Mitigating Channel Conflict: Rules Of Engagement

Channel conflict, which arises when suppliers’ direct sales organization and channel partners (or multiple channel partners) vie for the same business with the same brand, is one of the most difficult challenges facing multichannel suppliers. However, if left unmanaged, channel conflict can degrade the customer experience, erode margins, and cause valuable partners to disengage. In this report, we describe how rules of engagement can be an effective tool for mitigating channel conflict and provide insights on how to create a clear, concise, and effective policy document.