Schneider Electric is launching its pro-retailer channel programme in the South African market, aimed at supporting the company’s indirect partner network.
Bradley Archer, virtual accounts manager at Schneider Electric, explains that apart from a limited number of direct partners (business-to-business distributors), customers have not been able to open direct accounts with Schneider Electric for many years.
Indirect partners (business-to-consumer resellers), such as smaller hardware and electrical supply shops, could only source some stock from Schneider Electric and the rest from its direct partners.
These retailers typically resell Schneider Electric’s full range of low voltage (LV) electrical distribution products and systems, including circuit breakers, buses, and enclosures.
“We noticed a large gap in the market in terms of our indirect partners. They didn’t have access to our full basket of products, so to purchase all the stock that Schneider Electric offers was a rather complicated process for them,” says Archer.
He explains that any indirect partner can sign up for the pro-retailer channel programme, and there are no qualifying criteria. The only condition is that a pro-retailer must achieve a target of R200 000 sales per year of Schneider Electric products to receive maximum benefits.
However, Archer says that participating retailers and distributors do qualify for several benefits as part of the programme, including product support from a virtual account manager and incentives if certain targets are reached.
“We also have agreements in place where the Pro-Retailers are eligible for rebates if they reach certain immediate targets every year. These rebates are paid through our distributors, so while we do not have a direct financial relationship with the pro-retailers, we still do manage and foster these relationships,” says Archer.
Pro-retailers will also have access to training and certification on the full range of Schneider Electric products, both physically and via the company’s virtual platform. While this is not mandatory, Pro-Retailers who choose to attain the certification will complete the same comprehensive training as distributors.