By Walter Springorum, National Sales Manager, Distributors and Gilbert Muller, Key Account Manager, Home and Distribution at Schneider Electric
25 October 2023
In world driven by innovation, the channel is today in the enviable position that it can partner with leading brands that truly accelerate their own competitive advantage and business success. However, it’s also important to do some homework, ensuring that your partner of choice is indeed a good fit.
This is particularly true in fields such as electrical distribution, automation, control, and energy management, which is undergoing a proliferation of sort, offering leading products from across the globe.
To navigate this ever-industrious landscape, distributor and wholesalers should consider the following points when partnering with a vendor:
Quality and continuous innovation
A vendor’s commitment to superior quality, ongoing innovation, and a track record of reliability is paramount. Here, consistent R&D and investment in emerging technologies and trends are key, ensuring that both distributors and wholesalers can offer the newest in cutting-edge solutions that are tailored to their customers’ demands.
These products should not only meet industry standards but surpass it, setting new benchmarks for efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Products, whether its entry-level or premium, should never compromise on quality. There should therefore be a golden thread of excellence that runs through all product ranges.
Reliability and durability
It is important that distributors and wholesalers stock products that are known for its reliability and durability, resulting in reduced maintenance and replacement costs for end-users.
This, in turn, fosters heightened customer satisfaction and trust. Furthermore, this reliability extends to the distributor-supplier relationship, ensuring a seamless partnership marked by dependable product availability and responsive support.
Comprehensive product range
The brand’s range of solutions should allow distributors to offer a lifecycle of complimentary solutions. This holistic approach, combined with the brand's reputation for quality and innovation, provide an important competitive advantage whilst simplifying procurement processes and enhances efficiency in inventory management.
Evolving, mutually beneficial partnership
It is important that vendors and their distributor and wholesaler partners have a seamless partnership, based on commitment and respect. Here, a robust and ever-evolving channel programme goes a long way in fostering strong partnerships.
A multifaceted channel strategy should give way to a collaborative environment that result in enhanced customer service and streamlined operations.
Speaking volumes of the success of Schneider Electric’s channel programme, today we have partnerships with distributors and wholesalers that span almost 30 years. These relationships are built on trust, open communication channels and a commitment to the channel.
