Change is inevitable. Whether positive, negative, or to be determined, change is going to come, especially in a tech-centric world where you are either the agent of change or the subject of change. And because change is inevitable, you have to plan for it, adapt to it, and make the most of it.
If you use managed file transfer (MFT) technology, change is coming quickly, due to some recently announced mergers and acquisition activity, as well as some partnerships that are brewing behind the scenes. It’s all good news, but as a customer and user of MFT, you’ve got some decisions to make. And one way or another, you’ll have to make them soon. Here’s a little background.
The managed file transfer market is growing at an annual rate of 5.2%, according to Orbis Research, and will reach $1.51 billion by 2025. Hardly the stuff unicorns are made of, but for those of us in the game, it confirms the essential role that MFT continues to play in maintaining a data protection and data management strategy. In an increasingly regulated world, where individual privacy, intellectual property, financial and transactional data, and sensitive health information are required to be protected, the demand for MFT will tend to keep pace with the growth of business.
Acquisitions in a small, mature market with steady growth tend to happen for two reasons: the acquisition of complementary technology to broaden a company’s product portfolio, or the purchase of redundant technology to quickly gain a larger share of the available market and its future growth. If the price is right acquisition can be a great way for one company to quickly gain an edge, but the trick is always in the integration of two different organizations and how the resulting changes affect things like customer service, price, product roadmaps, and the relationship between the new owner and the acquired customers.
Over time, and especially once a merger is completed, any noticeable changes to technical support and pricing may result in some churn as customers look for new relationships. Others may appreciate any new product options available through the new company, especially if they value the “one throat to choke” strategy of technology relationships. Still others may take a wait-and-see approach to see if the new owners will finally prioritize product enhancements still missing, like cross-platform, 64-bit, and web admin support.
Speculation aside, one thing is certain: if you know that change is coming, then you have time to prepare for it and make better decisions when the time comes. Maybe you seize the moment and initiate the change, or perhaps you use the threat of change as a means of negotiating a better deal. If you were already unhappy, ambivalent, or contemplating a review of your MFT platform and program, now is the time to do it and take whatever action is needed to get the results you want.
As long as you’re doing that, take a look at Coviant Software. We understand that managed file transfer is an important part of your data management and security program, which is why the Diplomat MFT family of products is engineered to simply, securely, and automatically transfer millions of important files every day. Even though Diplomat has all the features and functionality you need, ready to run on any platform, in the cloud, or even in containers, we remain the best value in the market.
Whether you use someone else’s products and think you can do better, or if you are looking to make your first investment in a managed file transfer solution, talk with us. We can help you understand your options and a path to a cost-effective MFT strategy. Our award-winning Diplomate MFT family of products are trusted by many happy Coviant Software customers to make millions of simple, secure, automated file transfers every day. We’re confident that if you try Diplomat, you’ll be a happy Coviant customer, too. Download a free trial of Diplomat, or request a demo and see for yourself.
