Antivirus vendor panders to distributors

Panda Software is on the lookout for distributors to boost sales and help it realise its ambition to take 10 per cent of the antivirus market by 2002.

Panda Software is on the lookout for distributors to boost sales and help it realise its ambition to take 10 per cent of the antivirus market by 2002.

The Spanish antivirus vendor, which arrived in the UK last summer, is also seeking retail partners to push its single-user product, Antivirus Platinum. Panda has appointed Jillian Rhodes, who has worked at both Symantec and Network Associates, to spearhead its channel offensive.

Jeremy Bates, UK managing director at Panda Software, said the vendor was in talks with "a handful" of broadliners to push its flagship product, Global Virus Insurance, to the corporate market, and was seeking to appoint at least two distributors.

"Originally we were not sure of the value of distribution, but it has become very clear that distribution is changing," he said.

Bates said distributors offering the capacity to perform electronic software distribution, or a specialist licensing desk, would be high on the list of preferred wholesalers.

He admitted that the last few months "hadn't been brilliant" for Panda, attributing this mainly to year 2000 slowdown, but claimed there had been a good response from distributors he had talked to so far.

"No competitor provides the service or the ease of installation we do, and we don't compete with the channel in any way," Bates said. He was still confident of taking at least 10 per cent of the market within two years.

Daniel Firsht, senior account manager at Panda reseller Premier Computing, said he was not aware that Panda was looking to appoint distributors, but said: "We've been delighted so far with the support they have given us - they have delivered on the button."

Aled Miles, UK and Ireland regional director at Symantec, said Panda was on the "periphery of Symantec's radar".

"Any new entrant into the market is someone to keep an eye on, but if you want to get onto the pitch, 24-hour support and automatic updates are things you need to be doing in the dressing room," he said.