It is understandable that sometimes an MSP may not have the knowledge or experience necessary to solve all problems. For this reason, it becomes essential for MSPs to create a network or ecosystem of other providers – e.g., software vendors and cloud providers – that can help bundle disparate apps, products, and infrastructure into an all-inclusive solution. On the vendor side, it will be imperative to identify ecosystem partners that are helping  customers find solutions that your product solves, and establish relationships with them.

In order to build the strategic partner relationship, the vendor and MSP are best advised to devise “in-depth development and growth plans” with an agreement to hold each other accountable. Going forward, this will strengthen both sides of the vendor-provider relationship.

#3) B2B Customers Want Subscription Payment Models

Thirdly, it should come as no surprise that subscription commerce continues to show rapid growth. Research indicates that B2B companies are increasingly leveraging recurring-revenue models to create a better experience for customers who routinely prefer making small, regular payments instead of large, infrequent ones. The subscription commerce is being billed as the “key to long-lasting customer relationships”, especially as the consistency and reliability it brings could result in greater peace of mind and trust on the part of the buyers.

Therefore, forward-looking vendors and services providers should adopt subscription billing models for their bundled SaaS, hardware and professional services solutions, to not only please customers, but also make more accurate revenue forecasts based on recurring revenue of current clients. At the same time, subscription models can help boost annual recurring revenue (ARR) and reduce time to market. Combining automation with a comprehensive, integrated, and scalable platform, according to expert advice, is essential for modern billing. Instead of simply being an invoice generator, an efficient billing system should act as a partner that can “track and monitor every facet of MSP operations and client usage”.

Finally: Don’t Forget The Human Touch!

With all this talk of automation it is easy to overlook the human touch. While solutions are increasingly digital, the human element remains irreplaceable in any digital experience. After all, it is humans who use these tools.

So, MSPs should bear in mind that customers are looking for “personalized” and “customized” solutions that are not “out of the box”, but make them feel connected and valued by the service or product provider. And vendors should choose to work with channel partners that will represent their products with integrity and pride. Making strides in these areas will ensure that vendors and service providers are well adjusted to the fastly evolving nature of the business buyer.

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Mike Jennett, Director of CloudBlue Platform Strategy, is an accomplished business and technology executive. With a deep focus on product development and go-to-market strategy, he plays a pivotal role driving strategic growth and market expansion. Mike’s career is characterized by his adeptness in driving technological advancements and his commitment to leading digital transformations with experience including IDC where he was VP of the Mobility and Digital Transformation IEP practices, and HP where he held numerous leadership roles. Mike’s expertise is also reflected in his published works and contributions to multiple tech publications. Mike holds a B.A. from California Polytechnic University.
Having previously to strategic product management, agile transformations, and user experience in CloudBlue, Taylor Giddens heads the Services & Solutions team where he ensures smooth delivery, operations and solution growth for our partners and customers.

The team includes technical account management, managed services, support, custom solution development, and customer enablement.

Prior to CloudBlue, his resume boasts leadership of some of the world’s largest companies during their digital transformations and marketplace launches. Taylor is a practitioner of servitude leadership when it comes to enabling his team to drive positive outcomes on the road to operational excellence.
Laurens van Alphen, a visionary entrepreneur with over 29 years of internet technology expertise, serves as Director of Technical Managed Services at CloudBlue, responsible for Operations and Delivery of CloudBlue SaaS.

As a Dutch racing champion and car enthusiast, he brings the same drive to the tech realm, steering Keenondots from a managed hosting firm to a global cloud enablement leader. Laurens is celebrated for his outcome-driven leadership, deep industry insight, and passion for balancing business innovation with client engagement.
Lincoln Lincoln is CloudBlue’s Head of Global Sales; having been with the company since November 2017. Leading CloudBlue’s global go-to-market organization, he’s responsible for driving accelerated and sustained mutual growth with CloudBlue’s customers and partners, as well as forming new customer partnerships across the Vendor and Provider ecosystem. As part of CloudBlue’s leadership team he is responsible the organisation’s revenue and continued market leadership by delivering and supporting products, services and solutions to organizations in established and new markets around the world.

Before joining CloudBlue, Lincoln was AppDirect’s Regional Director, Asia Pacific & Japan, responsible for forming, building and leading AppDirect’s business and operations across the APJ geography. He built and led AppDirect’s fastest growing and highest performing region globally within 3yrs.

Before joining AppDirect, Lincoln was EMC’s Practice Manager, Cloud Service Providers, APJ, working with the leading Service Providers to maximise their Cloud Business presence & market success. Lincoln joined EMC in 2007, and has over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, having been based out of Singapore, Australia and the UK. Prior to EMC, he was in range of sales and channel positions at Symantec and VERITAS.

Lincoln has an Honours degree in Business Administration from Kingston University in the United Kingdom.
Brent Clooney is the Executive Director and Associate General Counsel for Ingram Micro Inc., and lead counsel for CloudBlue.

Brent is a Canadian based corporate lawyer with more than 20 years of experience as a strategic legal advisor both in private practice and as in-house counsel to large multi-national companies. Prior to joining Ingram Micro in 2008, he worked at a well-respected corporate law firm in Toronto, Canada and later served as general counsel for Toshiba Canada. During his 15-year tenure at Ingram Micro, he has held positions of increasing complexity and responsibility, and since being promoted to his current role in 2022, Brent is the legal lead for both Ingram Micro’s Canadian and global cloud businesses, as well as CloudBlue.

Brent holds a law degree (LL.B.) from Queen’s University, a Psychology degree (B.A. Honours) from Lakehead University, and has been admitted to the bar in Ontario, Canada since 2002.
Anurag serves as the Head of Product Management for CloudBlue and is responsible for product direction and driving innovation. His leadership has been marked by a keen focus on customer needs, growing the ISV ecosystem, and ensuring the continual evolution of CloudBlue’s product portfolio.

Anurag joined Ingram Micro in 2017 and has been instrumental in, positioning CloudBlue as an industry leading monetization platform for MSP’s, Telco’s and Distributors. Previously Anurag worked at Oracle and Microsoft where he managed many technology projects and programs.
As VP of Engineering of CloudBlue, Rony oversees the development and engineering efforts of the company. He is a recognized leader with more than 25 years of experience in Technology and Product.

Prior to joining CloudBlue Rony lead the R&D efforts at Tripwire acquired by Thoma Bravo, and Cedexis acquired by Citrix. Rony is a leader with extensive experience in transforming both complex technology problems into products that customers love and disjointed organizations into agile high performing teams.
Coen is a distinguished leader and entrepreneur in the realm of cloud technology. Currently serving as CEO of Keenondots and the Global Director of CloudBlue SaaS. He is passionate about driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and leading high-performing teams to achieve transformative results.

With a background as Managing Director of INTO Cloud and a pivotal role as Director of Products of KPN, he brings a wealth of experience in steering organizations through the complexities of the digital landscape.

Beyond the boardroom, Coen is a marathon enthusiast, demonstrating endurance and discipline in pursuit of both professional and personal goals.
Alyson has over twenty years of experience in demand generation, marketing automation and data management. She is responsible for leading the strategy and direction of the company’s brand, performance, and digital marketing.

Prior to CloudBlue, Alyson served as Ingram Micro’s Director of Global Business Intelligence Marketing Automation driving channel partner campaigns. Her tenure in marketing leadership at prestigious companies such as Western Digital, Ocean Institute celebrates redefining marketing campaigns and building top performing teams based on trust, experimentation, and results.

Alyson resides with her husband and three children in Orange County and is an active volunteer and donor within her children’s sports and education programs.

Darek Tasak is leading Customer Success & Value Creation for CloudBlue. In his role, he looks after CloudBlue customers globally during the entire lifecycle of our relationship: from the initial on-boarding, through in-life account management, always ensuring they build successful businesses leveraging our technology. Additionally, he is also in charge of Partnership & Alliances, as well as Pricing Management for everything we commercialize.


Before CloudBlue, Darek managed Ingram Micro’s Services division for hi-tech customers in Europe & APAC. His prior experiences include also launching and leading pan-European services business for TDSynnex, as well as strategy consulting with Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

As President of CloudBlue, Uddhav is a distinguished leader and visionary with nearly two decades of platform-building experience. He is an industry leader in digital commerce, the subscription economy, and monetization platforms.


Notably, at SAP, he spearheaded the transformation of their platform business into a multi-cloud platform-as-a-service, offering enterprise and developer-friendly subscription models. At Pure Storage, he championed the efforts to successfully disrupt the storage industry by creating revolutionary Storage-as-a-service, AIOps-as-a-service, and Disaster Recovery-as-a-service offerings with cutting-edge features and establishing a sophisticated subscription commerce infrastructure that is channel-friendly.


At CloudBlue, Uddhav guides and empowers businesses to rethink their monetization strategies by unlocking the power of digital ecosystems and marketplaces. CloudBlue provides enterprises with a mature multi-tier, multi-channel marketplace and monetization platform that enables usage-based subscription models and global delivery of Anything-as-a-Service solutions. Uddhav has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of the subscription economy through his innovative thinking and impactful contributions.

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