INSIGHTS
Partner Plus Live 2025 takeaways
Rethink, Reimagine, Reinvent
Partner Plus Live in Manchester wasn’t designed to be just another industry event. Yes, we brought the energy – dancers, live music, a Big Phone moment, and a format that banned slides and lengthy stats. But the real purpose was clear: to give partners useful, actionable insight at a time when the UK economy feels uncertain and the market is tightening.
Below, I’ve included some of the most important takeaways that you can use right now to rethink, reimagine and reinvent your strategy.
1. You’re in a position of strength – even in a static economy
Omdia’s Research Director Camille Mendler opened with a message more partners need to hear: you sit at the centre of the UK economy.
70% of goods and services pass through channel partners – and that influence is growing. In a climate that may feel flat, partners are still in pole position to innovate and capture new opportunities.
The market may feel tough, but demand for expert, trusted advisers is rising. Lean into that role.
2. AI isn’t a threat – it’s a profit multiplier
AI dominated conversations throughout the day, and rightly so. Multiple speakers reinforced the same point: if you’re not using AI now, you’ll fall behind those who are.
From Camille’s bold prediction that partners will make 10 times more money using AI in the next 12 months, to Gain AI’s expert Omar Jacoby reminding us that AI is essentially magic we can control, it was clear that AI will create value for you and your customers quicker than any other emerging technology. Patrick Watson, Head of Research at Cavell, states that the AI market is currently worth £17 billion. By 2035, it will be valued in the trillions of pounds. Even a fraction of that is an opportunity.
There are so many solid use cases for AI, and many were explored by Damon Segal, Marketing and AI specialist at Emotio. You can use AI to create content, proposals, competitor comparisons and brand assets in minutes. You can also explore text-to-voice, 3D world creation, and sentiment analysis to differentiate your offering. The possibilities really are endless.
By starting small and choosing one internal process and one customer-facing experience to rethink, you’re on the road to driving efficiencies and productivity with AI, and you won’t look back.
3. Sovereignty, simplicity and experience will drive buyer decisions
Camille further highlighted that smaller businesses – those with single sites and lean teams – are where partners can make the most impact. They want ownership of their digital assets, and they want technology that’s simple and intuitive.
Half of today’s B2B buyers are millennials, and they choose suppliers based on experience rather than cost alone.
That’s why you should prioritise simple, digital-first journeys and make your customer experience your differentiator. It’s a winning formula.
4. Your leadership voice matters – especially online
As Dan Sheridan, Client Enterprise Account Manager at LinkedIn, said, your executives’ voices are one of your strongest marketing tools. This is because:
- 66% of users trust a company more if they follow its leader on social media.
- 92% of people expect CEOs to speak openly about sustainability, equality and inclusion.
- Video and authentic leadership content outperform traditional corporate posts.
To put this into practice, pick one senior leader in your business. Help them show up consistently on LinkedIn with insight, not sales messages.
5. APIs are an untapped source of speed and efficiency
BT Wholesale’s John Daffern reminded partners that APIs are more than backend functions – they’re tools for growth.
From instant FTTP availability checks to rapid provisioning, APIs can streamline customer journeys, reduce admin, and accelerate sales conversations.
To make the most of them, review where your customer or internal processes slow things down. An API may be the easiest fix available.
6. Teams Phone Mobile creates a new conversation with customers
As Nick Hutton, Proposition Manager from BT Wholesale explained, SMBs are early in their digital adoption journey. With Teams Phone Mobile, you can elevate the conversation from telephony to collaboration, productivity and flexible working.
The big advantage? A true presence they can trust – enabling smarter routing, better customer contact and simpler workforce management.
That’s why you should use Teams Phone Mobile as a reason to revisit customers currently stuck with legacy or fragmented systems.
7. Leadership is about culture, relationships and perspective
Rugby legend Sam Warburton OBE closed the day with lessons that translate directly from elite sport to business:
- Strong teams are built on genuine relationships.
- Consistency and clarity set the tone for performance.
- Pressure is manageable when you maintain perspective.
Take one idea from Sam – whether it’s weekly leadership huddles or simplifying distractions – and make it routine. It’s a small shift that can elevate your business to championship level.
8. BT Wholesale is your 12th Player
As Gavin Jones, our Director of Wholesale Partners, reiterated, we want to be the 12th player in partner teams. We’ve got your back today and tomorrow.
With a 99.999% network availability, award-winning mobile capability and a partner-first approach, our role is to empower you to serve your customers brilliantly. We’re here to help you reinvent, rethink and reimagine every step of the way.
Ready to turn these insights into action or want to be at the next Partner Plus Live? Join Partner Plus today
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