Softcat shares customer priorities for 2026

Customers are looking to innovate, transform and add resiliency to their businesses next year, according to research from channel player Softcat.

The firm’s Business tech report 2025/26 provides insights into where the priorities are for public sector and enterprise customers as they ponder on progress made and where to invest in the year ahead.

Unsurprisingly, given the headlines from Marks and Spencer, the NHS and the Co-Op over the past year, cyber security was found to be a top concern for customers keen to build more resiliency into their operations.

Other areas that were top of mind for customers include artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and using technology to help deliver a strong user experience.

When it came to security, almost half of the organisations Softcat quizzed indicated that data security was the key focus for the year ahead. There was a recognition that establishing solid foundations is also essential if AI is going to be rolled out securely.

In terms of artificial intelligence, the key concern for customers was to increase adoption, but in a way that is standardised and cost-controlled across the organisation. Engagement levels are fairly high, but the number of businesses that have embedded the technology into their working processes continues to be lower.

Although agentic AI has increased fears of job erosion, the Softcat report underlined the need for people, with the benefits of using the technology to enhance and empower workers.

The bread-and-butter work of the channel is also still in demand, with the Microsoft Windows refresh an area where some customers still require support. Staff devices and software occupy a fair amount of customer thinking time, and are also areas where investments and support will continue to be made and sought in 2026.

Softcat CEO Graham Charlton said it carried out the research to shine a light on the main customer priorities and to help guide business strategy.

“It’s an essential overview of the trends and technologies shaping digital transformation today, and I hope it can help you plot a smooth course into the future,” he said.

Next year will also see a continued focus on governance, risk and compliance (GRC) efforts to ensure hybrid environments are secure and running efficiently.

There are also signs that networking will benefit from spending as customers look to increase speeds, reliability and ability to handle AI workloads. Users are also keen on observability to get a clear picture of what’s happening across their infrastructure.

Encouragingly, those investments are going to be made with sustainability goals in mind. Softcat’s report found that the attitude towards reducing emissions and hitting carbon net-zero goals remains intact for many users. The channel player found that 80% of the customers it talked to would choose buy-back or trade-in options, while three-quarters are working on a suitability strategy or already have one in place.

The report also investigated the influences on buying decisions, with competitive pricing, customer service and expertise the qualities they are looking for from a channel partner.

Finally, canvassing opinion across the public sector, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and mid-market customers, the theme was managed services growth, with those customers looking for partners that offer that approach to security, AI, workspace and user devices.