It’s an ironic situation. There are areas in the country where channel players are fighting for representation and are struggling to get their vendors’ attention. Then there are places that have more than one association, with both claiming to work for the betterment of the channel community and at the same time bad-mouthing each other.
Whenever there is over-representation or under-representation, the partner’s concerns and grievances are inadequately addressed and solutions compromised upon. The fear of losing a vendor’s interest drives the partner from regions with no association to accept whatever solutions he is offered. As both he and the vendor know that his bargaining power is limited. When there is more than one association representing a territory, the associations face the prospect of compromising on their demands to gain an advantage over their rivals. At the end of the day nobody wins – neither the association nor the partner.
This column is not advocating the continuance of inefficient associations or indifferent office-bearers. Instead, it is stressing on the importance of there being strength in numbers. When a petition is backed by the support of the majority, there is no way it is going to be dismissed. Splitting the channel community, in order to combat an inefficient existing association, is not the solution.
As a businessman if you face a problem in the company, whether it is from a non-performing employee or an unreasonable demand from the vendor, would you just close shop and call it quits? I don’t think so. So, why do so with the association you are affiliated with? Why are there so many non-functional channel associations across the country? But more importantly, why are there so many absentee members in these associations?
Dissolve the defaulting associations; throw out the corrupt and inefficient office-bearers, demand a meeting empower yourself. It is your interest after all that is at stake.
Stop being indifferent!