Five 2016 IT trends in Canadian business and what every Microsoft partner should consider doing about them
Politics. Hockey. The economy. Weather. Flagging trends in the coming year is always a fun thing to do and it gives us a chance to a step back from the day-to-day grind to consider the all-important big picture. So, let’s take five minutes to talk business tech in Canada with an eye to identifying some of the milestones that may influence our industry in 2016.
1. Digital security sparks more cloud interest
Trend: Cyber threats and hacks will likely continue to make big headlines in 2016 and cause even more concern amongst Canadian business owners. This concern should prompt more stories, interest, inquiries and conversations about how the cloud can help safeguard businesses.
Consider: Getting cloud-focused. Offer your existing customers a cloud migration strategy focused on safeguarding their business. Create crisp presentations, scripts and other assets about digital security to empower your team to speak authoritatively on this subject.
2. Mobile adoption reaches the tipping point
Trend: In 2016, mobile devices will probably account for over half of Canada’s web time. The steady adoption of mobile devices in Canada will continue, people will spend more time on their phones and tablets than they do on PCs and they’ll use phones to make more purchases, too.
Consider: Mobilizing! If you lack mobile expertise and competencies, get some training, partner or hire to fill the gap. And make sure your website is responsive – meaning, that it looks good and works properly on any device, including mainstream phones and tablets.
3. Canadian businesses look to cut costs
Trend: Faced with economic uncertainty and a weak dollar, many Canadian business owners will likely look to cut costs in 2016. As they zero in operations, they may second-guess the value of in-house IT staff (if they have any), licenses and even tech vendor relationships.
Consider: Positioning the cloud as a cost-cutter? Instead of maintaining (or worse, defending) out-of-date tech, why not propose upgrades that help your customers reduce costs by taking advantage of the cloud? They may be more receptive to modernizing if it can save them money.
4. Bigger, smarter data demands
Trend: As our economy continues to digitize, the sheer volume of data we create and a desire to make sense of it all will grow. In 2016, you will likely hear more leaders in our private and public sector talk about big data analysis as a solution for everything from traffic to terrorism.
Consider: Strengthening your analytics capacity through training and certification, partnership or hiring. Buffing up your technical depth will enable you to provide higher-value, innovative solutions in advanced workloads, like IoT, advanced analytics and machine learning.
5. The rise of Windows 10
Trend: As the free upgrade offers draws to a close in the summer of 2016, more Canadian organizations and consumers will seize the opportunity to make the leap to Windows 10. By the end of the year, Windows 10 may be installed hundreds of millions of devices worldwide.
Consider: Adopting and evangelizing Windows 10. If you have not yet upgraded internally, go for it! Consider developing Windows 10 app-building capabilities to capitalize on this growth. And, above all, encourage your customers to migrate before the offer ends.
So, what do you think? Do you agree, disagree or have some trends of your own to share? I’d love to hear them! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Happy New Year!
Jason
Channel Chief @ Microsoft Canada
@jbrommet