Dealing with dealers

"If you want our support, buy what we suggest. If you don't buy what we suggest, don't come back."

Should a dealer or value-added reseller (VAR) say something like that? If they do, should you applaud their backbone or run?

The answers to three questions will help you decide. First, look at the product. In the case that inspired the above quote, the product is a fairly complex remote access security device. Every product a dealer carries requires an investment in time and money for employee training and initial stocking orders. The more sophisticated the product, the more training investment.

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"If you want our support, buy what we suggest. If you don't buy what we suggest, don't come back."

Should a dealer or value-added reseller (VAR) say something like that? If they do, should you applaud their backbone or run?

The answers to three questions will help you decide. First, look at the product. In the case that inspired the above quote, the product is a fairly complex remote access security device. Every product a dealer carries requires an investment in time and money for employee training and initial stocking orders. The more sophisticated the product, the more training investment.

Network security products often push the limits of training requirements, forcing dealers to choose carefully. Worse, secure communication products from different vendors sometimes refuse to work together, pushing dealers to offer a single solution.

Second, why did the dealer choose that product? As a customer, you don't know if a sales person pushes Product A because it's the best, or because Product A’s company is running a sales contest. So ask the dealer directly.

The response should include details about how the product outperforms competitors, offers better warranty or support, costs considerably less, has groundbreaking technical advantages or some combination of all these. If the response don't make sense to you, consider finding a new dealer.  

Finally, carefully examine how well the product fits your needs. A good dealer will explain how the product suits your needs today and handles future needs you might not yet realize. A dealer that pushes a product that "almost" fits while ignoring your problems is trouble; find a new dealer.

Stephan Tallent, director of managed security for CSCI, made the above statement while explaining why his company went with Juniper's Remote Access 500 products. Specifically, CSCI built its OfficeScreen product line for managed access for remote offices and mobile users on Juniper’s SSL VPN gear (which Juniper got by buying NetScreen; which NetScreen got by buying Neoteris.)

"Some competitors weren’t ISCA certified, others didn't have hardware support to keep the SSL transaction speeds up, and others didn't restrict access to internal network resources," Tallent says. The International Computer Security Association certification provides a strong endorsement for a product and reassures customers.

Tallent says he only sells Juniper SSL VPN appliances because the customized Linux OS kernel makes them more secure than those built on Microsoft Windows; lower pricing makes them affordable for small customers; and they work well with his company’s remote management tools. Integration of Juniper user management with Microsoft's Active Directory simplifies administration, he adds.

Do some customers ignore Tallent's advice and buy other products online or through warehouse computer stores? Sure. Does CSCI agree to support them when they come back asking for help? "No, we don't,” Tallent says.

Don’t be afraid to discuss the pros and cons of a single product recommendation with your dealer. But one with the confidence to turn away business must really know its business.