Soft Solutions secures unique Webroot reseller deal

Webroot usually deals directly with resellers, but has made exception in NZ

By Amanda Sachtleben, Auckland | Wednesday, 02 July 2008
Soft Solutions has become the only master reseller internationally for security software-as-a-service company Webroot.

Australian-based Webroot national enterprise sales manager Crispin Kerr says it traditionally signs individual agreements with resellers, but has broken the mould with the Soft Solutions deal.

“Our go-to-market model is to deal directly with resellers, but we are very aware of Soft Solutions’ capabilities, with strong relationships in New Zealand. We felt Soft Solutions would give us that reach more quickly than we could get with someone on the ground there.”

Kerr says it could hire a local representative in the long-term, though that person would support Soft Solutions rather than be the first point of contact in New Zealand.

Soft Solutions will distribute the entire Webroot Email Security services range, including the standard bundle of content control, spam and anti-virus, along with an advanced bundle with a business continuity module added. Webroot also offers email archiving.

Soft Solutions business development manager Paul Leslie says Webroot offers a different option for resellers than the Trend Micro hosted services it also distributes.

“Webroot is about content control, Trend Micro is more about protection from malware. Trend Micro is end to end whereas Webroot is a specific point in the network. Some prefer a single vendor end to end, while others have a philosophy they should mix up the vendors.”

Leslie says he and other Soft Solutions staff have previous working relationships with Webroot staff from when they worked at other companies, including Surf Control.

Last November Webroot merged with UK-headquartered security software-as-a-service company Email Systems, which already had a Sydney office. It has recently opened premises in Melbourne.