Author: Doug Johnstone, Principal Consultant at Digital Pivot
Date: November 2025
The rules of business have profoundly changed
If 2025 has taught us anything, it is that the rules of business in New Zealand have changed for good. I am not just talking about global conflict, recessionary pressure, tariffs, or political churn. The rapid rise of AI platforms is reshaping every organisation, every role, and every category – including how B2B buyers discover, shortlist, and choose partners.
Investment in data centre capacity and AI capability is accelerating, and more NZ organisations are starting to see how AI can unlock real commercial value. But this shift brings both risk and opportunity. One thing is certain: standing still in these conditions is a very risky bet.
By Doug Johnstone, Founder Digital Pivot
Outline
- Tough times demand urgent pivot mindset
- B2B buyers changed – spark demand differently
- Market trends: AI, M&A, zero-click SEO shape strategy
- AI adoption goes from talk to action
- Upskilling teams and leading cultural change
- 2026 playbook: pivot offerings and hustle for growth
Key Takeaways
- Pivot offerings to align with customer outcomes
- Leverage AI for efficiency and innovation
- Create urgency and avoid “boiling frog” complacency
- Top-down leadership is crucial for AI success
- Upskill teams to thrive in the AI era
- Focus on customer needs to spark B2B demand
- Embrace agility and experiment boldly
New Zealand’s businesses are entering 2026 battle-hardened by a recession that hit harder than anything in recent memory. Talented professionals across industries have seen their roles disestablished, plans disrupted, and confidence shaken. We’re all hoping things will improve, but as one hard truth from this year reminds us, hope alone isn’t a strategy. In such challenging times, complacency can be fatal. Companies cannot afford to suffer from “Boiling Frog Syndrome” (passively waiting in ever-warming water and hoping things will get better on their own). Instead, now is the moment to pivot and hustle – to reinvent business models and aggressively pursue new avenues of growth, with AI as a key enabler.
Buyers Have Changed: Sparking Demand in a Stalled Market
B2B buyer behavior has transformed dramatically. Studies show that buyers are making decisions long before they ever engage your sales team[1]. By the time a prospect reaches out, they may already be most of the way through their decision process, influenced by content and peer recommendations well in advance. To succeed in this reality, Kiwi businesses must break through earlier – providing insight and value before customers even raise their hand.
I saw this firsthand in a StrategyCast podcast with Lori Jones of Avocet Communications. We explored how to spark demand in a stalled market and turn stagnant portfolios into growth engines[2]. A key takeaway was the importance of challenger selling – boldly reframing customer thinking to address pain points. By challenging the status quo and offering fresh insights, you position your company as a problem-solver. In a down market, this kind of proactive, insight-driven approach is what reignites demand.
New Market Dynamics: AI, Consolidation and Zero-Click Search
Looking at the wider industry, 2025 taught us that the market itself is pivoting. Our August 2025 Market Dynamics report highlighted major shifts in the ANZ IT services and consulting sector – from significant headcount changes and consolidation through M&A, to the rise of AI and even “zero-click” search behavior impacting marketing[3]. These trends are driving strategic change across New Zealand and Australia, forcing companies to rethink how they go to market. Meanwhile, zero-click search (where search engines or AI assistants deliver answers without a click) is eroding website traffic and lead generation as we knew it. B2B firms now realise they must optimise for an era where providing authoritative, easily accessible answers is more important than old SEO tricks[4].
In short, the rules of marketing and sales have changed. To pivot successfully, organisations need to align their offerings with these new market dynamics – for example, by building services around emerging AI-driven needs and by ensuring your content is discoverable in AI-driven search results.
From Talk to Action: Embracing AI as a Growth Catalyst
At the Marketing Association’s B2B marketing meetup in September (titled “AI in B2B: Enough Talk, What’s My Next Action?”), the message was about moving past hype to execution. The consensus was clear: AI isn’t just a shiny new tool, it’s a catalyst for transformation[5].
For example, one case study I shared showed how using an AI tool to analyse customer feedback diagnosed why a flagship service wasn’t resonating. We repositioned the offering accordingly, turning a losing streak into four new deals[6]. This illustrates how AI can act as a strategic diagnostic tool – revealing where your product-market fit is off and how to fix it.
Crucially, the panel also emphasised that adopting AI is not just a tech project – it’s a people project. Success requires strong leadership and cultural buy-in. In fact, around 70% of digital transformation projects fail due to lack of top-down commitment[7]. Leaders must actively champion AI initiatives and position AI as an enabler (not a threat) to truly embed it into the company’s culture[8].
Upskilling and Culture: Preparing for the AI Era
Upskilling and a growth mindset are also critical. In October, I guest-lectured at Massey University, where a two-hour session on product–market fit and rapid prototyping with AI showed me how eager the next generation is to leverage AI. That kind of enthusiasm needs to be mirrored inside our businesses. Teams should have the freedom to experiment with new tools, fail safely, and learn. Sometimes you must “slow down to speed up,” giving your team time to play with AI now so they can accelerate results later[9].
Keep your teams curious and adaptable. Encourage everyone to question old assumptions and continuously update their skills. The companies that thrive will be those who turn AI from a buzzword into a practical competitive advantage – blending human creativity with AI’s speed and scale.
2026: Pivot, Hustle, and Lead
All these experiences and insights point to one conclusion: 2026 is the year to pivot and hustle like never before. New Zealand’s B2B organisations have a chance to turn adversity into advantage by adapting faster than the competition. This means pivoting your offerings to align with evolving customer outcomes and emerging needs, and hustling to execute those changes relentlessly. If parts of your portfolio aren’t performing, re-align your strategy now rather than waiting – remember the boiling frog and avoid a slow decline. Double-down on understanding what your customers value in this climate, even if it’s different from a year ago, and be willing to reshape your value proposition accordingly.
Technology – especially AI – is your ally in this pivot. Use AI tools to gather customer insights, automate rote work, and augment your team’s capabilities. Free up your talent to focus on creativity, strategy, and building relationships. At the same time, be prepared to lead from the front: make bold decisions and invest in the future when others hesitate. Tough times reward the brave. And as you implement changes, celebrate quick wins – even small victories will build momentum across your team.
Now is the time to pivot and hustle. If you’re ready to take the next step, don’t wait – start aligning your portfolio with tomorrow’s opportunities. (For a deeper dive into refining your offerings, see our guide on how to pivot your B2B offering strategy.) Embrace the urgency of this moment, commit to the changes, and 2026 could become the year your business leaps ahead of those stuck in yesterday’s mindset. The water is heating up – but by acting now, you’ll jump into a future of growth while others get left boiling.
About the Author
Doug Johnstone is the founder of Digital Pivot Ltd and a B2B go-to-market adviser helping New Zealand and Australian professional services, IT services, and consulting firms pivot their offerings into growth markets. With more than 30 years in pre-sales, marketing, and consulting leadership, Doug blends Design Thinking, Challenger Insight Selling, and AI-driven market research to close the gap between what businesses sell and what modern buyers value.
In 2025 he released the Market Dynamics report on the ANZ IT services sector, appeared on the StrategyCast podcast with Avocet Communications on sparking B2B demand, and delivered a guest lecture at Massey University on B2B growth in the AI era. Doug works hands-on with leadership teams to turn AI from a buzzword into a practical competitive advantage – strengthening product-market fit, accelerating demand generation, and improving visibility in AI search and zero-click discovery.
His call to action to fellow leaders is simple: “AI in the hands of a novice can be dangerous, but in the hands of an expert it makes you formidable.”
How do I pivot our offerings into growth markets?
- Pipeline vs Market Fit: Which Matters More?
- Know when to re-align your entire portfolio strategy?
- What is the underlying cause of the decline in service demand?
- How do I Align Services with Evolving Client Needs?
- What is the Roadmap to Successful Portfolio Diversification?
- How do I measure the success of a Service Offering Pivot?