Tech trends for 2025

My focus in 2025 will be on enhancing the customer experience we provide for our SMB partners, making it even better and more personal. We consistently prioritise the customer and reinforce that principle internally. While we do a fantastic job for the majority of our partners, there is always room for improvement. Additionally, although we possess excellent tools and processes that make doing business with us as simple as possible, there are invariably situations that require a personal touch. It is our aim to provide this level of service to as many partners as possible, as often as possible.

‘Regarding the factors that I believe will propel business forward in 2025, I anticipate that Windows 11 will be significantly impactful. In addition to boosting device sales, it is likely to initiate a wave of software and peripheral upgrades. Therefore, it will be crucial to contact customers early in the year, assess their needs, and plan accordingly.’

Sustainable AI will be my big bet for 2025. There will be a lot of focus on the Windows 11 upgrade and AI-capable PCs and within that we are going to be putting the emphasis on extending the lifecycle of systems and on take-back. In other words, on trading-in all those older, Windows 10 laptops and desktops and making sure that they go to recycling or reuse – and that none of the components end up in landfill. That’s important both for end customers and partners who want to drive the sustainability agenda. Close collaboration – between TD SYNNEX, specialist third party providers of IT asset disposition services, and vendors – will be key here. We already have the partnerships in place and we are working together to ensure our partners and their customers can access our lifecycle and take-back services as they look to maximise their opportunities around the Windows 11 upgrade.’

Offering our partners the best platform choice for their end-users’ business remains our biggest bet for 2025. Within that the signage solutions we can now offer represent a massive opportunity. We’ve added some really exciting brands to our already compelling vendor portfolio and are focused on delivering specialist services to really drive growth. Technology-wise we expect LED to be a significant growth engine for us this year with an excellent choice of solutions available to fit every customer need. After a good year in 2024, smart meeting room sales will also gain further momentum and here again, we have an unrivalled choice of options for partners and value-added services to back them up in taking opportunities.’

A lot of focus this year will be on the migration of laptops and PCs to Windows 11. This is going to be a huge opportunity for our partners and as well as driving laptops and desktop sales, will trigger a wave of software and peripherals upgrades. It will be important to contact customers early in the year, to assess their needs and plan ahead. We’ll be working with our vendor partners to make sure we can support our partners in maximising their opportunities.’

AI will be across everything and that’s going to have implications for sustainability. AI is very power-hungry and we’ll need to be looking at liquid cooling in data centres and at more flexible ways of stretching those assets. I also expect AI to give 5G and intelligent edge devices a real boost. AI needs a lot of data and in many scenarios that data it will need to be processed and analysed quite close to the edge. We’ll see some very smart new 5G devices from Cradlepoint this year and many more devices designed to store and process data at the edge, such as smart cameras and industry-specific sensors for use in healthcare or agriculture, for example.

‘Security will also a big area of focus – as it has been for a few years now. The dynamic is changing now though, with state-sponsored actors as well as cybercriminals becoming involved and potentially posing threats to national networks, resources and organisations with targeted campaigns.’

For 2025, providing SMB customers with the tools and support they need will continue to be a big focus for us as will enabling partners to advance with their own developmental journeys in key growth areas such as cloud, security, and AI. We have fantastic technical teams and platforms and we are always working to earn our customers’ business. I think those three areas I’ve mentioned are where we will continue to see the most growth potential. We’re cautiously optimistic about 2025 and we’ll keep providing the trusted advice and stability that partners need as they continue to transform and transition their businesses and help their end customers to do the same.’