It  takes a village to raise  a child is an African proverb that means that an entire community of people must interact with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment, from Wikipedia.

“The same proverb can be used in the building products industry as today it truly takes a unified approach between building materials manufacture, distributors and or channel partners to fully optimize all aspects of the product journey”, says Vince Scarfo CEO of CNVRT. “It is not infrequent, as I travel the industry, to find numerous building materials companies that have exceptional products, although the journey to market is rife with flaws in channels. Flaws not the fault of the specific distributor or channel partner, flaws due to misalignment on strategy, and lack of interconnectivity between manufacturer and distributor on execution.

Maximizing client engagement and delivering and optimal buying experience requires structured alignment between the manufacture and distribution channels. Your client’s do not want to feel disconnected from the manufacturer.

Building product manufacturers that utilize one or two step distribution/channel must take ownership of and ensure there is the proper alignment in place with your distribution channels. This begins with a sound distribution and or channel strategy. One that is validated by the manufacture and the partners and one that provides clear direction on how to execute.

  During my tenure at General Electric, we inherited a distribution and channel network that was quite dated. Our strategies and agreements were developed years ago, included minimal updates, and were delivering significant strategic misalignment.

In order to best serve our clients, and update to our strategy and subsequently our agreements was needed. When we executed, the results were prompt and transformative for GE, our partners and most importantly our client.

Having a well aligned distribution channel strategy and execution plan can deliver results in many places. It can elevate your brand, increase your sales, positively impact your cash flow.

Are you currently experiencing gaps in your channel partnerships?

Are these gaps negatively impacting your clients experience with your products?