Pave the path to transformative value

Cementing Brand-Partner Bonds 

In a developing nation like India, the building and construction sector plays a vital role in driving growth and advancement. This vast industry encompasses various categories – cements, paint, steel, tiles, plywood, and other building & construction materials, each with its distinct business practices. Channel partners serve as the linchpin of sales, yet according to a recent study conducted by BI WORLDWIDE, an alarming 61% of them in this sector in India feel “trapped”.  They remain committed to brands not out of loyalty, but due to limited alternatives, resisting change due to a lack of viable options.

This highly-unorganised industry with complex channel partner audience struggles with brand recall amid an abundance of loyalty programs – from mason and carpenter loyalty programs to dealer and contractor loyalty programs. Traditional loyalty programs suffer from operational delays, fraud and pilferage leading to channel partner dissatisfaction. Brands’ sales teams often find themselves mired in operational tasks like order processing and credit management. Moreover, brands struggle with real-time sales visibility, impeding their understanding of the market dynamics.

BI WORLDWIDE India’s collaborative research study with KANTAR has led to a deeper understanding of channel partners expectations and preferences. The study highlights that channel partners that work with building and construction brands are highly driven by rewards and incentives, but interestingly also place a great deal of importance on the learning opportunities that brands provide them. Training on product information, latest market trends, business basics like customer acquisition and operations optimisation are all areas they have expressed interest in learning about – brands can and should capitalise on this opportunity.

BI WORLDWIDE India has distilled these learnings into proprietary engagement measurement tools like the 'Affection Matrix', and strategic solution frameworks like the 'IBC', short for Invest, Build, and Consider. Building and construction brands can rely on these powerful tools to engage deeper with their channel partners.

Laying the Foundation for a Loyal Channel Partner Network

BI WORLDWIDE India has delivered high-impact dealer loyalty program, carpenter loyalty program, and mason loyalty program for brands in the building and construction industry. 99% channel partners rating their overall experience as 4/5, 90% dealers activating their profile within 2 months, and 75% dealers transacting regularly on the loyalty platform. These promising metrics are proof of the meaningful engagement that is possible even in the very competitive, unorganised Indian building and construction industry.

Investing in understanding channel partners' preferences and meeting their needs, whether through a diverse array of rewards or immersive training experiences, can be a brand's key to fostering lasting partnerships. This empowers channel partners to evolve into loyal brand advocates, leading to a tangible increase in sales. To know more about our successful channel engagement strategies and insights, explore our work.