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Peer Perspective. IT Leadership. Business Results

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KNOWLEDGE CENTER

iSecure Networks Inc. | Securing the Road to Success

By Jenalyn Rubio
Computerworld Philippines
November 1, 2008

“What you commit to the client, you do; if you’re not sure, don’t commit,” this is the philosophy that Christopher Sy has always impressed upon his team. Sy is president and chief executive officer of iSecure Networks Inc., a local IT security distributor that has slowly carved a name for itself in the industry, particularly in network security or internet security.

According to Sy, he, along with managing director Franklin Osis, makes sure that their staff, especially their technical people, takes care of their relationship with their resellers and clients. “It all boils down to trust, that’s why Frank and I have always been very specific about this to our staff,” says Sy.

And earning the trust of clients was surely no easy feat when the company was just starting, Osis attests, especially since they were a relatively new company competing in a very specific niche catering to a market that had yet to mature as a market for IT security.

Sy shares that they have had their fair share of the “typical big boys bullying the small boys” experience when they were just starting but he acknowledges that this happens to almost any new entrant in business. “When we started, the known brands used to look down on us but we just kept moving along. Currently we have security products that have high numbers throughout the Southeast Asian Region. We have our dreams and goals so we don’t let these things affect us; we’re happy that not only are we still here but they now know who we are now and what we can do.”

ROAD TO SUCCESS
When asked why they decided to focus on the very specific field of IT security, Sy says the hardware and software distribution space is already saturated and too competitive while IT security, which is a specialized field, still has room for growth. “I have always believed that technology plays a key role in the success of any business. The problem of technology being there is it usually is not being protected,” he says.

For his part, Osis shares that prior to formally setting up the company, he studied the Philippines market properly and was looking for a product that would be of proper timing for local customers. “Three or four years ago, security was not that big yet in the country but even then, I already saw potential in the market; I knew that time would come when people would be more conscious about securing their computers and their networks. Given the fast pace of technology, I saw the potential of mobile Internet and somehow knew that it would be big in the Philippines,” explains Osis.

According to Osis, proper timing is just as essential because having good products does not guarantee that these products will sell. The managing director believes that a good product will just be the “doorstep” to your customers; other factors have to be considered. “We make sure that we are not just about selling products, we always look into what the market demands, how we intend to penetrate the market, when would be the perfect time. We also have to integrate good support and good people to deal with customers because, when you talk about iSecure networks, that does not only mean the products that we carry but it also includes the people behind the company so customer relationship is very important,” says Osis.

“That’s what we do, we always benchmark ourselves, we call our customers back after the sales to ask them if they’re happy about the product, if things are working perfectly and they feel good about that because they know that, should there be any problems, they can depend on us to help them fix it,” adds Sy.

Also key to the company’s success are three principles that both Sy and Osis says they have lived by from the start, “Number one, know your products; number two, take in the right people; number three, know your clients-it’s a combination of all of these,” Sy shares, adding that they always test new products internally until they know the solution and its strengths and weaknesses before they introduce this to clients. “At the end of the day, you should know the solution by heart so when you present to your clients, they will see your confidence in and knowledge about the product,” he further says.

iSecure currently distributes IT security solutions like Astaro, Kaspersky, and eEye Digital Security. The company also has new products in their line up, like Kerio, an email server, an SSL/VPN (secure socket layer/virtual private network) security solution from AEP Networks, and a bandwidth manager from PePLink. “We have quite a lot of solutions coming in, they’re looking for us now because they have seen how we work,” says Sy.

Focusing on a specific field, however, is no joke because clients always look for track records. “Clients need to know that you have done several successful projects for them to be comfortable with you. You have to show your clients that you have been in the business, that you are dependable and that at the end of the day, if they have problems, you would be there to support them,” explains Sy.

THE ROAD AHEAD
As part of the company’s mid- and long-term goals, Sy says the company will continue to focus on IT security and will bring in more security-related solutions so that they could be a “one-stop-shop” for clients and ultimately fullfill their long-term goal of growing the sales and be known in the IT security distribution industry.

Meanwhile, for their short-term plans, the company is in the process of setting up a technical support contact center for the products that they carry. “We see the products that we carry increasingly gain market share and, with this, we get more clients needing technical support; for us to deliver good quality of service we realize the need to extend our support channel so one of the things that we are working on is this technical support arm,” says Osis, who adds that the 24/7 technical support center was originally planned to open in 2009 but they decided to have it operational earlier than the original timeline because of the rising demand from clients. The company will be hiring around 10-15 senior engineers to man this center and, depending on the need, may add some more by next year.

The company will also continue to work through resellers and engage in marketing programs to provide resellers with more business opportunities. iSecure currently has around 20-30 active resellers who focus mainly on their products and more than 100 other resellers and retailers nationwide.

Another mid-term plan, according to Osis, is to look into a managed services offering for clients and to further grow its consulting business. The company is also looking at providing vulnerability assessment for clients outside the Philippines as part of their managed services plan.

“My ultimate dream and part of the company’s vision is to grow the business not only in the Philippines but also in other countries. I also envision my team to be more stable and to improve their well-being while they are with us because I believe that the company and its people should grow together,” Osis says.

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