We have successfully completed the CONTEXT
Global ChannelWatch 2024 survey, with over 7,000 resellers
participating to provide valuable insights into their experiences over
the past year and their expectations for the future. The survey offers
critical intelligence for both IT distributors and vendors, reflecting
the pulse of the global IT industry.
South Africa
The feedback from South African resellers was
well–balanced between those focused on B2B and B2C operations,
representing a broad spectrum of industries. Business services,
government, finance, education, and retail were among the most
significant sectors covered, providing a comprehensive overview of the
current market landscape.
Looking ahead, South African resellers identified
several key areas of focus for the next 1–2 years. On the B2B side,
cloud computing, cybersecurity, data centre solutions, AI, and
networking emerged as the primary fields for growth and investment.
Meanwhile, for B2C, personal computing, software, accessories, and
SSDs are the main areas of interest.
Resellers pointed out areas where they believe
distributors and vendors need to improve their service offerings. One
of the most significant areas highlighted was training and
certification, which resellers view as critical for channel enablement
and empowerment. Channel incentives and lead generation were also
flagged as needing enhancement, with a call for better opportunities
and more attractive incentives to drive success.
Additionally, multi–vendor and field support were
seen as essential to provide more technical and on–the–ground
enablement. Many resellers still feel the strain of the post–COVID
economic recovery and have called for greater financial support to
help them regain momentum.
Looking ahead, there is optimism across the
reseller landscape in South Africa, with a positive outlook for growth
and improvement. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG)
considerations are gaining traction, becoming more prevalent in
discussions and tenders. AI has established itself in many industries,
with resellers expressing a desire to strengthen their capabilities
and solutions in this area.
Finally, as part of CONTEXT
ChannelWatch, we acknowledge the distributors who performed
exceptionally well in 2024. AXIZ was named Overall Distributor of the
Year, with First Distribution leading in cloud and cybersecurity, and
Tarsus standing out for logistics and innovation. A full list of
awards is included below.
Overall Distributor of the Year 2024:
AXIZ
Top Cloud Distributor 2024: First
Distribution
Top Cybersecurity Distributor
2024: First Distribution
Top UC Distributor
2024: AXIZ
Top Customer Service
2024: AXIZ
Top AV Distributor 2024:
AXIZ
Top Retail Distributor 2024: Rectron
Top Logistics Distributor 2024: Tarsus
Top Value-Add Distributor 2024: Tarsus
Top Innovation Distributor 2024: Tarsus
Congratulations to all winners!
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