PRINTITRESELLER.UK 47 customer- than product- centric, allowing value creation through technology,” he argues. “Data-led marketing and leading the conversation through thought leadership is now fundamental to go-to-market strategy. It makes the market listen when you speak and see the value in dealing with you.” Changing customer needs In his 2023 predictions published in the December issue of PrintIT Reseller, Sykes said that the workplace has undergone somewhat of a revolution. “In the past 12 months alone, businesses have had to navigate the challenges of a long-term mobile workforce, supply chain issues and rising operating costs,” he said. “As businesses seek to streamline their offerings and optimise efficiencies, there will be an important evolution of several trends that have been gaining traction of late including expanding and enhancing IT services for example.” Sykes believes that customers want help in making sense of what they need from technology and how they can extract the most value out of it. “They want trusted partners, not just suppliers, who can help them improve their organisation,” he said. He also contends that as technology becomes more complex and sophisticated, SMBs are realising that IT isn’t a necessary evil, but a tool to harness their efficiencies, protect their business and deliver a competitive advantage. “We found that the pandemic accelerated the diversification of the services offered by some of our partners. We expect to continue to see this change in attitude towards IT services and solutions continuing well into 2023. As a result, we see more businesses conducting open and honest audits to roadmap plans that enable them to better navigate future challenges,” he said. Bearing in mind that the workforce today is more mobile than it has ever been before, Sykes also believes that ensuring that team members have the tools they need to operate efficiently and securely from their respective locations has become the norm and expectation for businesses the world over. A bright future After 33 years in this industry, Sykes says that he has seen and experienced constant change and transformation. “But the fallout from the pandemic and the increase in digitisation have created a massive shift in a very short space of time,” he said. “At Sharp UK we have flexed to meet the change in demand and are able to capitalise on this market disruption with products, services, technology, and people that make a positive impact to our partners and customers. After decades of successfully navigating changes to the marketplace I am excited to continue to do just that,” he concluded. www.sharp.co.uk
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