Predictions 2017: Enterprise Systems Distribution CEO and co-founder Pouya Parsafar

Dubai has been growing inexorably over the last few decades, and 2016 was by far the most rewarding year in terms of deliverability and innovation within the enterprise industry.

It has also been an exceptionally prolific year for Enterprise Systems. As our fifth year in the industry, we have been rising exponentially and expanding at rapid proportions.

In a transforming industry and during stirring times, we have sustained high targets; both in our deliverability of services and the way we lead our business. 2016 was a year we established ourselves within the enterprise industry as one of the leading information technology distribution companies within the Middle East.

We believe that in 2017, information technology will be implemented deeply into enterprises. ICT systems will turn out to be considerably more than just supporting devices, but will instead play roles in decision-making, marketing, customer relationship management and customer service. Digital Enterprises of the future will offer better products and solutions by embracing imaginative ICT innovation.

Today, the proliferation of IT presents new opportunities for tens of millions of enterprises worldwide. In 2016, more than 200 million employees adopted the concept of bring your own device (BYOD) and big data analytics and software-defined networks will dictate how enterprises conduct business.

ICT systems are shifting from the role of cost centres to that of business-driven centres, enabling enterprises to operate more efficiently, and will be used to create revenue rather than simply be used in a supportive capacity.

In 2017, we predict that gathering and analysing data is going to be critical for understanding the journey ahead. And choosing the right vendors and the right solutions will be critical during this period.

The UAE – more so Dubai – has been established as a core for innovative IT solutions and brands as it is largely the first to present new solutions and services in the region. An expanding number of local and worldwide vendors have established their footprint in the Middle East through the UAE.

The UAE is already a leader in areas such as smart city development and 2017 looks set to see organisations in the country increase their adoption of other transformational IT.

ICT vendors and service providers, including distributors and system integrators, need to work more shrewdly to sustain the rapid growth we’ve seen over the last few years. This means initially looking inwards within your own organisation to make sure our existing talent is up to date in terms of training processes and procedures. They also need to be positively motivated to embrace the smart way of working.

Our approach towards our client base also needs to be smart. We need to understand our clients and their motivations better and move away from product sales to solutions sales that support their business by increasing their sales or reducing their costs. This will in turn have a positive impact on the return on investment.

From an infrastructural perspective, the Gulf – more so the UAE – has grown from a developing into a developed region. In order to be successful in 2017, corporates must take to heart what their clients require and look toward their vendors to provide solutions to satisfy those requirements.

We are transforming and changing the direction of our journey to be in line with the market direction and our client’s needs.

During 2017, our mission is to explore new ways of supporting our clients to seek out new innovative vendors and new talented individuals and to boldly venture where no distributor has before.