
The distribution industry has gone through a transformation, a greater emphasis on service delivery has compelled distributors, as well as manufacturers and retailers, to reassess and redefine their role and to adapt to the changes in the way technology is being implemented and used. The shift to the cloud has supported the changes required with the dynamics of the channels distributors need to use to interact with their customers, it has made mobility and responsiveness the central themes of the industry, whilst allowing distributors to control costs.
This popularity of the cloud is only set to increase, with a Goldman Sachs study predicting spending on cloud computing infrastructure and platforms will grow at a 30% CAGR from 2013 through 2018 equated with 5% growth for the total IT enterprise.