Computer monitor and display vendor ViewSonic has spruced up its
channel partner program in preparation for a new line of products it
plans to launch in April.
The 100-percent channel company tells
Channel Insider that it will launch a new line of all-in-one PCs in
April – a 19-inch monitor with a built in Intel Atom processor starting
at $599.
"It's a well-positioned product for knowledge workers that need
desk space," says Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of
ViewSonic North America. "There's no need for a tower behind the desk.
There's less power consumption. It does everything that our standard
office machine does in one simple package."
Volpe says that ViewSonic believes customers will find the all-in-one
PC at $599 to be "quite a value proposition" compared to other entries
in the space.
In addition, ViewSonic is preparing a "nettop" entry that goes after
the same market space, but is a box that is 6 inches by 6 inches by 2
inches thick that attaches to a monitor. ViewSonic has yet to set the
pricing for this box, but says it also will be delivered in April.
ViewSonic is making these moves to expand into the PC space at a time
when most PC makers are experiencing sales declines, and analysts are
forecasting a bleak 2009 for PC sales.
"This is a very interesting time in our business," says Volpe. "It's
going to be a very challenging year for the PC business. But there is
an equal amount of opportunity for companies to take advantage of this
difficult time and be winners. That's where ViewSonic says we are going
to seize the day and opportunities that lower cost processing have
brought.
"It's an opportunity to own more products attached to the display than
ever before," Volpe concludes. "I don't need to sell a million PCs to
make this a win for our partners and ViewSonic. One unit is more than
we've ever sold before."
To get channel partners ready for the new product line, ViewSonic is
re-launching its channel program and renaming it Finch Club. The
program offers a better Web portal for partners that includes more
streamlined access to resources such as promotional deals, incentive
programs and sales tools such as sell sheets and white papers. Also
available are ongoing training programs, according to the company.
Members of the Finch club have access to demo programs, evaluation
units, Webinars, contests and ViewSonic "buddy" calls where the
company's internal reps participate in sales calls with channel
partners. ViewSonic has also launched a new government education
program called GovEd that offers specialized training and discounts to
channel partners that sell to the public sector.
ViewSonic is also offering channel partners higher quality leads, says
Melinda Beecher, senior manager of channel marketing in North America.
That's because the company has dedicated someone within ViewSonic to
"scrub" the leads.
As part of the program, ViewSonic is also offering Webinars on its new
line of products, the first of which are scheduled for Feb. 17 and Feb.
18.
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