Don't Let AV Scans Interrupt Your Customer's Business

Unseating an incumbent VAR is no easy task. But, network security VAR Smart Quote, a five-person, Boston-based company, did just that in a recent antivirus (AV) and antispyware software win with a Georgia-based energy co-op.

The energy co-op was fed up with its AV solution. Twice a day, the software scanned the network, causing the co-op’s 100 desktop users’ applications to grind to a halt. “Also, the AV software didn’t recognize all of the machines, causing some machines to be skipped when software patches/updates became available,” recalls Peter Streips, president of Smart Quote. To ensure all machines were updated, members of the IT staff had to visit each machine to confirm the latest software version was installed.

The energy co-op researched other AV solutions and came across the ESET NOD 32 application as one of its top choices. After contacting the vendor, ESET turned the opportunity over to Smart Quote. “Because of the remote management capabilities of the software, we were able to engage the customer over the phone,” recalls Streips. “We worked with the director of IT, the VP, and the CEO, who were all dissatisfied with their current AV solution.”

One thing that helped the VAR win the deal was working with ESET and the customer to implement a buy-back incentive, which brought the price down if the customer turned over its existing software before the licensing ran out. Another service that helped clinch the deal was a 30-day trial program.

Within three months of engaging the customer, Smart Quote won the deal and was able to handle the entire implementation remotely in one day. “By using a special tool provided by ESET, we were able to uninstall the existing software and reinstall the NOD 32 software on 100 desktops and 85 Microsoft Exchange accounts in one day,” says Streips. The customer experienced an immediate improvement — the software recognized each desktop and Exchange server account, which meant all future patches and upgrades would occur automatically. Also, network scans didn’t compromise the customer’s bandwidth, which enabled the energy co-op to remain productive throughout the entire workday.