Channel Engagement Key To Boosting Biometrics
One thing is certain, biometrics can offer a level of security and ease of use not found with any other technology. But almost 50 percent of solution providers polled feel it is difficult to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) offered by biometrics solutions.
The fault there lies with security vendors not offering clear and concise marketing tools to support the arguments for their products. Only 30 percent of solution providers polled cited complexity as a concern, showing that the technology has matured into an easily deployed solution.
Almost 70 percent of those polled feel that slim margins and a lack of channel support contribute to the dearth of enthusiasm around biometrics technology. Those very same solution providers feel the real promise of biometrics centers on the ease of use for the end user, with less than 35 percent citing increased security as a driving force.
Therein lies the marketing dilemma: When it comes to profiting from biometrics, solution providers and vendors have become their own worst enemies. Success in the biometrics market can be found by combining ongoing security concerns with the ease-of-use proposal. Those elements can clearly be translated into ROI, which then becomes part of the sales process. What's more, solution providers need to concentrate on the services surrounding biometrics to garner additional profits. By focusing on the integration and support of the technology, thin hardware margins become less of a concern.
Companies such as Digital Persona, Identix and ActivCard all have engaged the channel with attractive partner support offerings while still offering a basis for building larger security solutions. (See page 55 for the CRN Test Center review of Digital Persona's biometrics solution.) Other factors in the market are helping to promote the idea of biometrics-based security, such as the fact that many vendors are building fingerprint-recognition technology into notebook computers and desktop keyboards. Those features can open up a world of integration opportunities simply by leveraging technology that is becoming more commonplace.