Success Case: SCO

Extended Teams Management: Channel Representatives

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Background

'Extended Teams Management' has been developed for the Multinational Microprocessor designer and manufacturer - from now on referred to as the Client- , by the Sales and Consultancy Operations (SCO) unit at Marco Marketing Consultants.

In a chat with Alexis Garea, in charge of this Program and LAR Manager at Marco Brazil, he explained: “The original project was born, in 2002, to develop Channel Representatives for the Client in South America, increase client's customers in the Reseller and Retailer Channels”. This region included: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Bolivia.

Until then, the Company had had a group of Promoters, on the one hand, who had a poor sales performance and the Client did not have a program which could help them to measure it. On the other hand, those Promoters did not receive enough specific training and in response, their commitment to the sale program turned out to be low.

Taking all the above into account, Alexis commented: “According to those specific requirements, Marco offered the Client a solution in order to improve the sales representative service to its customers in the Reseller and Retailer Channels, increase their business and downsize while improving quality”.

This solution was turned 'Extended Teams Management', on of the services provided by SCO, which would support the Client in Strategic Marketing and Outsourcing Process. The main objective was to develop Channel Representatives Channel Representatives' sales.

The first stage of 'Extended Teams Management' was to organize and align the existing staff, in charge of covering the Client's brands and products in the Reseller Channel throughout South America.

“These Channel Representatives' main aim was to increase revenue through developing and growing those Resellers within the Client's membership Program. An additional objective was to get new members to join the program. Marco mission was to collaborate with unique minds and spirits in order to grow our Client's business and deliver excellence in customer experience”, Alexis explained.

Developing a new model for the Channel Representatives

After the work team rebuilding stage, Marco had to develop a new model for market planning and implementation for Channel Representatives. In this second stage, the goal was to improve communications between the Client and Channel Representative. In this sense, Marco developed not only sales programs but also training courses for those Extended Sales Teams.

According to Alexis, “The idea was no other than to optimize the results of the Extended Sales Team, consolidate a new team that would be able to take care of the Client's market and brand growth in the long-term”.

This second stage of 'Extended Teams Management' was divided in to two main activities: sales programs and training courses.

The sales programs consisted in develop a new sales strategy, based on the contributions of Channel Representatives, which includes logistics, reselling and retailing activities. The idea was to increase the client's market share in this segment as well as to extend horizons to other South American countries; and establish healthy local infrastructure to satisfy their business needs and requirements.
For the training courses, the main idea was to form professional and highly trained teams to co-lead, under client's global directions, the local operations in the market. Regarding the training factor, Alexis explained that “the employees have the possibility to participate in a high-quality continuing education program”.

As 'Extended Teams Management' develops, in addition Marco though the SCO unit became also responsible for hiring and selecting people to be added to sales program. ”Marco has always priorized to provide the Client the best outsourced human resources, in order to help and achieve their business objectives. Our add value has been to identify and evaluate talent”, said Alexis.

Extended Teams Management keeps adding value

The good results of 'Extended Teams Management' were filling the gap between the client and its customers' purchase orders. As Marco continued with new model development for Channel Representatives; then the client requested this same format for other new countries: Brazil and Mexico were added in 2003 to 2005.

Alexis commented about this: “Extended Teams Management has been taken as role model in Latin America for human resources management and profile redefinition, result tracking, channel members increase and retention”.

Today 'Extended Teams Management' personnel structure for Channel Representatives, it made up of more than 50 people: the sale consultants or channel representatives and three managers for Latin America.

SCO works together with the Market and Business Intelligence (MBI) unit, which is in charge of tracking and analyzing market information to develop the reports. These include a complete analysis of the market: product mix and pricing, sales evolution, channel representatives' performance and program feedback, and also customers' feedback.

After that, MBI generates the Business Intelligence Reports for the Client; this information is also available in the Extranet, which is developed by Marco and where the different reports and historic databases are posted.

SCO works also together with the Marketing Development Group (MDG) unit, to develop marketing activities for the Channel Representatives, such as: generation marketing campaigns and special events at the Reseller and Retailer Channels, incentive sales program, training and e-learning courses, among others.

Alexis explained that “Behind the group of people of Channel Representatives, there is a Marco's support structure, which includes the specific services of all
our four Business Units SCO; MBI, MDG and HRO; as well as the Administrative and Financial areas. This is 'two to one relationship' for two Channel Representatives there is one Marco person supporting back. This is Marco's add value, to exceed always our Client's expectations”.