Description
Book SynopsisIf product is no longer king, what is? Companies like Dell Computers, Lexus, Wal-Mart and Amazon.com have found phenomenal success by coming up with the answer-channels. The channels by which goods are marketed and distributed have become the new drivers of economic success. From these channels flow customer satisfaction, market share, revenue gains and profitability. It''s not so much what you sell today, but how you sell it. And there is no going back.
In The Channel Advantage, Booz?Allen & Hamilton consultants Steven Wheeler an Evan Hirsh write about dozens of companies that have excelled in this channel-driven economy. In one telling example, Wheeler and Hirsch analyze the great success of Dell Computer. While Dell makes top-quality personal computers, it''s the company''s direct-to-customer sales channel that sets it apart. By building computers to order, Dell keeps inventory low, lets consumers buy exactly what they want, and pushes prices down by cutting out the middleman.
Trade Review"This book covers some of the most critical and important issues that will define future winners in many industries." --Karl-Erling Trogen, president and CEO, Volvo Truck Corp.
"This book clearly shows that companies must change the paradigm of what business they are in to reflect the growing importance of distribution channels." --Stephen B. Hughes, president and CEO, Celestial Seasonings, Inc.
Table of ContentsPreface.
(RE)THINK CHANNELS.
The Channel Advantage: From Products to Customer Relationships.
Channel Management: A Framework for Revolution.
THE CHANNEL MANAGEMENT PROCESS.
Step One: Understand Customer Needs.
Step Two: Develop New Channel Concepts.
Step Three: Pilot Test.
Step Four: Rapid Roll-Out.
Step Five: Study the Results and Adapt Your Channel.
CHANNEL CHALLENGES.
Managing Channel Conflict.
Maximizing Channel Economics.
The One-to-One Advantage.
