Antivirus Software: Symantec

Solution providers proclaimed Symantec champion of the anti-virus space on the strength of its technology.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based security vendor lead the antivirus category in the Channel Champions Survey with an overall rating of 77.6, pulling just ahead of Trend Micro (76.8) and distancing itself from McAfee (70.8) and Computer Associates International (70.4).

Symantec was particularly strong in technical satisfaction for its line of antivirus solutions. The vendor earned the highest ratings on four of five technical criteria. Symantec’s greatest strength was in product reliability, where it beat runner-up Trend Micro by 3.5 points and the other two rivals by as much as 16.2 points. On the criterion of management features, it bested the runner-up by 3.1 points.

When customers install Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition, “ninety-nine percent of their issues go away,” said Daniel Schubert, president of PC Power Authority, a Symantec partner in Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

On channel-program satisfaction criteria, Symantec also came out on top, but by a much narrower margin, beating Trend Micro by only two-tenths of a point. Its best showing here was in responsiveness to solution provider feedback on channel programs, where it scored two points ahead of Trend Micro.

“At every meeting with customers, we ask three questions: What should we start doing, what should we stop doing and what should we continue doing?” said Randy Cochran, vice president of channel sales for the Americas at Symantec. “Our partners are not shy, and they’ll usually tell us what they want. We take what they say in balance and make adjustments when necessary.”

Gary Cannon, president of Advanced Internet Security, Colorado Springs, Colo., and a member of Symantec’s Partner Advisory Council, said Symantec does a tremendous job listening to partners. “We have a lot of forums and opportunities to provide feedback, and they have been extremely responsive,” he said. “They are constantly implementing changes to their programs, sometimes based on partner feedback. Certainly they listen to our thoughts and ideas.”

Symantec also topped the field in the areas of customer ROI, sales margins, consistency of channel programs, technical education and upselling opportunities.

The company’s broadening product line may have helped here. Cannon said Symantec’s “Information Integrity” vision has helped Advanced Internet Security gain new accounts and entrench itself deeper into existing accounts.