I was at a client site the other day… Wait a minute. I just realized how often I open posts with that line now. I feel like Snoopy: It was a dark and stormy night!
Anyway, I was visiting a client the other day (yea, that’s better 
), and I was accompanied by my sales guy and a sales guy from a vendor with which Accuvant partners. My sales guy had invited the partner on the call, and then let me know a couple of days ahead of time that this was going on and that I needed to be there because the vendor’s sales guy was not going to have an SE available from his company. I am fairly familiar with this particular partners products. I have used them a lot in the past. But during the meeting, the conversation turned specifically to a particular product line, and it just so happens that I am not as familiar with this product.
So long story short, I basically had to admit in the meeting that I did not know the product line very well and I would have to do some research. Now the customer had no issue with that at all, but I could tell that the partner was none to happy.
Now generally, I could not care less about what partners think of me. I have been in trouble before with vendors, and I will be in trouble again I am sure. But in this particular incident, I felt like I had not done enough prep before hand and had done a disservice to the partner.
Anyway, the meeting went forward and turned to more security-centric talk, such as where they should place IPS, etc. The sales guys got bored for a while because we got to whiteboarding a bit, but it turned out real well, and the customer ended up giving me some kudos because I pointed out some issues he had not considered. And several times during the technical talk I pointed out products that the vendor had that could help with certain problems. So me and my sales guy left feeling like the meeting went well, and I am pretty sure the customer felt the same. But I still am not sure what the vendor’s sales guy thought.
As a pre-sales engineer, I am expected to know product as well as have in depth security knowledge. Now I know which one I am better at (three guesses), but I realize the reality of these types of situations. But as a VAR pre-sales engineer, I am expected to know a BUNCH or products. It can be a little crazy at times.
So really this is just some thoughts on my blog about this. I don’t know that I have a specific point. But for some reason it just struck me to write about this.
Vet
