While innovation in products and services continues apace, today's competitive strategy is equally based on innovation in the route to market. Tesco.com, Direct Line, First Direct and easyJet are just a few examples of innovative channel strategies as a key component of the value proposition. We find ourselves in a multi-channel world. This book is drawn from the experience of major companies such as IBM, First Direct, Taylor Woodrow and BT. Lessons are explained clearly: be Multi not multiple; channels as weapons; think combinations; design from the top, but think people and measure it. The key concepts are backed by carefully tested practical advice from making organisational change to understanding channel metrics. Based on work from Cranfield's world leading Customer Management Forum, this is the essential practical guide for senior management in key areas like marketing, sales, customer services and strategy. It shows how, with the internet and call centre alongside existing resellers, and with sales forces channel management and integration a critical activity, you can employ channel management to maximise the success of your channel strategy. Based on IBM's worldwide experience and the huge research reach of Cranfield, this practical guide is authoritative, full of major international cases, guiding you to easy implementation. From strategy to metrics the book shows how the best companies blend and balance channels to maximum sales effect, and how you can apply this in your own organisation.
List of Figures
List of Tables
So what is multichannel?
Pt. 1 The case for multichannel 1
1 The importance of channels 3
2 Making multichannel a source of competitive advantage 21
3 Multichannel diagnostic 57
Pt. 2 Developing multichannel strategy 69
4 Defining the right channel combinations to offer 71
5 Integrating the multichannel proposition 97
6 Building the case for change 121
Pt. 3 Making multichannel work in practice 141
7 Organising for successful change 143
8 Tracking and measuring effectiveness 175
9 Encouraging customers to use channels effectively 199
