It's not always your distributor's fault!
5 steps to follow before you "divorce":
Often, changing distributor is like divorcing a partner.
One always thinks that it's the other one's fault.
It's all about managing expectations.

We tend to focus on the look and feel of that relationship but we rarely consider it that is based on shared values:

  • do we want the same results from "our" brand in "their" market?
  • are we aligned on the pace at which to build "our" brand?
  • are we aligned in terms of mindset and ways of working?
  • are we on the same company maturity / development stage?
  • are we aligned in level of depth of reporting and frequency?
    in a nutshell: are our expectations aligned?

It's easy to agree on a ppt vision.
Less so when real life kicks in.
Contracts cover hard factors. Relationships fall-out on soft factors.
Divorces are also expensive…
Are you sure you will be better off?
If you don’t manage expectations, not.

Unclear in house, unclear in market.