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Paul Kamlesh, Technical Director , Copybox Document Systems: I think it depends on the customer really. Our customers are a mixture of schools, businesses and charities, and some are already doing quite a lot in the cloud – especially the businesses – and are comfortable with it. Others still have quite a lot of their systems onsite, and we also look after their managed print remotely for that extra peace of mind. I don’t think there’s any point telling somebody they need to move everything to the cloud if they don’t need to. It needs to be right for the business and what they’re trying to achieve. Mark Asbridge, Head of Product Enablement , MyQ: A genuine mix, and that’s reflected directly in how the product line is structured. MyQ X covers on-premise and private cloud deployment for organisations with existing infrastructure, compliance requirements, or an IT team that wants more direct control. MyQ Roger is built as a fully public cloud-native application, with separate personal and corporate account tiers, for organisations ready to move entirely into the cloud. What’s notable is that this isn’t a static split. MyQ X itself is evolving toward deeper native-cloud capability while keeping its hybrid flexibility intact, rather than staying fixed as an on-premise product indefinitely. So, the honest answer is that customers aren’t settling into one camp. Many are on a gradual path from hybrid toward cloud-native, and vendors need a roadmap that lets customers move along that path at their own pace instead of forcing a single point of migration. John Green, Managing Director , Commerce Business Systems: I think our IT team would tell you that it’s a mixture. Some customers are happy to move everything to the cloud, but others are not quite ready yet. Some have systems that still need to stay where they are, but we are making sure that they are protected and can help them to change when the time is right for them. We are not the type of company to tell somebody they have to move everything to the cloud just because that is where things are going. It has to work for their business. For some, right now, a mix of the two will probably make more sense. Daniel Gilbert, Managing Director , Key Digital: Most of our customers lean towards a hybrid model because it lets them modernise and develop systems without disrupting existing on‑premise workflows. For most of our large enterprise customers, a rigid ‘all‑in’ cloud-native strategy can feel far less viable at this stage. Businesses still need to adapt quickly to changing demands without compromising security or compliance. Many of our customers still rely on on-premise infrastructure for sensitive data or legacy applications. But the need for flexibility and cost optimisation is driving hybrid cloud architectures, particularly to aid with risk management – letting customers move at their own pace while keeping sensitive information under tighter control.
Stuart Brookes
Peter Shackleton, Head of End-User Sales and Managed Print Services Lead , Brother UK: Most customers are favouring a hybrid approach because it gives them the flexibility to move to the cloud at their own pace. Many organisations still have legacy systems or processes that are critical to their day-to-day operations and moving everything at once can introduce unnecessary risk and disruption. A hybrid model allows customers to retain those capabilities where needed, while moving other parts of their print environment to the cloud. They can still benefit from cloud-based management and reduce their reliance on physical print servers without having to make wholesale changes to their existing infrastructure. For partners, it comes back to understanding how each customer operates and where they are in their cloud journey. A phased approach can make the transition more manageable while allowing customers to start seeing the benefits of cloud print sooner. Stuart Miller, Partner Channel Director , Canon UK & Ireland: We’re seeing growing market demand for digitisation, security assurance and cloud-first deployment as organisations look to create more efficient, secure and seamlessly connected workflows. At the same time, organisations have diverse requirements, making flexibility important as they modernise their print and document environments. The right approach will depend on an organisation’s individual needs. Factors such as security and compliance requirements, flexibility, cost and the physical space and resources required to maintain on-premise infrastructure can all influence the decision between cloud-native and hybrid models. Based on our experience with our partners’ customers, many businesses would prefer to adopt a fully cloud-native deployment. However, more often than not, they will initially favour a hybrid model. This is either as a stepping stone to test the waters
Rachel Pollard
John Green
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