Designing a distribution channel strategy change pattern

 In the current era, companies are facing challenges and intense pressures of the competitive market, including globalization, competition and cooperation, diversity of customer needs, and a short product life cycle. Marketers are also faced with a complex mix of technology-driven channels. At one time, the way to enter the market was done linearly and directly in the form of sales to distributors, retailers, or by using the sales force, while today, managers are faced with multiple ways to do sales and distribution and the opportunity to compete. Innovation in distribution channel strategies and innovation in products has arisen more than before. With technological advances and increasing the level of competition and the importance of access to the market, reducing the cost of serving customers, creating a distinctive experience for customers, and creating loyalty in them by providing faster and better-quality services than competitors, the need to review the current strategies of the distribution channel and move to Soy has made the combined distribution structure even more important.
  The main goal of the current research is to design a pattern for changing the distribution channel strategy from the experts' point of view. This research was conducted using a qualitative method using the data-based theory approach. The statistical population of this research is executive managers involved in the issue of distribution and sales channels in the fields of clothing, food, and electronic consumer goods. In this research, 16 experts were interviewed, and from the 13th interview onwards, the data was repeated and theoretically sufficient. In this research, the purposeful theoretical sampling method was used. The interview started with questions about the reasons, factors, and signs affecting the need to change the distribution channel strategy, and according to the answers of the interviewees, other questions were also designed and raised.
  The results of open and axial coding showed that 140 open codes, 36 concepts, and 10 categories can be extracted. In axial coding, the primary codes and categories created in open coding are compared, and similar codes are merged. At this stage, the coding paradigm is formed and placed in six categories: causal conditions, central category, intervening conditions, background factors, strategy, and consequence. The theorems that can be extracted from the paradigmatic model were shown as follows:Theorem 1: Factors and prerequisites for changing the distribution channel strategy, including accessibility to customers, customer experience, customer service cost, customer relationship with the organization, and proactive and forward-looking actions of the company.
Theorem 2: The factors and prerequisites for changing the distribution channel strategy through changing the composition of the distribution channel strategy, the availability of infrastructure and resources, the type and nature of the industry, the core competence and view of company managers, and the review and redesign of distribution channels lead to results and achievements. It becomes functional.
Theorem 3: The availability of infrastructure and resources (financial, human, and technological), as well as the type and nature of the industry, moderates the relationship between the category of changing the distribution strategy and its results and achievements.
Theorem 4: The core competency and the view of the company managers, the facilitator, and the foundation for the review and redesign of the distribution channels lead to the achievement of performance results and achievements.
Theorem 5: Changing the distribution channel strategy through reviewing and redesigning the distribution channels leads to performance results and achievements.
The results of the research show that the factors and signs of the necessity of change in the channel strategy can be classified into 10 main categories, which include: accessibility to customers, customer experience, customer service cost, customer relationship with the organization, proactive measures, the future of the company, the availability of infrastructure and resources, the type and nature of the industry, the core competency and the view of the company's managers, and the review and redesign of distribution channels, results, and performance achievements.
According to the results of this research, it is suggested that the managers and officials of the companies get rid of the pressures caused by the daily activities and also based on the expectations of the customers, not being satisfied with the acquired value from the current approach of the distribution channel. Evaluate and accept the logical risk of adopting new distribution channel approaches. Investment in infrastructure and customer life cycle management and including them in the design and revision of the distribution channel strategy should be prioritized. Focus on improving the customer experience through the design and management of new combined channels, despite the cost. In the organization of the support staff and their coordination and integration, plan for extensive training and the use of advanced systems, as well as review the achievable flexible capacity.