IT Trends 2021 – AI and the Channel

The importance of machine learning and AI is of particular relevance in the current environment, where data can be harnessed to both track and adapt to changes in customer behaviour and requirements, as recognised by Forrester in their European Business Predictions for 2021.

In their ‘Top 10 European 2021 business predictions’, Forrester predicted that B2B sellers would deepen buyer relationships with help from AI, enabled by AI and automation.

“To thrive in 2021 and beyond, B2B sellers will need the right enablement tools to enhance their productivity and engage with prospects and customers in more meaningful ways,” commented Forrester who predicts that over 60% of B2B sellers will have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) and automation capabilities in their operations to deepen customer relationships.

Karl Roe

Karl Roe, VP Digital Transformation and Customer Success at the Nuvias Group commented on the increasing relevance of AI in optimising Channel processes:

“Understanding our customers and being able to anticipate their needs is especially relevant in a fast-changing environment, as the one we live in; the pandemic has highlighted this as a key requirement. Understanding and gaining visibility of the full supply chain, from order to delivery is becoming an imperative for the ICT Channel. By utilising machine learning and AI, we can start to use the data we consume in much better ways. This can help turn an aspiration for end-to-end supply chain management into a reality. With data now available to us, we are developing tools and processes to systematically track changes in customer behaviour and profile new trends before they happen. This lets us tune our offering to better intercept customer needs.

For a distributor like Nuvias, this means being able to guide its partners strategically, directing their focus where we see growth emerging, whether it is a new technology or an industry vertical that is showing rapid adoption. This is one important area where we can deliver real value.”