Handspring Taps Outsourcer To Engage Channel Partners

Handspring

Handspring on Tuesday announced a deal to use the sales force of San Ramon, Calif.-based outsourcer MarketLink to build relationships with solutions providers, distributors and carriers.

MarketLink will develop a series of consulting, training and sales assistance programs for Handspring Treo, a new form factor that combines PDA and cellular phone functionality in one device, said Kendall Forgo, Handspring's vice president of Internet and enterprise business.

"MarketLink will go out to customer locations, do demos and help the setup of pilots," he said. "When customers are ready to place orders, MarketLink will drive that business through the VAR channel."

MarketLink, which also helped bring Research In Motion's Blackberry to market, expects by next quarter to present to the channel a number of turnkey corporate solutions that can be deployed for business customers, according to the company's CEO, Chris Mason.

"Our core message is we are going to be selling solutions instead of specific hardware features," he said.

MarketLink will provide a total of 48 regional channel sales personnel throughout the United States to support the channel sales effort, Mason said.

Also announced today was a direct relationship with CDW-G, the government sales arm of CDW Computer Centers, Vernon Hills, Ill., and distributor and wireless master agent Global Wireless Data, Norcross, Ga.