The cybersecurity vendor landscape is complex, even for seasoned distributors in the channel. We know from our experience working with managed service providers, resellers, cloud distributors, and referral partners how challenging choosing the right cybersecurity vendor can get.
That’s why we’ve picked the brain of our channel sales experts and compiled a list of 8 key aspects to consider when choosing a cybersecurity vendor to partner with — from a channel partner’s point of view.
In an industry where it usually takes months for you to start generating revenue, look for cybersecurity partners that can streamline the onboarding process for both you and your clients. Some of the modern cybersecurity vendors manage to finalize the onboarding process in weeks from the moment you contact them.
Depending on what type of customers your business supports, avoiding legacy providers might be the way to go. Large organizations, including telcos, have long-established, complicated partnership processes and solutions. Alternately, newer, cloud-based market players are far more responsive and flexible in many respects.
For most organizations, all-encompassing, resource-heavy cybersecurity solutions are out of their reach. It takes expertise, resources, and time to implement and upkeep such systems. On the other hand, niche solutions improve security, answer the ad-hoc needs perfectly, and have low adoption barriers due to low complexity. Most businesses don’t have to cover every vertical to get effective security, and niche solutions might be the perfect fit for them.
Cloudbox has been a NordLayer partner for well over a year, managing multiple accounts and dozens of end-users through the business product. The onboarding process took no time at all and it only takes a few minutes to set up a new customer. We are able to scale the amount of licenses our clients need according to their requirements, whether they’re long-term or ad-hoc. We are free to bundle NordLayer into our specialist Cloubox solutions, choosing the most appropriate product for our client’s need. Cloudbox UK CEO, Nick Goodenough
Sure, legacy, hardware-based solutions work and might be necessary for some companies, but in most cases, hardware-free is the way to go, even more so from a channel partner’s point of view. Cloud-native cybersecurity solutions are easier to sell, implement, and customize according to each client’s needs.
Predictable costing means predictable revenue. When assessing a potential cybersecurity partner, make sure they thoroughly explain their costing strategy and involve every possible scenario. How much can you make per client and user? What additional expenses might occur? How expensive is the onboarding process? Do your future clients have to invest in hardware? Can you reduce cost when scaling? Getting definite answers to these questions will help decide whether the partnership can generate business value or you should look the other way.
An easily scalable solution can save you valuable time and generate additional income in the future, primarily if your client base consists of startups and companies experiencing growth. Look for vendors that don’t require a long-term commitment and can protect new users as your customers grow in size.
Trust means everything in cybersecurity. For your customers to trust the services you are selling, they need to trust the service provider, too. Avoid partners that don’t disclose their company structure or company size. Also, prioritize cybersecurity partners that are GDPR-compliant and hold international information security certificates (think ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, among others).
Can the product be easily integrated into an existing tech stack ? Security solutions compatible with other solutions (cybersecurity or not) and existing hardware are in-demand because an organization doesn’t have to recalibrate its IT systems to integrate a new addition.
With NordLayer, you can benefit from our flexible pricing, lightning-fast onboarding, and simplified scaling opportunities while providing your customers with adaptable network security.
Whether you are a managed service provider, reseller, cloud distributor, or referral partner, we make sure you are onboarded and generating revenue within a few weeks.
Find out more about our channel partner program .
Joanna Krysińska
Senior Copywriter
A writer, tech enthusiast, dog walker, and amateur pastry chef, Joanna grew up in a family of engineers and mathematicians, so a techy mind is in her genes. She loves making complex tech topics less complex and digestible. She also has a keen interest in the mechanics of cybercrime.
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