The Expanding Role of Services

Capability gaps remain in a number of important areas

Most distributors already offer some form of services as part of their portfolio of offerings--whether as an element of an integrated product/service bundle or as a discrete offering available regardless of whether or not a product is purchased.

Capability gaps remain in a number of important areas, including accurately defining the scope of the service, ensuring the service addresses a specific customer or supplier need, managing the portfolio of services as an integral part of the business rather than a side offering, creating a consistent approach for delivering services efficiently (that is, at cost acceptable to the distributor), and convincing customers of the value of being delivered.

ACTION POINT: Understand the scope, need and costs associated with delivering services to your customers.