A First-Of-Its-Kind Channel Partner Engagement Research in India

The channel distribution network, covering distributors, dealers, retailers, and influencers, is a very critical sales channel for top trade marketing brands, contributing to as high as 70-80% of their annual sales.

Top trade marketing brands are ferociously competing to increase the share of wallet for both value (sales) and volume (market size) by constantly pushing multiple brands, products, sales schemes, post-sales services, promotions, rewards, and so on to the channel partners’ community.

The area where brands stumble is understanding what makes channel partners stick in terms of loyalty and engagement. There is a lot to be looked at from channel partners’ perspective to understand what drives engagement, what wins their trust and commitment, and their overall experience with brands to develop a strong association and drive profitability at the same time.

Understanding these challenges, BI WORLDWIDE and KANTAR conducted an in-depth study  on Channel Partners Engagement in India, focusing on what lies on the other side – channel partners’ perspectives, aspirations, and ambitions. The research endeavours to identify the gaps that exist in brand-channel partner relationships in India and comes up with unique solution frameworks that enable brands to measure and optimise channel partner engagement to address those gaps.

Key Research Insights:

The research uncovers key statistics and insights that brands should consider when designing and implementing their channel loyalty and engagement programs to drive better ROI.

• The state of channel partner engagement in India
  A staggering 78% of channel partners in India are disengaged. Only 22% are truly ‘Engaged,’ while the rest fall into the ‘Trapped,’ ‘Vulnerable,’ or ‘Unattached’ quadrants.

• What drives channel partner engagement?
  The study identifies eight key drivers shaping strong channel partner relationships:
  1. Operational Excellence
  2. Rewards & Incentives
  3. Recognition
  4. Learning
  5. Brand Affinity
  6. Communication
  7. Well-being
  8. Events
  Among these, Recognition and Learning stand out as critical across industries and partner profiles.

• How can brands measure and improve channel engagement?
  BI WORLDWIDE-KANTAR’s Affection Matrix, a unique measurement framework, provides a structured approach to measuring engagement, categorising channel partners into four engagement quadrants – Engaged, Trapped, Vulnerable and Unattached. To maximise engagement, brands should adopt the IBC (Invest, Build, Consider) solution framework—a strategic approach to fostering long-term loyalty