Buyer Behavior

This report explores the choices IT buyers of networking solutions make in selecting one type of supplier over another, and what criteria they base those choices on. At a basic level, buyers select suppliers based on how well those suppliers meet their needs. Info-Tech has mapped this needs-fulfillment across the six types of suppliers.

This report looks at how the money flows through supplier channels for IT networking solution purchases by small and mid-sized enterprises. Networking solutions explored in this research include IP telephony solutions, routers, switches, networking security solutions, network management and wireless LAN solutions.

KnowledgeStorm and Info-Tech Research Group partnered to conduct the Global Green IT Attitude & Action survey in November 2007. More than 2,100 IT and non-IT respondents from around the globe provided insight on their sentiment towards climate change, Green IT, and how they believe their companies are reacting. In terms of attitudes, all respondents are concerned about climate change. In terms of action, however, Asia and Europe lead the pack.

This report provides detailed information on the reasons why buyers of IT products and services choose one vendor over another, as well as why they drop entrenched suppliers. One culprit is named as the top reason why customers reduce – or stop – business with their strategic supplier. The report also offers insight on how both incumbent vendors and those looking to penetrate a new customer can position themselves for success.

The Hardcopy Devices pivot table contains information on projects involving printers, multi-function devices and digital copiers – how organizations approach the software customization of MFPs (either in-house, through a systems integrator, or through the manufacturer). It also looks contains information on how organizations handle printer device management.

The IP-PBX pivot table contains information on IP telephony projects – corporate behaviors around business cases, budgets, timelines and metrics for their IP-PBX projects. It also includes respondents’ views on vendors and where they turn – during the research phase of an IP-PBX project – to secure information about the technology.

iSCSI is one of the most important emerging storage technologies today. It is an attractive option for companies that need affordable and easy-to-manage networked storage, but at the same time, iSCSI remains somewhat enigmatic to many IT practitioners. This presents an opportunity for vendors and resellers to play a more consultative role when selling networked storage, especially in the mid-market.

The Web has become a vital sales tool for vendors of hardcopy devices – printers, multi-function peripherals and digital copiers. In this report, we identify the organizations that are most likely to purchase printers and associated devices online and offer guidance on what shoppers need to see on your Web site during the research phase of the purchase cycle.

Info-Tech’s second annual forecast on IT spending in the US indicates that four industries dominate the landscape: Business Services, Financial Services, Government and Manufacturing account for more than 60% of spending on IT products and services. The ITAMTM provides a market opportunity perspective that is based on the IT budgets of more than 1,700 organizations in the US.

To what extent can technology transform a business? Info-Tech’s Global Solution Perspective study provides unique insight into the attitudes IT and business leaders – in both established and emerging economies – have towards technology. The research surveyed more than 1,100 IT specialists, business decision makers and managers that have both IT and business responsibilities to better understand their views IT’s ability to transform business, how effective the IT function is in translating the promise of IT into business benefits and the current status of IT-enabled solutions around the globe.