Lies, damn lies and marketing stories

For regular readers of this blog you know I like to give out a book of the month club award.  Well Vernier Networks is the first two time winner of the book of the month club award for their continuing creativity in marketing.  I have previously wrote and awarded Vernier a book of the month club award for their misleading, misguided and fluffer-nutter releases.  Well those wild and crazy marketing guys up in Mountain View are back at it again.  This time claiming greater than 1,000 NAC customers with more than 5 years of selling NAC solutions. 

Lets put on our rubber boots and wade on, but let me warn you some of this stuff is toxic. First of all I am not calling anyone a liar here, but the last presentation I saw from Vernier, their CEO had them at 350 customers and that was just a few months ago.  So something does not add up here.  But lets be frank, a ton of people fudge the numbers.  The next thing is that they have been shipping NAC solutions for more than 5 years.  Come on Simon that is not true and you know it.  I know a little thing about Vernier's background. Though it was founded 5 years ago, the original business was wireless security and it was not doing any NAC type of stuff.  I know companies who sold the Vernier wireless product and it was not NAC.  In another words, in the words of Lloyd Benson, I know NAC, I have worked with NAC and you have not been NAC for 5 years. Trying extra hard to position yourself as a leader in the NAC market is fine, fudging the truth though is not cool.

Amrit Williams had a good article up today on the economy of trust. He wrote about the Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey.  Amrit cites the 13 behaviors that are essential to relationship trust:

Character-based behaviors

1. Talk straight

2. Demonstrate respect

3. Create transparency

4. Right wrongs

5. Show loyalty

Competence-based behaviors

6. Deliver results

7. Get better, continually improve

8. Confront reality

9. Clarify expectations

10. Practice accountability

Character and Competence behaviors

11. Listen first

12. Keep commitments

13. Extend trust

It would not be a bad idea for some people in the NAC market to read these, learn them and live them!