Trend #8: Tech Is Changing The Competitive Landscape For IT

Changes in technology mean that solution providers will need to compete not on the basis of the products they sell but on the basis of the customer experience and innovation they provide, Bova said.

This means solution providers need to change the value of what they are selling to focus not on their vendors but on their own services, she said.

Bova gave as an example the idea of putting a smart device in a washing machine to look at usage and provide recommendations. "You're talking washing detergent," she said. "But you're building a relationship with your customers."