After distributor selection: a practical first 90 days together
Turn a distributor appointment into shared responsibilities, product training, market activity and a review based on evidence.
Editorial desk
Selecting a distributor starts the working relationship. Trade.gov’s Thailand guide stresses ongoing training, marketing and technical support, and frequent contact. Our proposed worksheet uses the first 90 days to put those principles into practice. Ninety days is an editorial planning rhythm, not an official requirement or a promise of sales.
Begin the kickoff meeting by identifying responsibilities. The Thailand guide notes that local channels commonly manage regulatory matters, permits, customs clearance and logistics. For each relevant task, record the manufacturer’s, distributor’s or service provider’s owner, deliverable and open questions. Familiarity with a market does not establish that every responsibility has been accepted.
Choose a focused product group and end-user segment. The official guide links channel selection to product type and customer segment. Agree which models, applications and buyers to prioritize at the start, rather than asking the distributor to promote the entire catalogue at once. Record other opportunities for review after actual feedback becomes available.
Make the first training phase produce something observable. In response to the guide’s emphasis on continuing technical support, arrange a demonstration and questions session. Ask the distributor to explain uses, limitations and common questions in their own words. Maintain an unanswered-questions list with a response owner, so uncertain information is checked before it reaches customers.
Use the next phase for joint market contact. Following the guide’s marketing-support principle, review product literature, demonstrations and local-language explanations together, then interview a manageable group of relevant customers. Record their application, concerns and next step. This gives both sides concrete demand to discuss rather than only a count of names.
Clarify aftersales work before the first transactions. The Thailand guide explains that local agents or distributors can provide service and replacement parts. Rehearse one customer issue through intake, assessment, technical escalation and parts arrangements, identifying who can approve each action. Keep unresolved service scope and costs visible as decisions still to be made.
Hold regular reviews of market information and activity. The Ireland guide recommends close liaison with distributors and customers and prompt acknowledgement of correspondence. Use a shared record of customer conversations, unresolved questions, support needs and next actions, with one person maintaining it so issues do not disappear across separate email chains.
At the end of the period, decide what deserves the next investment. The Ireland guide identifies sustained promotion, product adaptation and aftersales service as market-development factors. Check whether customer feedback supports the initial choices, then decide on product changes, further training or wider promotion. Produce a jointly confirmed plan with aligned responsibilities, resources and dates.