Revving Up Automotive Channel Performance

The automotive industry is vast, spanning vehicle design and manufacturing to sales and after-sales services. Channel partners play a pivotal role, acting as the face of automotive brands and bridging the gap between companies and customers. After-sales services, in particular, account for a significant share of manufacturers’ profits—making strong channel partnerships essential.

However, BI WORLDWIDE’s recent study on automotive channel engagement revealed a key challenge: compared to other industries, automotive channel partners are the least likely to recommend a brand and are highly susceptible to competitor loyalty programs.

Beyond this, automotive brands face additional roadblocks: limited access to last-mile sales influencers like mechanics, minimal visibility into secondary and tertiary sales, and insufficient training opportunities for channel partners in after-sales services. These challenges make it harder for brands to foster meaningful engagement through their distributor, dealer, and influencer loyalty programs.

BI WORLDWIDE India’s exclusive collaborative study with KANTAR provides deep insights into channel partner behaviors and expectations in the automotive industry. The research reveals that automotive channel partners are highly motivated by aspirational rewards such as electronics and travel experiences. Consistent recognition further strengthens their connection with brands. However, what truly drives engagement is operational excellence —including seamless program execution, fast reward fulfillment, and multilingual customer support.

To help brands act on these insights, BI WORLDWIDE India has developed proprietary engagement tools and frameworks. The Affection Matrix, a measurement tool, enables brands to assess and track channel partner engagement effectively. Meanwhile, the IBC solution framework—Invest, Build, Consider— provides a strategic roadmap for designing high-impact loyalty programs that go beyond rewards to drive sustained engagement and brand advocacy.

Driving Channel Performance with High-Impact Automotive Loyalty Solutions

BI WORLDWIDE India’s channel loyalty programs have delivered measurable success for leading automotive brands. One such company achieved 2x revenue growth, a 3x increase in transactions from active channel partners, and a 2.5x expansion in retail network coverage. Unified loyalty programs, persona-based rewards, targeted training, and wellness initiatives played a key role in strengthening engagement and elevating channel performance.

With deep expertise in channel engagement, BI WORLDWIDE India helps automotive brands apply a strategic, data-driven approach. By combining rewards, communication, training, and operational excellence, we enable brands to build lasting partnerships and drive sustainable growth.