2023 trends: What channel partners need to know | #customersupport #supporticket

Blog highlights:

• 2022 was a banner year for RingCentral and our channel partners
• In the new year, buyers are looking at return on investment, reducing tech complexity, security, and sustainability
• Channel partners can provide value by offering ongoing support and service beyond the sale

If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s to be prepared for everything. From a global pandemic to historic inflation, we’ve seen it all, but RingCentral and our 15,000+ channel partner community have emerged stronger than ever.

Given the pace of change, any attempt at predicting the future is inherently risky. But there are certain trends that can inform our channel strategy in 2023.

2022 in review

But first, I’d like to briefly acknowledge our accomplishments from last year. Amid an uncertain macroeconomic environment, our team and partners continued to help customers simplify their communications. Together we accomplished:

• Passing $2 billion in annual revenue run rate
• Record lead generation for the channel in Q3, our most recently reported quarter
• Earning a 5-star Partner Program recognition from CRN for the seventh consecutive year
• Being named a Leader in the 2022 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide report for the eighth year in a row^1*
• Perhaps most importantly, many of our largest technology service distributors named RingCentral as either their top UCaaS/collaboration vendor of the year, or the overall vendor with the highest annual growth

5 predictions for channel partners in 2023

1. My top 2023 prediction: ROI

This shouldn’t come as a surprise: the #1 priority for businesses worldwide this year will be return on investment. CFOs already have increased influence over deals, and getting the most out of your dollar is now the deciding factor in tech spend. 

Vendors and partners who can demonstrate real value, backed up by hard metrics, are better positioned to succeed. For RingCentral, based on our Customer Success Metrics Survey, customers who deploy our solutions on average see:

• A 30% increase in revenue growth
• A 23% decrease in telecom costs
• With an average payback time of 9 months

See more ROI metrics from the Customer Success Metrics Survey

2. Doing more with less

Similarly, another way companies can save money is to consolidate their tech spend, finding vendors who can integrate previously separate systems. Here too, RingCentral and our partners can help. 

By combining our market-leading solutions in UCaaS and CCaaS into a single integrated platform on one bill, customers can save on costs. But they also see improved employee productivity and engagement, and therefore customer satisfaction, by simplifying workflows.

3. Security threats continue

News of data breaches and ransomware attacks have become increasingly commonplace. In a post-pandemic hybrid environment, partners must look for vendors that protect their client’s most valuable asset—their data. 

Along with innovation and partnerships, trust is one of RingCentral’s key tenets. Recently, we introduced end-to-end encryption (E2EE) across the entire RingCentral MVP platform. We believe this truly differentiates our commitment to security, and represents the most complete deployment of E2EE for enterprise communications to date.

For detailed security features, visit the RingCentral Trust Center

4. ESG and sustainability

As a global company, RingCentral is committed to doing its part in building a better future, giving back, and combating climate change. While this is a priority for us in all regions, some of our fastest growing markets are in EMEA, where an IDC survey revealed environmental, social, corporate governance (ESG), and sustainability were the top priorities for CEOs going forward. 

Here too, we have the proof to back up our commitment to ESG and sustainability. Late last year, RingCentral received recognition from both the Frost and Sullivan Institute and from MSCI for the company’s commitment to addressing ESG issues.

Striving for sustainability is more than just good business sense—it’s simply the right thing to do.

5. Winning partners go beyond the sale

The best way partners can succeed in 2023: transform from IT resellers into ongoing consultants. Your average company’s IT department has been decimated by the events of the past few years, and many lack the resources to keep up with existing maintenance, let alone new technologies. 

Moving customers to the cloud and eliminating on-premises hardware is the first step, as RingCentral can cut the need for constantly upgrading equipment and manual updates. But the partners who will come out ahead in 2023 are those that can provide value beyond the sale.

And as always, myself and the global RingCentral channel team will be here to support you every step of the way, helping you reach success.

^*Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

GARTNER and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks and service marks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

¹Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide, By Rafael Benitez etc., 28 November 2022

Originally published Jan 20, 2023