TradeUp availability

[deman]

After watching FortinetGuru's video, I have been trying for about 8 months to get Fortinet to honor a TradeUp for my old Fortigate. My support portal confirmed my old Fortigate model was eligible for TradeUp, and in March I selected it for TradeUp, but nothing came of it.

So, I called Fortinet, and they referred me to 2 sales people for my region (Christine Lanoue: clanoue@fortinet.com and Ricardo Power: rpower@fortinet.com). Neither of them responded to my email.

In April, I received an email from Paula Ibanez (pibanez@fortinet.com), who wrote "I received a request indicating that you are interested in a Trade Up of your 60D Fortigate, I would like to confirm which partner you are currently working with to send you the prices of the options". After I gave her the details, she was "reviewing internally how we could work on this request," and then simply disappeared and never responded to me anymore.

Then I submitted a support ticket, and they passed me on to Sales. Then, I contacted each of the sales people I was referred to. (Cecilia Garcia: garciac@fortinet.com; Enzo Fullone: efullone@fortinet.com; and, again, Ricardo Power, and trosado@fortinet.com). None of them answered my email.

Fortinet really makes you feel like you matter to them as a client. On top of that, they seem to find it a problem that I live in Puerto Rico, which is part of the US and payments are done in US$. But Fortinet gives the island the silent treatment to deny citizens here what they offer to other US citizens.

What is so complicated of passing the discount to one of Fortinet's several local partners here?

[gfleming]

Have you talked to your partner? They should be pushing this for you...

[deman]

I received quotes from four local partners. Each time I mentioned I wanted to upgrade my existing model through TradeUp. Yet, none of them included TradeUp in the quote. Either they were unaware of the program or blocked from it. The partner who originally supplied all my equipment to me told me he had never done a TradeUp.

[gfleming]

How do you know they aren't doing TradeUp in the quote? It's basically just extra discounting. Have you confirmed they are not giving you the extra discounting? If so and four partners are not following the rules of a Fortinet program I suggest you get in touch with your regional sales director or channel manager at Fortinet. The partners will know who those people are.

[deman]

I know that because:

1) none of them asked me for the serial number of my device, which is required to get approval for a TradeUp.

2) none of the quotes included a transfer of my currently running license. They just quoted a new license and the remaining value of my current license would be lost.

3) None of them mentioned anything about returning my current device back to Fortinet.

Now, after pushing and asking around for more than half a year, one of the local partners finally asked me for a serial number after he escalated my situation with Fortinet.

[deman]

My local partner has now been pushing this for weeks. Two weeks ago Fortinet gave him a wrong offer based on my serial number, so he had to go back to them. I don't know what's going on there, but customer care doesn't seem a priority for Fortinet.  I have been trying to accomplish a TradeUp since March of this year. This program seems more like a marketing gimmick than a genuine effort to bind existing customers.

[gfleming]

The program is not a marketing gimmick. It's an excellent way for Fortinet customers to extend their existing investment into an upgraded appliance.

Unfortunately you seem to be stuck in a territory with lacklustre partners and a not-so-great Fortinet sales team. This isn't really the forum to assist with that, however.

Sounds like you need to go to the director of sales for your region at Fortinet and complain to him and let him know what you've been through. Might be worth letting him know about your experiences with partners as well and he can let the respective Fortinet channel team know.

It's unfortunate you've had this experience but you need to understand Fortinet is a massive company with hundreds of regions across the globe. Your experience does not signify what the global experience is. I urge you to provide the feedback to your regional sales director as it would be valuable to them to know that customers in your region are not getting adequate service.

[deman]

Hi Graham,

Today, I finally heard back from the local Fortinet partner after more than a month of waiting for Fortinet's response on my TradeUp request. He wrote me: "They offered me a solution for 3 years with a better discount." No word about TradeUp, for which I explicitly asked.

While you glowingly endorse the TradeUp program, we here in Puerto Rico are treated as second class citizens in the US, and apparently also globally if this program is such a success across the world.

Since you are apparently Fortinet staff, could you give me the contact information of the director of regional sales?

It's been a complete waste of time dealing with Fortinet client reps, support staff, and sales people so far. I have been trying to contact a variety of people since February (including 6 sales people), and it resulted in nothing. No response. These people must be very busy, or very indecent not even to reply.  I don't know who to talk to anymore.

Patrick

[gfleming]

As mentioned in a previous comment, the Fortinet partners you are working with should have a list of contacts at Foritnet including sales leadership.