UK channel partners are ramping up their cloud capabilities – but technical expertise and skills shortages could hamper success

Almost half of UK channel partners feel they lack the technical skills to successfully develop their cloud capabilities, according to new research from Westcon-Comstor.

As part of its latest ‘Mastering the Maze' report, the technology provider and distribution giant quizzed almost 900 partners across eight countries between 28th October and 11th December 2024.

The resulting data revealed that 93% of UK-based participants view development of a cloud practice as a priority for their business, outstripping the international average of 85%.

This response is being driven by customer requirements, with 77% of partners stating their clients desire specialist cloud skills - but just 56% of respondents said they were confident of fulfilling the demand. The remaining 44% cited skills shortages as a crucial challenge in doing so.

Specifically, the main obstacles were found to be technical skills and FinOps expertise, including the associated hiring and talent acquisition challenges.

“Our research shows that the channel is poised to grasp the huge growth opportunities presented by the cloud market, but is facing certain gaps around skills, capabilities and expertise,” commented David Grant, CEO at Westcon-Comstor.

“Partners around the world are at different stages of their cloud journey, but there is a common thread in their desire to expand their cloud capabilities and meet their customers’ needs.”

Channel partners face an array of challenges

Elsewhere, more than half (56%) of UK channel partners said leveraging cloud provider programs to full effect was another key concern when advising customers on cloud cost optimization.

Almost two-thirds (63%) highlighted issues around the understanding of cloud pricing models and their complexity.

Concern over cloud pricing isn’t an issue restricted to the IT channel, either. In recent years, surging costs have become a key challenge for enterprises across a raft of industries.

Analysis from Ocient in October 2024, for example, found rising cloud costs are hampering IT leaders’ ability to accurately forecast spending, which is having a significant impact on long-term strategy.

Many respondents also told Westcon-Comstor that difficulty around meeting customer needs and fending off competition were key issues, with 42% citing a pressure to deliver better solutions than their market rivals.

Worldwide trend

The desire to capitalize on cloud market opportunities was found to be consistent across markets, with the report covering businesses in Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, as well as the UK.

Concern over technical skills was found to be most prominent in New Zealand, cited by 49% of participants, while those located in France were the most confident in their capabilities.

Across all markets, a quarter (25%) of participants described themselves as ‘born in the cloud’, while 23% said they were switching their focus from on-premises solutions to the development of a cloud practice.

This change in focus comes as partners revealed that 50% of customers are now opting for hybrid solutions, with 27% pursuing full migration despite a cautious approach to migrations overall.

Nearly half (46%) highlighted training and enablement as an area in which distributors can support the development of their cloud capabilities as they look to cater to these customer needs.

“It is incumbent on distributors to support, enable, and empower partners in pursuit of these aims by harnessing and deploying their own cloud expertise,” Grant added.

Additionally, the data revealed that three quarters (75%) of global partners view cloud hyperscaler marketplaces as an opportunity rather than a threat and are actively using them.

Commenting on the findings, Aaron Rees, founder and CEO at Rebura, a Westcon-Comstor company, said the cloud can act as a “springboard for innovation, growth, and productivity gains” for both partners and customers alike.

“The channel, however, still has some way to go on its journey to mastering the cloud, with many partners still developing their own skills as they work to satisfy customer expectations,” he cautioned.

“Our findings suggest that partners know where they need to develop their cloud capabilities - the challenge is finding the right support to help plug those gaps.”

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