Channel system management, Channel innovation, adjust channel system strategy

Channel innovation is not want to create on the record, not with individual leaders dedicated to a cavity can be realized. It requires a feasibility study process. Need to know the target market, target customers of the status and trends of the need to assess the efficiency of the existing channel system requires a comparative analysis of the two channel system around the strengths and weaknesses, the need to predict and control a new channel system may be risks. I believe that innovative sources of general steps are as follows:
(1) To collect marketing information, and using specialized analysis tools, such as the "SWOT", analyzes the changes in customers and market segments, such as the transfer of user preferences. Meanwhile, the sum business strengths and weaknesses, the external environment, opportunities and threats. Clear of its own strategic positioning and development goals.
(2) An objective assessment of the efficiency of the existing channels, each channel member to create the value and status. At the same time, the software vendor from a long-term perspective, the existing channel system in the value chain and industry chain strengths and weaknesses.
(3) To develop channel system to adjust its strategy demonstrated the advantages and disadvantages. Channel system adjustment is that the length of the channel (same channel number of different levels of intermediaries), width (the same number of channels to the same level of intermediaries) and depth (the scope and responsibilities of business brokers) to local or global adjustments. When the original channel system failure, adjust its strategy evolved into a new channel system design. In the design of new channels, the software vendor must first pay attention to product features and services customers demand, particularly in the trade information needs of a new dynamic and static. Second, we must determine the channels of the objectives and constraints, attention to competitors and the environment. Enterprise policy, product features and the capacity of the channel considered together. Again, determine the channel members options.
(4) To develop the adjusted channel system operations management program.
(5) Predict the risk of a new channel system, and propose effective to avoid and control programs.
(6) To switch channels, adjust the system or the implementation of channel strategy.
Channel system management
Channel system management is an important channel for innovation. Channel management is to achieve a good channel for the efficient operation of the premise. If the ERP development and implementation of people-oriented, then the channel system of management is essential to serving the community. In theory, the channel system relies on the maintenance of channels of intermediaries and software vendors to achieve, namely, software vendors and channel intermediaries to seek a balance in the interests of the split point. In fact, software vendors, system management is the real main channel. Channel system to a large extent depend on the efficiency of the management software vendors, including rights and obligations of channels, channel behavior of the Statute, channel incentive and promotion, evaluation and interaction channels mechanism.
Software vendors to enhance channel system of management and leadership mechanism building.
First, enterprises should strengthen their own institution-building, improve their management level. If the enterprise's own personnel management, organizational structure, job responsibilities are confused, it would not help improve their management of the channel.
Second, software vendors and channel intermediaries need in each channel members to reach agreement on the conditions and responsibilities. They should be in terms of price policies, regional rights and each side should implement the specific services to reach a consensus.
Third, the Statute of the channel member behavior. When a channel for members to make the expense of other channels of behavior, software suppliers must be promptly constraints. Committee through the formation of distributors or agents of committees and organizations to realize multi-channel communication between the exchanges, cooperation and supervision.
Finally, the establishment of a channel operable performance appraisal system and the corresponding incentives. For example, for multi-factor assessment, the establishment's record system and so on. Meanwhile, the software vendor for ERP implementation services channel to provide support and a wide range of training, strive to improve the resilience of the channel.
In addition, software vendors should regularly evaluate the channel members, from the "virtue" (ie, social morality, professional ethics, channel system rules), "can" (ie, marketing, advisory capacity, implementation capacity, service capacity) , "Diligence" (ie, marketing efforts, marketing breadth and depth of marketing), "Ji" (sales, sales income, service income) four aspects of analysis of their contribution and potential, and timely adjustment of the channel system, consideration of a channel members to provide additional resources to support, or order them to restructuring or withdrawal.
Channels and innovative risk control
Lurking in the channels, the risk of innovation is mainly a conflict of interest. This includes a single horizontal channel conflict, vertical conflicts and multi-channel conflict. Whatever the conflict, occurred in the software vendor or internal, or occurred in the middlemen between the channels, or occurred in the commercial software vendors and channel between. Not all will bring the risk of conflict, if a statute conflicts with the market, with a fair, just and reasonable, then it is legitimate competition. While channel conflict based on competition are conducive to promoting innovation in the channel so as to promote efficiency within the channel members, coordinating the overall operation of multiple channel members. If the channel conflict is unfair, unreasonable, disorderly, it is a kind of unfair competition. Unfair competition based on channel conflict will increase the consumption of the internal channels to reduce channel operational efficiency, and even have a negative impact. To control the channels of the potential risks of conflict, relying on the strong channels of leadership, a clear allocation of responsibilities and a rational conflict management.
Software vendor according to its own channel mode and channel system to take a different avoidance strategy.
If the software suppliers all of which are direct marketing model, then it can be considered for each salesperson and sales team have a clear responsibility, market segments, and the boundaries of the distribution of benefits is clear, the appropriateness of incentives. For example, network marketing and telemarketing, when there is cross-client, it should be who is responsible for tracking and customer service, how to assess the sales staff there is cross-client performance.
If the software suppliers all of which are indirect sales model, then it needs to guide the channel intermediaries to focus on different products, different market segments, different sales regions and different services. For example, different channels are responsible for the different ERP version, or a different industry market, or a different regional markets, or a different implementation of consulting services. At the same time, the software vendors to enhance the training of channel partners to help them improve their management level, to provide them with technical support and the interests of space.
If the software provider of direct marketing channels and indirect sales channels, a combination of models, it in addition to avoiding the risk of the first two modes, but also direct and channel to solve the conflict between the hybrid. In reality, software vendors, adventurous, deliberately direct sales and channel marketing goals and roles overlap, which gives the channel to form a pressure and survival of a sense of crisis, and may lead to negative channel behavior. I suggested the use of different marketing approach, if it really wants to conduct cross-marketing, then the software vendor should be some compensation to the channel, such as the higher interests of the space or to give more technical support, service support and training.
Overall, regardless of what kind of channel mode, the software suppliers to avoid the risks inherent in innovation in the channel, the first to formulate the overall business and channel business goals and objectives of timely upgrade. Meanwhile, by end users distinguish between strategies, clarifying roles and segments of each channel objectives, requires that each channel has its own unique value. Secondly, we must adhere to the difference in marketing mainly to cross-marketing, supplemented by providing the necessary compensation and incentives. Third, the establishment of a just, fair and open and transparent mechanism for the price of the formulation of scientific standards and performance appraisal standards.
When a channel conflict already exists, and the growing intensity, the software vendors can be used to solve practical problems for the channel by way of mitigation of conflicts; can also be set up channels of committees and organizations, to build a common platform for communication and negotiation in order to reach the conflict consensus; also be resolved through arbitration or legal channels for a number of irreconcilable conflict.
Conclusion