APAC tech vendors want partners to focus on AI strategy: research

New research highlights tech vendors’ strategic targets for the year.

APAC IT vendors have two letters on their mind when it comes to their 2025 strategy: AI. And according to new research, they want their partners to have the same sentiment.

Findings from The Channel Company Data and Research team highlights that AI and machine learning are a strategic differentiator that partners should understand not only from a reseller standpoint but a technical standpoint.

When asked about strategic priorities, research showed that 40 percent of vendors said AI and emerging technologies, followed by security and data centric solutions at 25 percent.

Other priorities include a partner-first ecosystem approach, subscription and SaaS models, continuous enablement and collaboration, and outcome-based solutions.

The report highlighted that AI-driven outcomes are high in demand. Researchers noted that those partners who invest in the skills and consultative approach required to implement AI solutions will thrive.

APAC IT vendors have security and data centric solutions also as a top priority.

The growing threat landscape keeps cybersecurity a top priority for partners in managing the threats on various platforms.

However, given that customer data is the perfect target for bad actors, ordering that data storing it and protecting it, means that storage, data protection, especially in hybrid and multi-cloud environments is a high value area for partners.

IT vendors are keen to double down on their partner-led services, through a three-pronged approach.

Firstly, through partner-led services themselves. This is done through the development of professional and managed services.

Secondly, thorough service design, verticalising solutions, building out partners’ own IP, being able to drive renewals and customer retention.

Lastly, the capability to build and deliver these services through the right talent.

The researchers noted that vendors also want partners to invest in training in emerging technologies and having sufficient pre-sales and customer success teams to put that training into action.

Challenges

Skills shortages and talent retention was the biggest challenges IT vendors in APAC highlighted that partners face.

The research noted that the shortages were around technical skills and employees as emerging technology like AI continues to grow in popularity.

Another challenge identified by the researchers was margin pressure and competition.

“Vendors however insist that customers increasingly expect to receive a fully serviced solution rather than a SKU to build things with and while this is complex to deliver, partners should aim to transform and do so,” the researches noted.

Interestingly, partners revealed similar pressures.

“For example, specifically to AI, partners note that the kind of staff that they need, who can deliver a functional AI solution to a customer – need to have data science skills, subject matter expertise as well as have some consultancy background,” the researchers said.

“Currently few partners employ such people and without a clear path to revenue, even fewer are likely to take a gamble on this.”

This is where vendors need to step up, the partners highlighted.

“One partner noted to [the researchers] that specifically in their experience, deploying Copilot is difficult as it attempts to ingest all data in the customer environment and first you need to do data discovery and sequestration,” they said.

“Things that partners are not used to when selling basic Microsofr365 SKUs. On top of this for “heavier” software” like Dynamics this partner has not found ready made deployment templates or guidance in relation to Copilot.

“This is of course anecdotal and maybe more to do with communication to partners but it does underscore the challenges that partners face in executing on the priorities that the vendors see,” they ended.