Channel Satisfaction Survey 2014: Quick Heal is the winner in anti-virus segment

Like last year, the anti-virus segment was again extremely competitive in 2014. Perhaps this competitiveness got enhanced, thanks to the channel switching allegiance (complete 360 degree) in one year. So while Quick Heal who was #4 in 2013, topped the charts in 2014, Trend Micro slipped the other way around. Even Kaspersky and Norton swapped positions at #2 and #3.

The anti virus-channel structure seems to have changed drastically a couple of years back with old favorites like Microsoft, McAfee and Check Point being ousted by upstarts like Kaspersky, Quick Heal and Escan.

What turned the tide for Quick Heal was its high scores on most parameters under relationship management as well as after sales support and commercial support. Partners are particularly endorsing Quick Heal's reward systems, its presence of service centers in different localities/cities/regions as well as its ability to provide satisfactory repair and replacement services.

Even on the marketing support front, Quick Heal seems to have closed the gap on traditional leaders like Norton and Trend Micro. Further, the proposition of value-for-money seems to have tilted the scales in favor of Quick Heal; therefore, notwithstanding its payment issues with a section of the channel community, Quick Heal has enjoyed the majority's mindshare.

Channel partners stated that although Kaspersky still does not have the largest market share in India, the company has maintained a steady relationship with its partners and the very quality of the product has been good enough in securing a healthy initial lead. Its innovative marketing programs, schemes for channel partners coupled with back-end incentives and training and certification programs have paid off for Kaspersky.

Norton scored well in the diversity of products, user-friendliness and overall reliability. However, it is over profit margins that the company suffered the heaviest blow with both Quick Heal and Kaspersky getting an excellent review. It is also to be mentioned that Symantec's Campaign Creator's easy to use templates enabled its partners to create customised and co-branded emails and flyers which was further boosted with the Symantec Connect programme which offers a wide scope for networking among the channel community.

Norton, however, impressed its partners with a proactive service approach having the highest score in the turn-around time and satisfactory replacement or repair or reinstallation as required. However, it seems to have lost its strong foothold over marketing support as Kaspersky scored pretty well in this segment with Quick Heal gradually closing in on Norton.

Even then, Norton continues to hold on to its lead in online support where its support tools helps the partners in maximising their revenues by differentiating their business. It also offers go-to-market plans, sales tools and literature which are drawn and collated from former sales activities.