Dell: Channel can help plug innovation gap

There is a lack of innovation across UK businesses, despite the desire to be more cutting edge, which opens the door for the channel to play a positive role.

According to the Dell Technologies Innovation Index, there are clear economic benefits on offer to those that innovate, but far too many businesses are failing to do so.

Dell’s headline finding was that only 5% of UK firms could be classed as innovation leaders, with many of the rest focusing on the day-to-day and failing to embrace automation and other tools to let IT take more of the burden.

The vendor ranked innovation on a scale, making it clear that there were benefits for those that were classed as leaders and adopters, with those businesses 2.2 times more likely to accelerate innovation during challenging economic conditions.

Recommendations to change the situation included encouraging business leaders to foster an innovation culture among employees and create opportunities for staff to feel involved in the process.

Technology is also important, with many not taking advantage of some of the automated, subscription services that can be delivered by partners.

“It’s certainly positive to see such optimism from businesses about the strength of their innovation. However, the gap between perception and reality is stark; only 5% of businesses in the UK can be considered innovation leaders and adopters, while those who think they have a vibrant culture of innovation is over half,” said Rob Tomlin, vice-president for the UK channel at Dell Technologies.

“There is a correlation between profitability and innovation, and, as we face further economic instability here in the UK, turning innovative ambitions into reality will be crucial – not only for the survival of some organisations but for the wider UK economy,” he added.

Tomlin said there was a clear role for the IT industry, including vendors and channel partners, to help drive more innovation.

“Channel partners and vendors can work together to help customers bridge the gap between the ambition to innovate and the reality of the innovation they need to accelerate through economic uncertainty”

Rob Tomlin, Dell Technologies

“Partnerships and, more broadly, an ecosystem of leading technology companies and partners, are also crucial to driving innovation and ensuring that the right technology solutions are built to help address the needs of businesses as they evolve,” he said.

“The findings show that there is a willingness to embrace new technologies and a recognition that by doing so, bandwidth could be freed up to enable teams to innovate more. Channel partners and vendors can work together to help customers bridge the gap between the ambition to innovate and the reality of the innovation they need to accelerate through economic uncertainty,” he added.