MARKET REPORT Transportation and Automotive Sector
“The supply chain is responding to a shift towards a landscape that places the customer at the centre.”
Dave Hughes, Head of Solutions and Onboarding, BT Final Mile
e value of this sector to the UK economy should not be underestimated - automotive jobs created £51 for every hour worked in Q4 2018
for digital transformation in
the supply chain, as it can help
organisations improve their
performance, eciency and
customer service. e supply
chain is responding to a shift
towards a landscape that places
the customer at the centre.”
Purchasing has become
increasingly price sensitive,
says Daniel Pikker at Sprint
Telematics.
“e ease of comparing prices
has meant that the industry
has to be very conscious about
catering for dierent groups of
clients at dierent price points.
Pricing is very important, but
it is value that should be the
deal closer at the end of the day.
Telematics products and services
should have a constant return
on income and not only be an
upfront and monthly cost.”
What are the major
considerations for partners
wanting to enter and succeed
in this vertical?
Dave Hughes at BT Final Mile
believes that for those looking for
opportunities to enter this eld,
it’s crucial they take a customercentric
approach and place them
at the core of their service.
“Alongside this, potential
partners need to realise that
the way organisations review
their supply chain has changed.
ese reviews used to take place
every three years but are now
happening on a regular basis.
Given the pace of change and
the new technologies available,
companies must continuously
keep their nger on the pulse.”
Daniel Pikker at Sprint
Telematics says resellers product
and/or service oerings need to
be versatile and have the ability
to be incorporated with partner
hardware and software.
“So a key consideration
would be, are you in control of
the development and support
of your market oering (either
through in-house dev teams or
contracted dev teams) or are you
reliant on a 3rd party supplier’s
road map for R&D?”
ED SAYS…
No matter how a sector is faring there are always opportunities for the channel
to explore and make their own margins. Like any other sector of business, the
automotive and transportation sector has informed buyers and they will expect
complete and professional solutions.
of current oerings on the
horizon. Certain technologies
such as Bluetooth and RF have
become signicantly cheaper
with more functionality. is has
allowed for more tracking and
control over assets and loads.”
How is the purchasing
behaviour of this vertical
changing?
According to Dave Hughes
at BT Final Mile, more and
more automotive companies are
considering other cost-eective,
environmentally friendly ways
of conducting their day-to-day
business.
“From switching to electric
or alternatively fuelled vehicles
for their eets to looking at how
they can minimise cost and
environmental impact in the
supply chain, the automotive
industry is experiencing an
overhaul of how they do things.
Automotive technology is
rapidly evolving to provide new
options and mobility solutions
that consumers are demanding.
Smart solutions such as BT
Final Mile highlight the need
38 | Comms Business Magazine | December 2019 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
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