CredenceResearch Logo

Channel Partner Satisfaction Studies

How do distributors and dealers rate you, and what would make them sell more of your products?

Distributors, dealers, resellers and installers decide how much effort a brand gets in front of the end customer. A channel partner satisfaction study measures how they rate a supplier against the alternatives they also carry, and what would earn more of their attention. Credence Research runs the study independently, so partners can speak openly, and links the results to practical changes in the channel program.

Discuss your partner studySee the deliverables

When a channel partner study is the right tool

These studies help when sales depend on partners and the supplier needs an honest view of how it is seen.

Falling share through partners

Find out whether partners are shifting effort to other brands, and why.

Redesigning a partner program

Test which margins, rebates, training or marketing support partners value most before changing the program.

Expanding into new territories

Learn what dealers in a new region expect from a supplier before signing them up.

Tracking relationship health

Repeat the study each year to see whether actions taken have improved satisfaction.

Questions a channel partner study answers

Overall standing

  • How satisfied are partners overall, and how likely are they to recommend the supplier?
  • How does the supplier compare with other brands the partner carries?
  • Which partners are at risk of reducing effort?

Program elements

  • How do partners rate margins, rebates and payment terms?
  • Is product availability and delivery reliable?
  • How useful are training, marketing funds and sales tools?

People and processes

  • How responsive are account managers and technical support?
  • How easy are ordering, returns and warranty claims?
  • Where does friction cost partners time or money?

Growth

  • What would lead partners to sell more of the brand?
  • Which new products or services would they welcome?
  • Which partner segments offer the most room to grow?

Choosing the right method

Partner studies usually combine a structured survey with interviews, because numbers show where problems are and conversations explain them.

Choosing the method for a channel partner study
NeedPartner surveyPartner interviewsBest choice
Score satisfaction across many partnersComparable ratings for every partnerToo few to compare segmentsSurvey
Understand reasons for low scoresLimited to closed questionsDetailed explanations and examplesInterviews
Reach large dealers and key accountsResponse can be low for senior ownersScheduled calls suit themInterviews
Track change year to yearSame questions repeated each waveHard to compare over timeSurvey

Illustrative example

This example is illustrative. It shows how a study could be designed and does not describe a client project.

Reviewing a dealer program for agricultural equipment

Illustrative example
Business question
A maker of irrigation equipment has seen flat sales through its dealers and wants to know how dealers rate it against two rival brands they also stock.
Approach
An independent online and telephone survey of active dealers across its main regions, followed by interviews with a selection of high-volume and declining dealers.
Outputs
Satisfaction and recommendation scores by region and dealer size, ratings of each program element against rival brands, and a ranked list of improvements dealers ask for.
Decision supported
Which program changes to fund first and which dealers need direct follow-up from the sales team.

How research quality is protected

Primary research is only as good as the people who answer and the way questions are asked. Each study applies safeguards at every stage, and the report states the limits that remain.

Common risks in this type of research and how they are handled
RiskSafeguardWhere it shows in the output
Wrong people answeringScreening questions on role, purchase involvement and recent behavior, with verification for hard-to-reach audiencesSample profile table in the method note
Leading or unclear questionsNeutral wording, review by a second researcher and a pilot before full fieldworkFinal questionnaire or guide included in the appendix
Sponsor biasThe sponsoring company is not named to participants unless the study requires itMethod note states how the study was introduced
Partners softening criticismInvitations and follow-ups come from Credence Research, and individual answers stay confidentialResponse profile and confidentiality terms in the method note

Where a finding rests on a small number of responses or a single source, the report says so plainly.

What this study does not include

The study measures partner views; it does not act on the relationship directly.

  • Negotiation with partners on behalf of the supplier
  • Disclosure of an individual partner's answers without their consent
  • Audits of partner financial records

Respondents take part voluntarily, give informed consent and are told how their answers are used. Personal data is handled under applicable data protection law and recognized market research codes of conduct, and individual answers are reported only in aggregate unless a respondent agrees otherwise. Partners are told that individual answers are shared with the supplier only in aggregate, unless they choose otherwise.

What you receive

Outputs are agreed at scoping; this is a typical set.

  • Partner list and questionnaire

    The partner sample, survey questions and interview guide.

    Use it to agree coverage and measures.

  • Satisfaction scorecard

    Overall and element-level scores by partner segment and region.

    Use it to see where the relationship is strong or weak.

  • Competitive comparison

    How the supplier rates against other brands partners carry.

    Use it to set priorities against real alternatives.

  • Driver analysis

    Which program elements most affect overall satisfaction and intended effort.

    Use it to focus budget where it will matter.

  • Action plan workshop

    A session to turn findings into program changes and follow-up steps.

    Use it to assign owners and timing.

How a channel partner study works

  1. 1

    ScopingPartner types, regions, competitor brands to compare and key measures are agreed.

  2. 2

    DesignThe survey and interview guide are drafted, with questions phrased neutrally so the sponsor's view does not lead answers.

  3. 3

    FieldworkPartners are invited by Credence Research, not the supplier's sales team, and complete the survey online or by phone; interviews follow for selected partners.

  4. 4

    AnalysisScores are cut by segment, compared with rival brands and examined for the drivers of satisfaction.

  5. 5

    ReportingResults are presented with clear priorities and, if repeated annually, with trend comparisons.

Frequently asked questions

Discuss your partner study

Tell an analyst which partners you work with, where they are, and what you want to learn about the relationship.

What happens next

A Credence Research analyst reviews the brief and makes contact to discuss scope, method and sample. If existing research can answer the question, the analyst points to it.

Phone