The Test Center highlights noteworthy PC components that came through the lab so far this year. Manufacturers' ability to build components that support both quad- and dual-core hardware platforms continues to impress us.
Acer's latest Aspire Gemstone laptops come just in time for the holiday shopping blitz, targeting consumers with a range of entertainment-focused models.
It's been a busy quarter for shakeups in some of the industry's top channel companies. Here we look at several channel executives who have come and gone in the last few months.
Verizon Revamps Channel Program
4:46 PM EST Wed. Nov. 07, 2007
"Channel partners can choose which is more suited to their client base," said Maggie Hallbach, regional vice president of indirect sales solutions. "By aligning with the Verizon teams that serve those marketschannel partners could see more business. It's a great opportunity for growth."
The program, geared toward the large business market, called Verizon Business Indirect Channel Alliance, will encourage solution providers to work closely with Verizon Business' direct sales channel and will focus on solutions-selling.
"We are structuring rewards around consultative selling, rather than on a transaction-based approach," Hallbach said.
Hallbach noted that Verizon plans to view the channel as an extension of its own direct sales force. Verizon plans to enhance training and focus around IP-based services, managed services, security and professional services to help VARs sell more strategically and to monetize the IP transformation currently underway at many large companies today. In addition, resellers will have access to improved sales force automation, pricing and ordering tools, and greater levels of technical resources as the complexity of the sales engagement increases.
The program will take effect Jan. 1, 2008; Verizon noted that it will continue to support resellers through its current offering.
