With renewal rates averaging between 96 and 98 percent each quarter, it’s easy to see why the Meraki line is so beloved by distribution partners. After purchasing Meraki in 2012, Cisco wanted to put its own resources and support behind the Meraki mission statement, “simplifying powerful technology to free passionate people to focus on their mission.” Over the past decade, both customers and partners have grown fond of Meraki products and the capabilities that come with them. The ability to deploy an entire network from one location and the ability to scale as new products are added have made Meraki products popular among many industries, especially retail, education, and hospitality. Effectively securing Meraki is the next step as partners work to increase profitability.
All Meraki products come with security features, such as content filtering and anti-malware, but no single product can solve all security needs by itself. Unfortunately, not all customers understand this, and complacency becomes a major hurdle. Many expect full protection simply by implementing Meraki, however, to get make the most of the solution “you need to be behind 100 percent,” explained Brent Gardner, Senior Solutions Architect for TD SYNNEX.
This situation creates an opportunity for partners to re-visit and re-engage with current Meraki customers to share a more in-depth approach to security. Gardner emphasized that re-engaging with these customers can help partners provide better security, establish a better relationship, and become more trusted advisors. Customers can strengthen their network’s security by adding Umbrella and DUO, including increased visibility and MFA (multi-factor authentication) access. These products are easy for customers to integrate and don’t affect the speed or efficiency of current Meraki products. In addition, until January 23, 2023, new or existing SMB customers who purchase Meraki or Webex SaaS can get 5 percent off DUO and Umbrella.
For partners, the numbers speak for themselves; securing Meraki means securing the bank. Trevor Darr, Duo Security Distribution Account Manager, Cisco, shared that when distributors tack Umbrella onto a Meraki deal, the deal grows 24 percent, with an average deal size of $67,000. When adding DUO, the deal grows by 82 percent, with an average deal size of $97,000. Partners discover more profitability, while customers can meet their security needs.
As with any partnership, distribution partners are not alone in their endeavors. “Our goal is really to be an extension of your team,” remarked Jackson Grise, TD SYNNEX Product Business Manager, Cisco Meraki. Those who are not yet involved with DUO or Umbrella, have an abundance of support and resources to help them begin their journey. Teams at both TD SYNNEX and Cisco are available for demos, pieces of training, and even assisting customers on behalf of partners. “We’re really here to help scale people up if they want to move into a different product set or a different architecture completely,” Gardner said.
To learn more about the benefits of both DUO and Umbrella and how to get started, please reach out to James McGregor, TD SYNNEX Product Business Manager for Cisco Security, at james.mcgregor@tdsynnex.com or Jackson Grise, TD SYNNEX Product Business Manager for Cisco Meraki, at jackson.grise@tdsynnex.com.
