Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

In ICT distribution, we’ve often worked in silos – each part of the chain focused inward. Vendors push out innovation. Distributors move boxes. Resellers try to make it all make sense for the customer. But increasingly, this fragmented approach isn’t working. If we want real, scalable impact, we need something more: meaningful, intentional partnerships that foster resilience and drive growth throughout the value chain.

From where I sit, the most successful shifts we’ve seen have come from moving away from transactional engagements and towards community-building. That means creating ecosystems where vendors, distributors and resellers collaborate – not just for commercial gain, but to support each other in navigating complexity, delivering better outcomes and unlocking future growth.

Partnership is more than joint marketing campaigns or bundled deals. It’s about shared learning, honest dialogue and a willingness to co-create solutions that extend beyond product specs. And in South Africa, where we’re working against real structural constraints – economic inequality, digital divides, skills shortages – these partnerships are no longer just nice to have; they really are business critical.

One thing that’s become increasingly clear is that resellers are not just conduits for technology

One thing that’s become increasingly clear is that resellers are not just conduits for technology – they are often closer to the end customer than vendors or distributors will ever be. They understand the customer’s business, their challenges and what’s needed to move the needle. Yet, too often they’re expected to decode complex vendor messaging without sufficient support. This disconnect creates friction that slows down innovation at the coalface of customer engagement.

Distributors can play a powerful role here by translating vendor complexity into practical value for resellers. But it only happens when there’s trust. And trust is built through partnership – through long-term relationships, not short-term wins. It’s built when we ask better questions, when we truly listen and when we adapt how we engage based on what our partners need, not what we want to push.

Easing the burden

Across the channel, we’re beginning to see more investment in the kinds of tools that genuinely ease the burden on resellers – middleware that simplifies ordering and fulfilment and technologies that help interpret unstructured data to anticipate future needs. These aren’t just technical upgrades; they represent a shift in mindset. It’s about reducing friction in the system and showing up differently – more responsively, more collaboratively.

Importantly, I don’t believe this is a race to the top where one distributor wins. In fact, I believe a strong ICT sector in South Africa depends on all of us raising the bar – resellers, vendors and distributors alike. Healthy competition is vital, but a fractured ecosystem where each party acts in isolation won’t help us move forward.

If we want to see sustainable growth, a more inclusive digital economy and a truly responsive ICT sector, then building better partnerships isn’t just part of the solution – it is the solution. Not in theory, but in the everyday decisions we make about how we show up, who we listen to and how we align our efforts.

The role of distributors in this environment isn’t about owning every touchpoint – it’s about enabling others. If we can reduce the barriers to entry for smaller resellers, standardise processes and create shared visibility across the channel, we help unlock more growth. In a fragmented market like South Africa, that kind of alignment can make the difference between stagnation and sector-wide acceleration.

As the channel continues to evolve, the organisations that embrace shared value – over individual gain – will be the ones that remain relevant and resilient.