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B2B research and consulting, led by people who have run businesses.

Industrial and business-to-business companies need two things from us: research among customers, dealers, suppliers and employees who are hard to reach and short of time, and consulting that turns market evidence into a decision. Our B2B practice is led by a dedicated head and draws on sector specialists, including a veteran automotive consultant.

B2B research

Customer, dealer and channel satisfaction and loyalty. Buyer journey and decision-unit mapping. Corporate reputation among stakeholders. Product and service concept testing with professional buyers. Employee and supplier studies, etc. Interviews with senior people are conducted by senior people.

Consulting

Feasibility and development. Market entry and expansion. Market intelligence and competitive monitoring. Stakeholder experience and brand transformation. See the consulting practice for how each works.

Sectors

Chemicals and specialty chemicals; oil and gas; metals and minerals; heavy and light engineering; electricals; logistics; building materials; automotive and agricultural equipment; healthcare; food ingredients; infrastructure, etc.

Where

India, through fieldwork partners we have worked with for years, supervised by our team. Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America through vetted partners. Our consulting work has taken clients into more than fifteen countries.

A glimpse of the work

There is a great deal more; tell us your question and we will show you what fits.

From the work

A regional cement leader lifted advocacy in all four channel and influencer groups; a rival drew level in its home market and price turned out not to drive loyalty

The leading cement brand in its region wanted to hold that position while growing into adjacent markets, and tracked loyalty among the people who sell and specify its product.

Six stakeholder types were interviewed across 17 centres, with every competitor rated by respondents who also dealt with that brand. Each attribute's link to advocacy was tested statistically.

Net Promoter Scores rose in every group between waves, two of them into the excellent band. The read came with two warnings: one rival had drawn level in the client's home market, and affordable pricing, the lowest-scoring attribute everywhere, had no link to advocacy at all. The client received a defence plan built on what actually drove loyalty.

Read the case

The questionHow loyal are our dealers, retailers, engineers and masons, against competitors, and what should we defend?Where17 centres across five states of north-east and east India; two wavesApproachFace-to-face loyalty tracker among dealers, retailers, engineers, contractors and masons, each competitor rated by people who also deal with it; driver analysis of advocacy
Market intelligenceAgricultural equipment (B2B)

Tractor owners rated the original parts highly almost everywhere, so the leakage to will-fit parts came from distance and price, not from quality

How much of a tractor maker's parts business was leaking to will-fit parts, and why. Quality was not the reason; distance and price were.

Market entryChemicals (B2B)

A feasibility study found the domestic market too crowded to justify a new chemical plant, and pointed the client to exports

A new chemical plant that did not get built. Demand sizing and producer mapping showed a crowded market, and the client's capital stayed in the bank.

Market entryWater pumps and agricultural equipment (B2B)

Distributors in two African markets were ready to meet an Indian pump maker, once price, warranty and after-sales were settled

An Indian pump maker, unknown in two African markets. Distributors visited in person, terms recorded, and a ranked list of partners ready to talk.

Market entryAutomotive components and industrial power transmission (B2B)

In a neighbouring market an Indian belt maker had a known name and a quality image, but needed local distributors and an answer to low-cost imports

An Indian belt maker entering a neighbouring market. Size, shares and forty profiled partners, with one lead distributor named per segment and city.

Market intelligenceAgricultural equipment (B2B)

Profiling mid-sized parts manufacturers gave the client a ready list of potential partners for an alternate parts brand

Fifty-six mid-sized parts manufacturers profiled for a tractor maker, turning a competitive threat into a shortlist of potential partners.

Market entryOil and gas, chemicals (B2B)

A refinery by-product found a captive market once the study showed how easily buyers switched suppliers

A refinery by-product in search of buyers. The study showed how easily buyers switched, and long-term agreements turned a market into a captive one.

Thinking about where to go next?

Tell us the move you are considering. A senior consultant comes back with what the market evidence can settle, and what it would take.

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