1. How to do a better vendor evaluation?
- Know both Success and failure stories.
- A strong network among CISOs for sharing failure stories
- A common checklist for vendor evaluation should be made once we are aware of the success and failure stories. Checklist should be shared online
(Update: CISO Platform already started executing this project. Please click here to know more)
- Creating a super set of features and deciding on which is more important and then mapping the vendor would be a good solution.
- It is important to understand the gaps between pre-sales and marketing commitments and the real commitment from the technical team.
- During customer reference ask for both the vendor and the partner experience.
- Doing a weakness check with other competing vendors apart from customer reference can be very helpful in collecting intelligence. However this needs to done with caution since some competition may not always convey the correct weakness of the others.
- CISO Platform Index initiated would prove to be the best source to know customer success/failure stories.
2. What do you expect from vendors in their marketing process?
- Vendor product presentation should not have Hidden Costs. Sales persons should be transparent and upfront with all costs.
- A Technical person who knows about the working of the product should accompany the sales guy, so he can address the technical queries of CISOs
- Vendors should take ownership of the implementation and customer success.
- Vendors should highlight both the advantages and drawbacks of their products
- Vendors should let their customers speak
- Vendors should align their marketing specific to domain/industry and not generic
- Should demonstrate their products in action instead of Static Presentations. They should create labs and demonstrate the product in real action.
- Vendors should accompany both during the price of product and engagement through life-cycle of the product
- What value are they adding to a CISO's journey to success, are they willing to walk along the CISO?
- Vendors should focus on good support infrastructure (after sales service as well as relationship management) for product success.
What are the other things you think is needed for a Vendor Evaluation. Tell us what you think in the comments below.
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