DoubleClick to Offer Salesforce.com to Publishers

Enterprise management software ASP salesforce.com said Monday that it has inked a distribution deal with DoubleClick.

Salesforce.com provides collaborative Web-based software enabling members of a company’s sales unit to work together, to manage contacts, leads, and account information. Its biggest competition comes from companies with more traditional sales force automation products, like Siebel Systems and Germany’s SAP.

As part of the agreement, DoubleClick’s outsourced technology division TechSolutions will resell a customized version of the salesforce.com service to outsource clients of its DART ad serving platform.

The service, which the companies say will be available at the beginning of next year, will enable DoubleClick’s publishing customers to manage prospects and customers, and to view real-time reports and forecasts for their DART inventory.

“We’re pleased to be working with DoubleClick, the pioneer in Internet advertising,” said salesforce.com president and chief executive officer John Dillon. “Through this partnership, we will be able to apply our experience in automating sales teams to help publishers manage their sales more efficiently while, at the same time, helping them streamline operations to be more profitable.”

The arrangement serves to sweeten the deal for DART users — and for DoubleClick, as well. The industry giant is feeling the pinch of tight advertising budgets, and will see some revenue from the sales.

“Our partnership with salesforce.com is just another example of our commitment to provide our customers with the most comprehensive digital marketing solutions in the industry,” said TechSolutions senior vice president David Rosenblatt.