Cloud has levelled the customer playing field, and that's a problem for partners

Despite migration strategies sitting top of investment priority lists for businesses, advanced cloud adoption has levelled the playing field in a damaging way for both customers and partners. As outlined during EDGE Research, one Australian CIO said, “it’s no longer about being in the cloud but how best to use it… there is a pressing need to achieve competitive differentiation.” Partners must also cut loose from the competition, yet like customers, challenges remain. Because across Australia, 3,928 businesses have the word ‘cloud’ in the name, creating similar difficulties around differentiation for the channel. This exclusive ARN Roundtable, in association with Arrow ECS ANZ, F5 Networks, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Oracle, detailed how partners can deliver the next wave of innovation within the cloud, standing out from a crowded marketplace to capitalise on the need for customer differentiation. Photos by Christine Wong.