By working closely with the Channel Heads and their teams, combined with conducting customer research in each channel, we gained a clear understanding of what these different customer groups required and desired from the appliance manufacturer. A cross Marketing and Sales strategy was developed for each channel focussing on what partners needed from the relationship and how best to support them. A cornerstone for each channel was a tailored partner portal. The portals allow partners (for the first time) to have 24/7 access to everything they needed in one place. As being ‘easy to work with’ was highlighted in our research we also built online versions of critical business tools such as registering warranties, ordering literature and locating their nearest service centre.

The three channels, Independent Kitchen Studios, Housebuilders and Builders Merchants, all experienced reduced ‘churn’ with customer accounts. Having deeper customer knowledge and investing in the customer relationship, the appliance manufacturer is better equipped to serve their customer groups resulting in increased satisfaction ratings which in the long term resulted in increased business and enhanced perception within the market place.