Cementing Brand-Partner Bonds

In a growing economy like India, the building and construction sector plays a crucial role in driving development. Spanning categories like cement, paint, steel, tiles, plywood, and other materials, the industry relies on channel partners to power sales. Yet, a recent BI WORLDWIDE study revealed a critical challenge—61% of channel partners in this sector feel “trapped.” Their commitment to brands is not fueled by loyalty but by a lack of alternatives, making engagement an on-going challenge.

This highly unorganised industry faces unique hurdles. With a complex channel partner landscape, brands struggle with recall in a crowded loyalty space—competing across programs for masons, carpenters, dealers, and contractors. Traditional loyalty programs often suffer from operational inefficiencies, fraud, and delays, leading to partner dissatisfaction. Sales teams often find themselves entangled in operational tasks like order processing and credit management, while the lack of real-time sales visibility makes it harder for brands to navigate market dynamics.

BI WORLDWIDE India’s collaborative research 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 that invest in these areas stand to gain a significant competitive edge.

To help brands act on these insights, BI WORLDWIDE India has developed proprietary engagement measurement tools like the Affection Matrix and strategic solution frameworks like IBC—Invest, Build, Consider. These proven tools empower building and construction brands to drive deeper engagement and long-term loyalty.

Laying the Foundation for a Loyal Channel Partner Network

BI WORLDWIDE India has designed and executed high-impact loyalty programs for dealers, carpenters, and masons in the building and construction sector. One leading brand in this industry saw remarkable results—99% of its dealers rated their overall experience as 4/5, 90% of dealers activated their profiles within two months, and 75% dealers transacted regularly on the platform. These success metrics demonstrate the power of a well-designed loyalty program in driving engagement, even in a highly competitive and unorganised industry.

Understanding what motivates channel partners and aligning loyalty programs to their needs—through meaningful rewards, continuous training, and seamless program execution—transforms engagement. When partners feel valued and supported, they evolve into loyal brand advocates, driving sustainable growth.