THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

VIRTUAL TRAINING: N166,625
CLASSROOM TRAINING: N247,250
3 – 4 participants: 5% discount
5 or more participants: 10% discount

(Available also for Customised Training by Duration, Venue & Fee)

Programme Description
Channels must be designed, selected and managed in a coherent manner if the business will achieve increased and profitable turnover. This programme will address the skill improvement and tool sharpening requirements of the SalesManagers and Sales Executives so as to improve overall management of Vitafoam’s distribution.
Goals the Training Will Attain
During this programme, Sales Managersand Sales Executives will learn to:

• Identify the strategic role channel management plays in company’s businessmodels.
• Understand profitable distribution designs
• Identify gaps in outlets performances
• Bring about productive change in channels operations
• Effectively identify conflicts and develop effective tools for resolving them.

Course Contents
DAY ONE
Overview of Channel Strategies

• Functions performed by channels and the value they create
• How your end user customers buy and which channel benefits they value most.
• Economical distribution considerations
• Alternative marketing intermediaries
• Franchising and Licensing as Distribution systems

Selecting Channel Members

• Market segment to serve
• Level of service that can be made available
• Evaluation of channel alternatives
• Targeting the highest potential channel in your market
• Choice of channel members
• Wholesalers
• Distributors
• Retail/Stores
• Direct channel
• Online and other stocked lines
• Nature and length of experiences of channel members
• Location
• Financial viability
• Character
• Sales force
• Legal and environment constraints.

DAY TWO
Key Issues Involved in Channel Development

•  Exclusive distribution
•  Selective distribution
• Intensive distribution
• Sales policy
• Pricing and Profitability policy
• Territory coverage policy
• Service policy
• Promotions policy
• Controls policy
• Flexibility policy
• Channel relationships and responsibilities
• Financial bonding.
• Optimal number for control purposes
• Minimizing conflicts
• Optimising dealership and retail structures to meet the end users’ demands
• Allocating Resources to Channel Members
• Assessing Demand Side/Supply Side Gaps in the Current Strategy
• Distinguishing the Demand Side and Supply Side Gaps
• Wholesale and Retail Coordination

DAY THREE
Channel Reputation & Performance

• Sales target attainment
• Inventory levels
• Delivery response levels
• Damaged and lost goods
• Cooperation with pricing and promotions
• Responsiveness to changes in market conditions

Merchandising 

• Merchandising at retail, wholesale and distribution points
• Careful handling of stocks
• Stock arrangement and sequencing

Market Intelligence

• Competitor launches
• Price changes
• Promotional activities
• New marketing initiatives.

Distribution Metrics

•  Distribution gains
• Average stock volume/value
• Stocks cover in days
• Stock-out frequency
• Battles for shelf space
• Battles for credibility
• In-shop promotions

Monitoring 

• Promoters and key salesmen
• Monitoring financial health of distributors
• Updating wholesalers and retailers list.

DAY FOUR
Designing Healthy & Competitive Programmes for the Wholesalers and Retailers

• Harmonising the goals of the different channel members
• Providing adequate knowledge to and motivating wholesalers and retailers
• Types of channels conflict
• Channel conflict management
• Tools for effective channel conflict management
• Influencing channel members behaviour with rewards systems

Territory Activities Management

• Territory delineation
• Territory sales quota plans
• Route planning
• Territory time management
• Mining the Territory
• List of Key Accounts
• New prospects
• The short-term (3 months)
• The medium-term (next 12 months)
• The long-term (next 24 months).