Why Customer Experience Is the New Battleground in Zero Trust

Walk into any cybersecurity conference and you'll see vendor after vendor showcasing nearly identical feature sets. Native Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)? Check. Microsegmentation? Check. API integrations? Check. Cloud native architecture? Double check.

Most platforms in the Zero Trust market can technically do what they claim. The dirty secret, however, is that the real differentiator isn't what the technology can do — it's how well it actually works for customers in the real world.

As Forrester noted in their evaluation: "Reference customers laud Akamai's willingness to accommodate and take action based on customer feedback and become a trusted partner in their Zero Trust journey."

That word — partner — changes everything.

Being named a Customer Favorite isn't about having happy customers who send nice testimonials. Achieving this recognition among all the evaluated providers speaks volumes for us about the gap between marketing promises and delivery reality in our industry.

So, what does Akamai do differently? The Forrester profile reveals several key insights, including Akamai’s simplicity over complexity, transparent economics, and full lifecycle partnership.

Akamai focused on "simplified and streamlined segmentation process for isolation and control of network traffic across multiple environments." 

Sometimes the best technology is the one that gets out of its own way.

The Forrester report stated that "Akamai's pricing is among the easiest to follow, offering a single contract structure spanning various deployment types." 

In an industry notorious for complex licensing and hidden costs, transparent pricing makes it easier for customers to understand what they are buying and its full cost.

According to Forrester, "Akamai's supporting services are comprehensive, with full consultative services through to implementation and threat hunting services to support customers well after deployment." 

This isn't just about selling software — it's about ensuring customer success from day one through ongoing operations.

For security leaders who are evaluating Zero Trust platforms, Akamai's recognition as a Customer Favorite offers important guidance.

• Look beyond feature checklists — Ask to speak with actual customers about their implementation experiences
• Evaluate the partnership, not just the product — Determine how responsive the vendor is to feedback and evolving needs
• Consider total cost of ownership — Remember that total cost of ownership may include hidden complexity costs and ongoing support requirements
• Assess vendor commitment — Find out if the vendor has dedicated business units and strategic investments in Zero Trust

The cybersecurity industry has a tendency to get caught up in its own hype cycles. Zero Trust is no exception — every vendor claims to have the "most comprehensive" or "most advanced" platform.

But Forrester's evaluation reveals a more nuanced truth: Customers don't just want advanced technology — they want technology that works reliably, vendors who listen and adapt, and partnerships that extend beyond the initial sale.

Akamai's journey from content delivery network pioneer to Zero Trust Customer Favorite demonstrates something crucial: Success in cybersecurity isn't just about building great technology — it’s about building great customer experiences around that technology.

As Zero Trust continues to evolve from buzzword to business imperative, we believe Akamai's recognition as a Customer Favorite points toward the future of our industry. 

The vendors that will thrive aren't necessarily those with the most features or the loudest marketing. Instead, those that thrive will understand that cybersecurity is ultimately about enabling business success — and that requires genuine partnership, not just product delivery.

In a crowded market where technical capabilities are increasingly commoditized, customer experience becomes the ultimate differentiator. In our opinion, Forrester's Zero Trust Wave makes this crystal clear: Among all the vendors evaluated, only Akamai has cracked the code on what customers actually want from their Zero Trust journey.

The question for the rest of the industry is simple: Are you building technology, or are you building partnerships?

Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.