EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

DAN SCARBROUGH , MD , ROCKSCAR LTD AND DCA ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

ho would have imagined that the world would

As we move into 2021 , the growth we have seen the digital infrastructure industry experience has never been greater . Despite this , the industry has never been more compact , with the vast majority of this capacity being driven by a small number of hyperscale organisations .

When an industry is moving so fast while global ‘ COVID ’ pandemic restrictions are in place , is it increasingly hard for vendors to compete with their rivals in the market to maintain a strong presence within the industry ?

The days of faceto-face meetings , events and ‘ wining and dining ’ have been halted temporarily , so how do you gain a potential customer ’ s attention in the new world we live in ? It ’ s tough and today ’ s rigmarole of back-to-back Zoom meetings doesn ’ t

It ’ s not all bad – the sheer amount of growth that the industry is undergoing means there is an ever-increasing pressure to ensure that the best possible supply chain – including multiple vendors – is in place to ensure that the significant amount of capacity is delivered on time . Leveraging relationships by engaging a highly skilled internal or outsourced business development function to open doors with key operators can ’ t be underestimated . Being able to quickly and concisely convey the value of your company products with the client ’ s specific requirement takes continual reinvention and the right thought process . Depending on your product , it can be a relatively long sales cycle , however , if you are speaking with the key operators and consultants , you ’ ll be able to maintain a strong presence in the industry .

Aligning your brand with some of the key industry issues of sustainability , diversity , efficiency , carbon reduction , renewable energy , Digital Transformation , along with key industry associations like the DCA , SDIA and iMason ’ s can make a real difference .

The industry has reached a stage where reputation and innovation are more important than ever before . Gone are the days of driving sales and revenue growth through lead generation alone .

Legislation is coming that will further regulate the industry . Naturally , operators will look to work with the best supply chains available that will serve to protect and grow their reputation in line with their own industry commitments . Whatever the future holds , one thing is for sure : when we look around from the midst of yet more COVID lockdowns , it ’ s worth reminding ourselves that working in the digital infrastructure industry – with all its wonderfully complex challenges – means we are still one of the lucky ones . ◊

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