What's The Score?

By Stefanie Hoffman

Once again, Trend Micro Inc. took 2008 VARBusiness Annual Report Card survey honors in the category of Network Security Software, earning an overall score of 74.

"The whole company is extremely ecstatic," said Jean Lozano, director of North American channel marketing for Trend Micro, Cupertino, Calif. "This is really an honor. The recognition is based on the premise and innovation and support of our partnership."

Altogether, the Tokyo-based security company scored a total of 78 in the subcategory of product innovation, carried by a high score of 88 in product quality and an 80 in product compatibility and ease of integration.

Trend Micro channel execs attribute the ARC success to a variety of products, in particular its Worry Free line.

"The Worry Free line is easy to understand, not just for our channel partners but for our customers," said Lozano. "We made it very simple for them to access and sell and provide value proposition to our end customers."

Trend Micro partners agreed that Worry Free was the product line that likely carried the day for Trend Micro in numerous product categories, with its simplicity, ease of integration and compatibility with numerous platforms.

"It takes a lot of the confusion for the consumer away," said Rob Wagy, senior account executive for Rain Networks. "They've done some retooling and made it a much better product."

Lozano maintained that the ARC win was also due to its strong channel relations; however, despite some channel successes, two of the company's lowest scores came within the area of partnership—partners ranked the company with a 64 in the subcategory of partner portal and a 68 in solution provider program. Still, Trend Micro placed first in those subcategories.

Specifically, Wagy maintained that the portal navigation was a feature that could use improvement. "There's times when it's been good, there were times it felt convoluted," he said.

To address those problems, Lozano said that the company was implementing automation tools to help partners access information, along with beefed-up phone support that includes a click-to-chat feature.

"They're able to pick up the phone and speak with someone," said Lozano. "At the end of the day, we all want to speak with a live person."

Meanwhile, nearest ARC competitor Websense also fared well with a total score of 78 in product innovation, driven by a high score of 86 in the subcategory of product quality and innovation.

Security is definitely something that people are not skimping on right now, said Erin Malone, senior director of channel enablement for Websense. "That's a good thing. What matters more is that the bad guys are ahead of the good guys. This is a great opportunity to create demand for Websense."

Websense channel execs hailed the company's strong line of products in its core competency of Web protection and data leakage prevention. Another reason for the company's ARC success was due to two Websense acquisitions—Surf Control and Port Authority—which enabled partners to broaden their portfolio of Web-based offerings, Malone said.

Websense's scores fell short, however, in some subcategories of support and partnership. The company received a 58 in marketing support and a 59 in partner portal. To address weaker areas, Malone said that the company was embarking on a series of rollouts for its lead distribution program and deal registration, as well as adopting a more user-friendly system.

Meanwhile, the company also has added on field marketing managers and revamped marketing programs, while creating preferred vendor and rewards programs.

"We anticipate that our scores will be higher next year," said Malone. "Our feedback so far has been very positive."

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