Channel Management Research Solutions

Research as the Building Block of Channel Synergy

Distribution channels and networks are for many companies a competitive advantage, an asset and a vital component of corporate strategy allowing them to survive and serve customers. Today’s business climate increasingly requires efficient distribution systems across several countries. Coordinating unified operations and strategy can be extraordinarily challenging amid varying capabilities, infrastructure, and cultures. Successful strategies require a common culture, information sharing, distributed risk and established personal relations in local markets. SIS International has 25 year’s experience in Global Channel Management Research serving many of the world’s most influential organizations.

Channel Management Research

SIS International’s approach focuses on linkages in the supply chain that provide the most value to customers. It involves the integration and coordination of effective, efficient and coordinated customer touch-points. Channel Management Research projects may involve intelligence topics such as sales experience, customer needs, pricing, customer relationship management (CRM) and loyalty, delivery, synergy, product functionality, competitive conditions, partner integration and conflict resolution. We access the following distribution channel players:

• Wholesaling
• Retailing
• Physical Distribution
• Direct Selling
• Agents
• Distributor
• Retailer
• Cross-functional teams

Conflict Management Research

Despite their complexity, supply chains linkages are operated at the base-level by people. Frequently, conflict arises about shared risk, common vision and resource allocation. SIS works with clients as a third party to diagnose the principle areas of channel conflicts that can disrupt operations, profitability and long-term success. Our research experts harness SIS International’s fine-tuned techniques for finding conflict. Clients can implement actionable recommendations about existing and foreseen conflict. Some questions that can be answered by our research include:

• How does the current or planned supply chain structure answer customers’ needs?
• How can there be synergy between channels and geographies?
• How do customers interact with each of the channels? Are there necessary changes?
• How valuable and profitable are each of the channels?
• How do we address existing and foreseen conflicts?

Our Points of Differentiation

SIS offers 25 years expertise in helping many of the world’s most influential companies expand. Our background in market strategy provides an exceptional platform for channel research. Our global research team employs renowned management experts and authors. Our Integrated Research approach combines several levels of market research and intelligence for a full view of the entire market landscape. Additionally, our service coverage is global, with full-service custom market research & consulting services.

Our Full-Service Channel Research Solutions:

• Benchmarking
• Best Practices Research
• Channel Conflict Research
• Channel Management Research
• Channel Value Analysis
• Customer Experience Analysis / Store Atmosphere
• Customer Value Analysis
• Competitive Intelligence
• Distribution Channel Strategy and Research
• Distributor Screening
• Executive Search in developed & emerging markets
• Market Positioning analysis of Distributors
• Relationship management
• Retail geographic market research
• Retail market research
• Risk Assessment

Thought Leadership

Our Past Experience