Clearswift guns for new custom with price pledge

Security vendor vows to beat the price of eight rivals by 20 per cent in bid to win renewal business

Miles Rippon: This could fundamentally change the way we acquire new customers

Email and web security vendor Clearswift has launched a land-grab for new business by pledging to beat eight of its rivals’ renewal prices by a fifth.

Launching to resellers this week, the promotion is designed to resonate with end users whose budgets have been cut.

Miles Rippon, vice president of worldwide channels at Clearswift, said a 20 per cent saving would be guaranteed on renewals involving IronPort, McAfee, Websense, Blue Coat, Trend Micro, M86, Proofpoint and Symantec.

The programme will also ensure the margins resellers normally enjoy through Clearswift’s partner programme are retained, said Rippon.

“As an aggressor, we can afford to take this position and it is something our channel has been asking for,” he said. “Great technology, in this climate, just is not enough to open doors.”

Rippon slammed the recent spate of price rises from rival vendors.

“Many organisations are braced for budget cuts which puts immense pressure on partner margins,” he said. “Some vendors have reacted by putting up prices, which is not helping.”

The promotion will run for at least two months, with deals registered by resellers under it valid for 250 days.

Rippon added: “But if it is successful, as we expect it to be, it could fundamentally change the way we acquire new customers.”

James McKee, security manager at Clearswift partner Qual, said: “This is very aggressive. Clearswift is clearly going after market share. It is a difficult market out there and people are looking to save money and this will be another tine to Clearswift’s fork.”