10 Ways the Channel Can Provide Value in a BYOD World

The bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend is taking the enterprise by storm. In fact, Forrester contends that by 2017, just 18 percent of all tablet purchases will be made by the enterprise. Other slates—as well as smartphones—will make their way into the office by way of employees bringing their personal devices to work. This will clearly have a major impact on the environment that made the channel so important—delivering more value to corporate customers that otherwise wouldn't find it elsewhere. But VARs should realize that BYOD isn't nearly the threat that it was once believed to be. Sure, it'll be harder to sell hardware in the enterprise, but BYOD is a shift in how the channel operates, not a decline in need for companies that can add value to corporate customer technology infrastructure. The hardest part about BYOD, in fact, is finding the value for the channel, but close inspection reveals all kinds of value. Channel Insider examines BYOD and its continuing impact on the corporate world and channel players, and offers suggestions on how the channel can capitalize on BYOD.