iValue takes pride in setting new benchmarks for the technology aggregation with service backing space

Krishna Raj Sharma, Director and CEO, iValueInfoSolutions 
 

Can you share your plan for 2021, which is said to be the year of Digital Transformation?

Covid-19 has aided enterprises in shifting towards a more pronounced digital world. For once cybersecurity and digital transformation will be given a higher priority. The performance of the IT industry shows the increasing focus on the digital transformation of businesses and also the expansion of digital-driven services to cater to clients across the globe. Indian enterprises were expected to spend over $2 billion domestically during the period on digital transformation, while the growth of digital revenue during 2019-20 is seen at over 23%. But to achieve digital transformation, security is the main concern. iValue takes pride in setting new benchmarks for the technology aggregation with service backing space. We are building organic and inorganic expertise in the area of consulting and services around GRC with new / niche cybersecurity services relevant to the heightened risk due to WFA. We are also adding offerings on empowerment area which is a key missing element in the fight to stay ahead of threats with most surveys highlighting people to be the weakest link amongst process and technology dimensions. iValue is also aggressively pursuing inorganic growth opportunities both on capabilities and geography coverage to maximize profitable growth. 

How are you integrating the VAR eco-system for deeper penetration?

iValue’s approach to Partner is unique. We focus on a few solutions which complement partner key offerings and are relevant to their customer base. We help our partners to do focused market development, activity leveraging on our customer analytics. The AI-driven CRM also helps both iValue and its partners to monitor and optimize efforts across all the opportunities to maximize win rates. This alignment helps in expediting results with a joint market effort in the market between iValue and Partner teams. Our measure is not how many partners we work with but how many solutions we have been able to see existing customers and how many new customers we are able to win through our unique solutions. 

When we talk about digitization during this pandemic times, how according to you, have the Indian enterprises’ adapted DX?

The COVID-19 pandemic, work from home and social distancing have accentuated a new urgency for digital connectivity and innovation bringing in an era across all sector, that may last well beyond the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, investments and business priorities related to emerging technologies were fragmented. However, post COVID-19 Indian enterprises are going to be very much at the fore front of everything we do. They will be aggressive differentiator for how all businesses and ecosystems work. The advent of technologies such as AI, IoT, AR and VR, has today brought into reality the feasibility of conducting online business for sectors such as education, healthcare, consulting, retail, all of which were mainly centred around personal interaction.The upsurge in demand from both end-users and businesses during the pandemic has reinforced a very positive outlook on the growth across all sectors. Six out of ten digital transformation leaders are fast-tracking initiatives around connecting front, middle, and back offices and the drivers for transformation are largely customer focused. While 42 percent have a focus to reduce and regain the loss of revenue, 33 percent of them have also suggested to develop newer channels to serve customers.However, enterprises are now focused on allying their emerging technology strategies with the overall business goals to ensure not just potentialendurance but also achieve a competitive edge.

As a VAD how are you supporting the OEMs to reach the last mile?

The challenges of the pandemic time can be broadly split into 3 phases - Survival, Ramp-up and Transformation. Thanks to our offerings which are relevant in all the 3 phases, we have been able to keep up the business momentum for our OEMs and partners with 20% growth in the 1st two months of the year over previous years. Thanks to our practice teams, we continuously engage 600+ enterprise customers in a focused way and are involved with many of them in all the 3 phases. We continue to evolve to meet the emerging needs of our customers and partners.

Last but not the least what are the key verticals to show a positive growth in the coming year?

iValue’s DNA - Data, Network and Application Management has been evolving to meet the emerging needs of our customers and partners. iValue improved on its profitability and grew by more than 30% in the 1st six months. We continue to invest to build capabilities around services and the consulting area around cybersecurity along with training.Market trends such as Privacy, Compliance and Automation driven by Analytics, AI and ML, Cloud Transition, Co-location DC will drive revenue streams. Big Data & IoT solutions, Cloud-Edge securities, Defense-in-depth securities with Zero Trust Framework, Network Forensics, prescriptive & predictive maintenance, User & Entity Behavior Analysis, etc. are also in the race. Cybersecurity is still the highest challenge for most CISOs. iValue continues to focus on offerings that help the customer stay ahead of these needs in the coming years. Our approach in the market is to consultatively understand and address customers business and IT needs around DNA offerings with a medium to long-term perspective.