The Manufacturer Cage Match – or is there any "best" product?
on April 24th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Let’s talk about manufacturer’s for a bit. This may seem a bit jaded, but manufacturers are often viewed the same way as politicians. They make promises that their technology can do such-and-such, but in the end, they really don’t do much different that the next technology that is trying to do the same thing. It would be different if that manufacturer’s technology was the only one that could do what they do, and those pop up every now and again. But in reality, when you look at these companies, you really find that there are at least three or four other companies that do the same thing.
Not to pick on Alan, but let’s talk about NAC. There are so many companies jumping on the NAC bandwagon, it is almost impossible to tell which one fits your environment the best. And since so many of these companies are doing the same thing the same way, the differentiation is often not worth the time to find. Those vendors are going to do everything they can to make you see what makes them different and better than the other guy, but it really comes down to your environment.
When you look at it from the perspective of your environment, there is no “best” NAC vendor, or firewall vendor, or IPS vendor, or whatever. Yes, you can grade them. You can come up with an IPS that has fewer false positives and has gigabit capability. But if that IPS doesn’t fit in your network for some reason, then it is not the best. Maybe another IPS with lower scores in the trade rag fits your network because of some quirk in your environment. That makes it better than the other IPS, plain and simple, because the IPS with the higher grade did not possess some feature that your environment called for.
And I mean no offense to my other manufacturer friends out there, but all of this often makes me wonder just how honest vendors really are. Do they really think their technology is the best? Do they think they fit in any environment? It seems like it because they try to sell it to everyone. Don’t get me wrong. I understand trying to make money. But how can they push their product where it really doesn’t belong just to make a buck? It can’t possibly be the best fit for everyone. Cisco tries, and they often succeed at getting everywhere, but that doesn’t mean they actually fit in all cases (probably not in most).
From a personal perspective, I have experience interviewing for jobs with vendors. In one interview, one of the questions they asked me was what would I do if I went to a customer where I thought we weren’t the right fit. I told them point blank that I would tell the customer that we didn’t fit. I thought their jaws were going to hit the floor. I knew when I said it that it was not the “right” answer, but it was the honest answer. And no, I didn’t get the job. Whether it was because of that answer or not, I really don’t know.
Anyway, I don’t think EVERY manufacturer is made up of a bunch of crooks, but I often see them sell their product where it doesn’t fit and then move on to the next sell without looking back. This is why so many people have the jaded view that I have. Of course, being a realist, is there any success in being totally honest in selling situations where you don’t fit? Are they simply going with the model that works? I guess that may be the case. But I think it would just make me feel dirty.
Vet
Yeah, I admit, midnight being a limit is pretty sad, but I think it’s only due to two factors in my life. A job I don’t necessarily like and not working out lately at all (lately being the last few years!).
I’m working on both those issues!
Hmm, where should I start, Michael?
Fundamentally, you have to be asking the question of “why does the customer need this?” vs. “what features are important”. The sales guy needs to determine this up front.
Product development for any manufacturer usually starts with some customer needs assessment. So you are taking needs from a select group of customers to figure out the best way to develop a product (features, architecture, etc). So when you bring the product to market, you will find that the product will not work in everyone’s environment. However, you have some great case studies on those first customers you designed it around!
The upside is that you’ll find more needs as you move through the sales cycles, the downside is that you’ll find more needs as you move through the sales cycles. You need new deals to fund the continued development of the product. (Or find a VC with throwaway money)
As for whether a product fits, it is sometimes (er, many times?) a case of pointing out other problems the customer has that need to be addressed first. For example, when I was selling NAC, I had a customer that had all of their printers on the same network sensitive data was flowing through – an easy way to spoof the printer’s MAC/IP. That’s just poor network design from a security perspective. As it stood, we wouldn’t be a fit, but if they fixed this fundamental problem, it would be a fit. So walking away wouldn’t be the right thing to do.
On selling, well, you have to drink the Kool-Aid when you sell a product. you need to know the strengths AND weaknesses. You can’t sell what you don’t believe in (same case with a reseller). Sometimes you just don’t know if you’ve joined the right company until you’ve been through a couple of sales cycles (another discussion).
No offense, but Accuvant is a reseller. As a reseller, you are pressured to make margin off products – regardless of which ones. Now, to keep your “vendor neutrality” you need to have many competing product on your line card. This can do two things: it can make you less of an expert on all products and make you less of a trusted partner to the vendor. To offset any loss in margin, you tack services onto the product – how is this really serving the customer if ones’ product expertise is not at the highest level? So what is better for the customer? This is why many customers just take the freebie Cisco deal (free IDS with every new switch!, etc.). It’s just easier. I understand that Accuvant both resells and does consulting (that’s a whole ‘nother discussion) and I also understand that the products you guys sell are carefully selected and limited in your line card, which is certainly better for the customer in terms of buying from an expert. But most resellers go where the money is. It is business, after all.