Editorial Features list

Welcome to the 2023 Business Catalyst, Leadership and Markets Benchmarking Board

Comms Dealer continues to provide engaging and aspirational editorial content, and our themes in 2023 are structured to provide insights and educational takeaways to help readers move forwards with confidence and a strategic advantage. The Connected Catalysts series of focused reports will be augmented by Benchmarking editorials on key product and service categories as well as a Leadership strand. Comms Dealer will also feature a number of Channel Forecast Round Table/Insight Sessions in 2023.

Summary

This year we chart the evolution of new market and leadership dynamics, and unravel the 12 connected catalysts reshaping the comms industry...

January

Harnessing tough economic times as a catalyst for positive change:

Turning the challenging economic environment to your advantage is key, but how can the channel overcome competitive volatility, develop resilient strategies, rationalise and build at the same time? Is a new more supportive channel dynamic key to success?

Leadership:

Spotlighting the priorities and objectives of leaders in the channel for 2023, their motivations and primary investment areas.

February

Supply chain evolution catalyses the green agenda: 

To what extent will we witness supply chain evolution with greater collaboration between competing providers - and could this new dynamic catalyse positive action on the channel's Net Zero goals? Should greater collaboration through a green lens be jointly considered now?

Markets:

Understanding innovations, applications, market developments and opportunities in billing.

March

Identifying the drivers for greater full fibre adoption :

How can we catalyse full fibre adoption rates? And will take-up become the measure of the altnet sector's maturation? Also, to what extent is full fibre raising expectations and redefining customer loyalty, and are new challengers and channels emerging that could further disrupt the connectivity space? 

Leadership:

A deep dive into how business chiefs are leading the charge on employee wellbeing, and building a health-promoting workplace.

April

Working towards a secure future: 

To what extent will 2025 and the move to all-IP (in addition to WFH trends) catalyse the comms channel's security agenda? Is it time to fully embrace conversations around cyber and sell security-first?

Markets:

Understanding innovations, applications, market developments and opportunities in analytics.

May

2025 catalyses new approaches for mobile: 

The potential for 5G and mobile connectivity becomes clearer through a 2025 lens with over-the-air services likely to be key in achieving a successful switch over. To what extent are we facing into an interconnected mobile-first future? Furthermore, how far will 5G catalyse innovation-led growth opportunities beyond supercharged mobility? What next for quantum networks?

Leadership:

Assessing the progress of business leaders at the vanguard of driving climate control initiatives.

June

Industry 5.0 catalyses CX.2: 

The rise of Industry 5.0 (the new industrial revolution that is driving a more balanced relationship between technology and people) has brought a new perspective to CX solutions with automation and AI at their core. With AI entrenched as the next wave of the industrial revolution, is now the time for comms providers to catalyse CX.2, a customer experience that strikes a balance between automation, robotics, the human experience and staff wellbeing?

Markets:

Understanding innovations, applications, market developments and opportunities in IoT.

July

ICT outsourcing catalyses the MSP model: 

The comms channel will likely see the rise of collaborative partnering with value created increasingly across a network of partners. Against this backdrop, to what extent will collaborative partnering between ICT suppliers and end user organisations catalyse the outsourcing agenda and drive demand for the MSP model? Will high collaborating MSPs stand to gain most?

Leadership:

Revisiting business strategy: What factors are prompting leaders to revisit their established business strategy, and what are the challenges and opportunties ahead to be taken into account by the channel's strategists?

August

Demand for connectivity catalyses significant growth: 

How far will demand for high and flexible bandwidth spark one of the biggest growth opportunities for the channel in the run up to 2025? And how can wholesale providers help partners remove complexity and meet the ever growing demand for greater connectivity?

Markets:

Understanding innovations, applications, market developments and opportunities in CCaaS.

September

Catalysing the link between talent and innovation:

The ongoing skills shortage creates barriers against achieving this critical interconnected goal. To what extent does this dilemma validate a reassessment of traditional leadership and cultural models? And how can channel leaders tackle what is perhaps the biggest challenge facing ICT businesses – nurturing a more diverse and inclusive leadership profile and creating a culture that encourages innovation? 

Leadership:

Women on boards: Assessing where we are on increasing female representation at the top.

October

Catalysts that could scale your competitive advantage: 

What aspects of competitive differentiation need to be optimised across all levels of the channel in order to supercharge growth? And how can upstream providers help resellers and MSPs create and grow their competitive advantage at this time of market transformation? 

Markets:

Understanding innovations, applications, market developments and opportunities in UCaaS.

November:

Catalysing the evolution of channel partnership ecosystems: 

Optimising the channel's modus operandi is key to success, but what more needs to be done to strengthen the business model and catalyse wholesale to become even stronger?

Leadership:

Understanding the value of Non-Executive Directors and how they can be key to the success of ambitious boardrooms.

December:

Catalysing deal value: 

How far will the evolving catalysts for M&A drive a new deal dynamic? And how best can investors, vendors and buyers meet their deal objectives in a fast changing environment?

Markets:

Understanding innovations, applications, market developments and opportunities in security.

Channel Forecast – Online Editorial Round Tables

Representatives from the channel’s leading vendors and solution providers join our editorial team to discuss a range of pressing subjects. The session is recorded and shared with our readership and forms the basis of a follow-on feature article. Subjects for 2023…

• 2025: Maximising the journey to all-IP
• Full fibre adoption: Removing the road blocks to full scale fibre take-up
• Inclusion and diversity: Benchmarking D&I progress and what more needs to be done
• Going mobile: To what extent are we facing into a mobile-first future?
• Sustainability: Addressing sustainability challenges on the road to Net Zero

Also in 2023... our usual series of Comms Dealer business/executive interviews and profiles, more Round Table/Insight Sessions and deep dive industry reports.