Leveraging research to address dealer challenges & unlock growth
Office Furniture Manufacturer
Understanding lost market share and disconnected dealerships
A leading, global commercial furniture manufacturer came Element Three in a moment of slipping market share in three key markets, without clear feedback from dealers that explained that trend. There were multiple parties influencing purchase decisions beyond dealers—such as design firms—but they didn’t have a clear picture of where and how these influencers played a roll in slowed sales. The research aimed to identify the root causes of the stagnant growth and provide actionable recommendations to empower the client’s next steps.
3
Major Markets
5
Stakeholder Groups
57
Interviews
THE PROBLEM
Breaking down dealer dynamics and underperformance
The client not only faced lagging market share in key markets—they lacked alignment on go-to-market priorities between dealer and OEM in-market teams, and were missing opportunities to engage influencer audiences in the customer buying process.
Corporate’s sales and marketing teams were not speaking the same language as their distributed salesforce—and at times felt like their priorities were competing.
I had no idea [our local dealer] even existed at all.
OUR APPROACH
Gathering perspective from five key stakeholder groups
Element Three embarked on a research process combining qualitative interviews and quantitative analysis. The methodology was tailored to uncover specific dynamics within the dealer network and customer base. This included:
- One-on-one Dealer Interviews: Conducted interviews with dealers across high- and low-performing markets to understand barriers to success, communication breakdowns, and opportunities for support.
- Quantitative Data Analysis: Analyzed 3rd-party data to identify patterns and anomalies in market sales.
- Influencer Engagement Exploration: Evaluated the role of design stakeholders in the purchasing journey to assess their influence and determine how they could be better integrated into the manufacturer’s ecosystem.
Key Findings
- A Void of Marketing Support and Enablement: In-market sales teams were owning awareness and conversion without much support from corporate marketing to help warm and qualify leads.
- Misunderstood Pains for Purchase Influencers: Dealers’ delivery and service were more important to the purchase influencers than the OEM brands and products themselves—brand preference was not top-of-mind.
- Varying Needs from a Varied Dealer Base: The research revealed that larger dealers wanted to take the lead on how they generate growth in the market—with the manufacturer supporting them however they can. Whereas smaller (challenger) dealers were looking for the manufacturer to show them the way and help clear a path for them.
- The Consumer Wasn’t the Only Customer: The manufacturer did not previously see dealers as a key customer alongside those making the final purchase. And both OEM and dealers needed to view the other influencers in the design process as a key customer to engage with marketing and sale communications.
THE OUTCOME
Actionable Insights Delivered
Based on these findings, Element Three provided the client with a series of strategic recommendations. These insights and recommendations were also shown to all dealers who participated in the research.
- Test localized awareness campaigns, funded by the OEM, and leverage OEM-provided research insights, creative assets, and performance tracking infrastructure.
- Provide OEM-developed marketing resources to create a more consistent customer experience from manufacturer to dealer, and coach dealers on brand strategy best practices.
- Establish a consistent operating cadence with dealers that spans strategy and goal communication, a published KPI scorecard, and a forum for elevating issues to discuss/resolve quickly.
- Launch a new showroom to serve as an amplifier of dealers’ position in the market and an engine for influencer engagement.
This comprehensive research uncovered the organizational and market dynamics that were limiting the client’s growth in these markets. By focusing on both dealer relationships and design influencer engagement, the insights provided a roadmap for addressing market disparities and achieving long-term success.
Our broader team needs to hear these insights. There’s a roadmap here that could be rolled out in other regions.
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