Check out the latest edition of our Sales Engineering Braintrust, which includes:
- Win Wire: Learn how a Trusted Advisor engaged AVANT SEs to provide a strong level of knowledge and support to their customer, ending in a $17K SD-WAN/SASE deal with Cato Networks
- Engineering Spotlight: Meet Stephen Semmelroth, Sr. Director of Security
- Pathfinder Updates: Take our NEW DaaS certification course in the Trusted Advisor Academy* and add this knowledge and new credential to your sales toolkit!
- AVANT Updates:
- Listen to our newest AVANT Analytics podcast, discussing Artificial Intelligence – popular features, the buying journey, and more!
- The SE team is looking for two new specialists to join their team! Learn more about open roles.
Win Wire with Sarah Arnstein and Chip Hoisington
The Breakdown
- Technology Category: SD-WAN/SASE
- Customer Type: Senior Living Community
- Industry: Residential Care/Healthcare
- Size and Scope: 38 locations
- MRC: $17, 348
- Winning provider: Cato Networks
- Competitors: Nitel, CBTS
The Details
What were the drivers for the client?
The client used several cloud-based services, including SaaS applications and Microsoft Azure, that they wanted optimized. They also needed to strengthen their network security features like ZTNA, SWG, etc. They had two circuits in place already (DIA as primary, cable as backup), so we needed to determine which SASE vendor to bring in over the top.
How did the Trusted Advisor close the deal?
The Trusted Advisor had a strong relationship with the client from the beginning. They knew which providers the customer didn’t want to do business with. They also understood the client’s pain points and what they were looking for in a SASE solution. The TA had a good knowledge of SD-WAN/SASE vendors and leaned on the Engineering team to do what they do best. AVANT SEs educated the customer when needed throughout the opportunity and made agnostic provider recommendations that helped the client reach a decision, while the TA guided the entire opportunity.
How did AVANT support the win?
The Trusted Advisor utilized AVANT’s SEs to make him stronger throughout the entire deal. He included SEs on customer calls, where they helped with scoping questions and education. After this, they made recommendations for which vendors would best suit the client’s needs. The TA also validated additional provider ideas with the SEs via email. This was a clear example of how a knowledgeable TA can still glean value from AVANT SEs.
The AVANT team of Sales Engineers offer a wide range of support, from provider recommendations to training to impactful, customer-facing tools. Fill out a solution IQA (Interactive Quick Assessment) on Pathfinder* to leverage them with your next deal.
Engineering Spotlight
This month, we’re spotlighting Stephen Semmelroth, Senior Director of Security.
Stephen fell in love with security when he responded to his first cyber incident in 2001. That curiosity and love of tough problems led him to West Point, Ranger School, and Afghanistan. Stephen loves the combination of business and cybersecurity challenges and seeing the confidence that comes when clients make meaningful change in their organizations.
Outside of work, here’s a bit more about Stephen, in his own words!
- Where are you located? Chicago, IL
- What sports would you compete in if you were in the Olympics? I would compete in the 100m run. It’s my favorite event because everyone hates it!
- What are you currently reading? “Sandworm” by Andy Greenberg, who is an amazing investigative journalist and exposes relevant, meaningful stories in cyberspace.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn here!
Pathfinder Updates
- Just added – NEW DaaS certification! Whether you’re new to Desktop as a Service or need a refresher, this course enables you to keep your customers ahead of the pace of change. Learn about DaaS foundations and trends, agnostic evaluation techniques, and best practices for selling the DaaS experience. Get certified today – log into your Pathfinder 2.0 account using your company’s custom URL and access this certification in the Trusted Advisor Academy*.
AVANT Updates
- Loving what you see in the SE Braintrust? Apply to join the Sales Engineering team! We’re looking for Security and CCaaS (CX) specialists, with a mix of sales and technical acumen. Learn more about the roles here. If either of these roles seem like they would be a good fit for you or someone you know, we encourage you to apply today!
- Dive into our newest Technology Insights podcast episode, “From ‘Hold’ to Hero – The Supervisor’s Guide to Wrangling WFH Contact Center Craziness” and join the conversation about Contact Center Supervisors! Learn more about their value and impact for organizations shifting from on-prem to Contact Center Cloud technology!
*You can check out all of these tools and resources in Pathfinder 2.0, via the Homepage Navigation. If you forgot your company’s custom P2 URL, click here to have it sent straight to your inbox.