About the Interview
Supply chain disruptions have become the new normal for tech companies worldwide. From unpredictable tariff hikes to component shortages, these challenges are no longer occasional headaches – but persistent obstacles threatening product deliveries, straining customer relationships and squeezing margins. Business leaders across industries are scrambling to adapt as yesterday’s reliable procurement strategies crumble in today’s uncertain trade environment.
In this interview, Skykit CEO and co-founder Irfan Khan shares his perspective on managing some of these complex dynamics and leading through uncertainty.
As the leader of a digital signage company serving a global list of customers with 60,000+ endpoints, Irfan offers practical insights on maintaining both product quality and customer trust – while adapting to a turbulent trade environment.
Whether you’re a fellow tech leader facing similar challenges, a current Skykit customer curious about our approach, or evaluating digital signage solutions for your organization, Irfan’s experience offers valuable lessons in supply chain resilience and strategic leadership.
Skykit Background + Leadership Approach
I co-founded Skykit in 2016 as a digital signage solution provider, and we’ve grown into a trusted enterprise communications platform serving customers globally. From day one, our approach has been to create a comprehensive solution that pairs powerful software with reliable hardware.
International relationships became essential as we expanded our own media player offerings – as well as some of our other hardware partnerships. Today, we work with several ODMs (Original Design Manufacturers) including Sony, where Skykit participates in their Professional AV Alliance Partner network. These relationships ensure our customers have access to high-quality, certified hardware that complements our cloud-based software.
Q: What initially drove your decision to work with overseas technology partners rather than domestic suppliers?
It came down to expertise and economics. Many of the leading hardware manufacturers with the specialized knowledge we needed were based overseas. These partnerships also allowed us to offer competitive pricing while maintaining the enterprise-grade quality our customers expect.
We’ve been selective though, focusing on partners that share our commitment to quality, security, and reliability. This approach has enabled us to create a comprehensive ecosystem with products like our P7, and E400 media players, which have even been certified for use on networks including Verizon.
Q: How would you describe your leadership philosophy when facing market uncertainties like the current tariff situation?
I believe in agility, transparency, and long-term thinking. At Skykit, we’ve built a culture that embraces change rather than fearing it. Market uncertainties are inevitable in tech, whether they’re related to tariffs, supply disruptions, or technological shifts.
I’m a big believer in tackling challenges head-on with a customer-first mindset. This means open communication with our team, partners, and especially our customers. When facing uncertainty, we develop multiple pathways to success rather than betting everything on a single approach.
It’s also important to remember that short-term challenges shouldn’t derail your vision. While we adapt to immediate pressures, we keep our focus on strategic objectives – continuing to innovate in areas like real-time dashboards, device management, and creating scalable communication solutions.
Current Challenges + Strategic Response
Like many tech companies with global supply chains, we’re dealing with increased costs and pricing uncertainties due to shifting tariff structures. For our Skykit media players and components, we’ve seen fluctuations that affect manufacturing costs and ultimately influence our pricing.
We’re also experiencing longer lead times as manufacturers adjust their production and shipping strategies. This requires more advanced planning and closer coordination with our international partners.
Q: How are you balancing short-term cost pressures with long-term strategic partnerships?
We view our supplier relationships as true partnerships, not just transactional arrangements. This perspective guides how we balance immediate cost pressures with long-term strategic value.
For example, we’re working closely with our ODM partners to identify alternative component sourcing where possible, while maintaining quality standards. We’re also finding efficiencies in our supply chain and logistics to offset some cost increases without compromising product integrity.
Rather than simply pushing cost pressures onto partners, we engage in collaborative problem-solving. This might include consolidating shipments, or adjusting production schedules. These approaches strengthen our relationships while addressing immediate challenges.
Q: Have you needed to restructure any supplier relationships due to tariff changes, and if so, how did you approach those conversations?
We’ve had to evolve some relationships, though I wouldn’t call it complete restructuring. Our approach is based on transparent communication and mutual problem-solving.
When starting these conversations, we acknowledge the shared challenge and our commitment to the partnership. Then we explore multiple options together, from component substitutions to adjusted shipping strategies or manufacturing locations.
The key is a collaborative mindset rather than an adversarial one. Our partners understand the market realities as well as we do, and they’re typically eager to find solutions that work for both sides.
Risk Management + Contingency Planning
We’ve put several measures in place. First, we’ve diversified our supplier base where possible, developing relationships with manufacturers in different regions to reduce exposure to country-specific trade policies.
Second, we’ve adjusted our inventory strategy to maintain higher safety stock levels for critical components and finished goods, particularly for popular models like our P7 and E400 media players.
We’ve also invested in better demand forecasting, allowing us to anticipate customer needs and adjust our supply chain accordingly. This helps minimize the impact of longer lead times or temporary disruptions.
Q: How do you evaluate which components or products might need alternative sourcing options?
We look at several factors. We start by assessing supply risk – the likelihood of disruption due to tariffs, regional instabilities, or single-source dependencies. We also consider how important each component is to our product functionality.
For components with both high supply risk and high strategic importance, we prioritize finding alternatives. This might mean identifying new suppliers, or working with existing partners to relocate production.
Q: What risk assessment frameworks do you use when evaluating potential changes to your supply chain?
We use a multi-faceted approach. First, we examine supplier reliability and quality consistency – any change must maintain our standards. We also assess geographic risk, looking at political stability, and even natural disaster vulnerability.
Cost impact analysis is critical too. We model different scenarios to understand financial implications, not just immediate costs but also longer-term considerations like logistics expenses and inventory carrying costs.
Finally, we evaluate timeline risk – how quickly a change can be implemented and what disruptions might occur during transition. This comprehensive approach helps us make balanced decisions.
Customer Impact + Communication
Q: What communication strategies have you found effective when explaining supply chain adjustments to customers?
Proactive transparency has been our most effective strategy. We believe in getting ahead of potential issues rather than waiting for customers to discover them.
For our enterprise customers, we provide regular updates on the supply chain landscape and how it might affect their specific implementation timelines or costs. This includes direct communication through our customer success team and more general updates through our regular channels.
We’ve found that customers prefer honest assessments over optimistic ones that might not materialize. When communicating potential price adjustments or lead time changes, we provide context about the broader market forces and outline the steps we’re taking to minimize disruption.
Q: How are you proactively addressing customer concerns about product availability or pricing changes?
For existing customers, our success team provides regular updates on product availability and potential pricing adjustments, giving customers time to plan.
For prospects in the sales pipeline, we’re upfront about current market conditions and how they might impact implementation or costs. This honest approach builds trust and sets realistic expectations from the start.
We’ve also enhanced our product documentation and training resources to help customers maximize the value of their current deployments, ensuring they get the most from their investment regardless of market fluctuations.
Q: How do you help customers understand the value of your products despite potential price adjustments?
We focus on communicating the total value of ownership rather than just the initial purchase price. This includes highlighting operational efficiencies our solutions create, the improved communication capabilities, and the quantifiable benefits they deliver.
For example, we share case studies like Burris Logistics, who improved employee engagement and operational efficiency across 14 locations with our digital signage. Or Clayton County Water Authority, who transformed communication with their 400+ employees across multiple locations.
We also emphasize our differentiators like real-time Dashboard Connections, or Advanced Device Management—features that deliver long-term value beyond the initial hardware cost. Our ability to provide comprehensive solutions creates efficiencies that often outweigh moderate price adjustments.
Industry Perspective + Future Outlook
Q: What patterns are you observing across the tech industry regarding supply chain adaptations?
I’m seeing several notable trends. First, there’s a clear movement toward supply chain diversification, with companies developing manufacturing relationships across multiple regions to reduce country-specific risks.
Second, many tech companies are investing in robust inventory and demand planning capabilities, using AI and advanced analytics to better predict and manage fluctuations.
Third, there’s increased focus on product design flexibility, with companies developing products that can accept alternative components without major redesigns when supply challenges emerge.
Finally, I’m seeing more strategic supplier relationships, with deeper integration and information sharing between tech companies and their manufacturing partners. This collaborative approach enhances responsiveness to market changes.
Q: How are you thinking about diversification of manufacturing locations?
Diversification is definitely part of our strategy, but we’re approaching it thoughtfully rather than reactively. We’re exploring options in multiple regions, but quality and reliability remain our primary considerations.
We’re also looking at hybrid approaches, where different components might be sourced from different regions based on expertise, cost, and risk factors. This modular approach gives us flexibility without completely restructuring our supply chain.
That said, geographic diversification alone isn’t sufficient. We’re equally focused on building redundancy in capabilities, ensuring that multiple partners can produce similar components to our specifications if needed.
I’ve been reading about several technologies that show promise. Simulation tools are helping companies model supply chain scenarios more effectively. Blockchain is improving supply chain transparency and traceability, making it easier to identify bottlenecks.
3D printing is evolving rapidly, potentially allowing for more localized production of certain components when traditional supply chains are disrupted. While not applicable to all electronics components, its capabilities expand every year.
AI-powered demand forecasting and inventory optimization are perhaps the most immediately impactful, helping companies anticipate needs and adjust procurement strategies accordingly.
Q: How might these trade tensions reshape the tech hardware landscape over the next 3-5 years?
I believe we’ll see several significant shifts. First, regional manufacturing hubs will likely strengthen as companies seek to produce closer to their end markets, potentially reducing some global interdependencies.
Product design may evolve toward more modularity and component standardization, allowing manufacturers to adapt more quickly to supply disruptions. This could accelerate innovation in some areas while potentially constraining it in others.
We’ll likely see increased emphasis on software-defined functionality, where hardware becomes more standardized while software provides differentiation. This reduces dependency on specialized hardware components that might face supply constraints.
Finally, I anticipate more vertical integration among larger tech companies that may bring critical component manufacturing in-house.
Advice for Other Business Leaders
First, develop a comprehensive understanding of your supply chain beyond just your direct suppliers. Knowing where components originate and the alternatives available gives you a clearer picture of your exposure.
Second, invest in scenario planning rather than single-point forecasts. Model different possibilities and develop response plans for each, so you’re not caught off-guard when changes occur.
Third, be transparent with all stakeholders. This means your team, partners, and especially customers. Clear communication about challenges and your plans to address them builds trust during uncertain times.
Finally, use this as an opportunity to evaluate your overall business model’s resilience. Companies that weather these challenges will often emerge stronger by identifying and addressing structural weaknesses.
Q: What has been your most valuable lesson learned during this period of supply chain uncertainty?
The most valuable lesson has been the importance of relationship depth over transactional efficiency. When supply chains are stressed, the strength of your partnerships becomes your greatest asset.
We’ve found that the suppliers and customers with whom we’ve built genuine relationships – where we understand each other’s businesses and challenges – are the ones with whom we’ve been able to develop creative solutions during difficult periods.
I’ve also learned that transparency, even when the news isn’t positive, is always the right approach. Customers can handle challenges if they’re given time to prepare and adapt. It’s surprises that damage relationships.
Q: How can tech leaders prepare their organizations to be more resilient against future trade policy shifts?
First, build flexibility into your business model. Flexible product architectures, adaptable manufacturing processes, and agile organizational structures that can pivot quickly.
Second, develop information advantages through better market intelligence and scenario planning. The companies that see shifts coming earliest have the most time to adapt.
Third, invest in your people’s problem-solving and innovation capabilities. Technical challenges often have technical solutions, but finding them requires teams empowered to think creatively.
Finally, maintain financial flexibility. Companies with strong balance sheets and access to capital can weather storms that might sink over-leveraged competitors, and they can take advantage of opportunities that emerge during disruption.
At Skykit, we’re applying these principles as we continue to evolve our digital signage solutions, ensuring we can deliver value to our customers regardless of the global trade environment.
