Tech and telecom B2B buying trends: 2024 market outlook

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and telecommunications, business-to-business (B2B) customers displayed a positive investment outlook for the upcoming year, according to our latest Pulse survey. And, these customers’ needs are clear: from a product perspective, first-class cybersecurity, product features, and integrations are top of mind; and from a vendor perspective, brand and reputation as well as competent sales representatives are central. These findings signal a meaningful shift from historic spending priorities and provider preferences, with the potential to reshape the markets over the coming year. In particular, the market outlook could be viewed as a wake-up call for telecommunications companies, which need to accelerate their efforts to find a compelling value proposition that allows them to play a greater role in the “beyond the core” space. On the other hand, channel partners, tech players and cloud providers especially seem to be well positioned to gain traction and boost their shares in the market.

To gain a deeper understanding of technology and telecommunications market drivers and opportunities, McKinsey regularly conducts a comprehensive survey of a diverse set of business decision makers among enterprises that purchase telecom and technology equipment and services. The latest edition of the Global Technology and Telecommunications B2B Pulse Survey is based on an extensive analysis of more than 3,000 responses from enterprises of all sizes, spanning 11 industries and 15 countries. It serves as a valuable resource for businesses seeking to navigate and grow in the converging technology and telecommunications B2B landscape.