Report on Channel Partner Query Management.

By: Ankit Ranjan

Summer intern at Dtdc Express Limited, Patna (Bihar)
IMS Unison University, Dehra dun.

To: Ms Gurkiran Walia

Manager-Channel Partner Development.
 Introduction
As we all know that, a channel partner is a type of company that partner with a
manufacturer or producer to market and sell the manufacturers products,
services, or technologies. This is usually done through a co-branding
relationship.
DTDC Express Limited is a Franchisee (channel partner) based company who
use franchisee as a medium to provide the services to their customers i.e.
delivery of courier or parcel from one place to another place.
DTDC Express Limited has its large network of more than 10500 franchisees i.e.
channel partners and services to over 10,500 pin codes while handling more
than 12 million shipments every month which is one the remarkable
achievement of this company in the field of logistics.
Here, in this report I will analyze the data and issues of 25 channel partners or
franchisees which I collected by help of given questionnaires from the side of
the company and also propose solutions for the identified issues.
Queries and issue be like:
Functional issues, Operational issues, Management issues etc. that the
CPs faces during every everyday functioning.
Measuring the above mentioned issues and understanding of gap areas
by the help of questionnaires.
Et cetera.
 QUESTIONNAIRE ANALYSIS
1. Experience (in Partnership with DTDC) in years.

In Patna area almost every type of CPs/franchisees present which means very
experienced and as well as less experienced. I had visited 25 CPs in Patna area
and find out that many franchisees are partnership with DTDC with above 20
years and many are newly opened and some are handling the business from 10
to 15 years.
In straight forward almost all category of CPs are present in Patna area which is
mentioned in the questionnaire.

2. What type of customers do you serve(regular/ walk-in/business firms etc)?

Every CPs/Franchisees in Patna area served all four type of customers which is
mentioned in the given questionnaire i.e.
Business
Walk-in
Business(Repeat/Regular)
Walk-in (Repeat/Regular)

3. My CME/CMO has updated me about not booking consignment (original

documents) such as Aadhar Card, PAN card, Passport, Driving license etc.

ISSUES: Some of Franchisee/CPs are do not aware about the not booking original
consignment like adhar card, pan card, driving license. They only know about the
how to book the passport (they know only that they can send 4 passport in a single
time.)
Solution: Every CMO/CME in the city must aware their respective CPs regarding
booking of these type of consignment. We all know that not every CPs are very
literate and qualified to handle these type of booking. So, CMEs should regularly
escalate the emails attached information regarding these type of bookings.
 4. I regularly get intimated about any changes made in the organization, be it
introduction of new products, policies or benefits.
ISSUES: This is not a very big issue almost every CPs get the information regarding
any changes happen in organization like few are mentioned above in the questions.
But few of the CPs don not properly get these information its due to their area
where their respective CME visit rarely or due to availability of computer device or
proper internet connections.
Solution: CMEs/CMOs should must visit time to time their respective franchisee to
provide information regarding changes which happen in the organization and also
suggest them to setup a computer system in their shop with good internet
connections so, they get the proper information regarding any changes from their
CMO and also from organization.

5. Escalations through Emails are quickly acknowledged and responded.

There is no such big issue regarding this because every CMOs regularly acknowledge
the emails of the every franchisees and provide the relative information regarding
their issues. Sometimes response from the side of the company may gets late its due
to the IT issue but ultimately they respond within the limited period of time.
 6. The company does additional activities* which help me increase my sales.

Yes, almost 70% franchisees admit that company does additional activities but it
does not help them in increasing their sales its because improper circulation of
information from the side of company or improper communications. Yet rest of the
CPs also admitted that activities like world cup help them in increasing their sales.
Solution: Company should must perform promotional activities in proper interval of
time and should also focus on the regular advertisement in newspapers, televisions,
radio etc. So, it will directly made an impact on the sales of the CPs.

7. Customer Experience*(while booking consignments) does matter in

customer retention.

All 25 CPs are strongly agree with this statement and have no issue regarding this in
their day to day business. They believe that all customers are like diamond for them
so they try their best to provide the services.
 8. DTDC does activities for post sales service.

According to the all 25 CPs where I visited in my city, few of them are full agree and
admitted that DTDC does post sales services, few of are partially agree with the given
statement and few of are totally disagree with this statement. And it is true that
many post service complains are still pending in the ofiice.

Solution: As we all know that DTDC Express Limited is not a manufacturing company
its a completely service providing company so, company should partially improve the
post sales service policies like ensuring the safety of goods, mishandling of parcels etc
otherwise company may lose the customers.

9. Smart Tracker-2 is good in terms of convenience.

Here in Patna area all the franchisees still using smart tracker 1. They told me during
the research that smart tracker 2 is still not launched in Patna. So, they still using
smart tracker 1 and it is very good in the terms of convenience. Almost CPs are
satisfied with the function of smart tracker 1 and they do not have any complain
regarding this except 2 or 3 CPs who expresses that sometimes due to IT problem
smat tracker stop working properly.
So, here my proposal is that company should also focus little bit on IT issues in case of
smart tracker so, companys CPs do not get difficulties in tracking parcels.
 10. Special Quoted Consignments(Fragile, Urgent, valuable) are being delivered
safely to the receiver.
ISSUES: No, all type of special quoted consignments are not safely delivered to the
respective customers. The main problem with the special quoted consignments
specially with fragile items is that many of the franchisees do not want to book such
items due to risk. Because they think that fragile items generally get broken in
between source point to the receiver and it all happen due to bad operation or
handling. And there is no any problem with the urgent and valuable items.
Solution: Company or companys CMEs should give proper idea regarding packaging
of fragile items so it wont get broke during operation or transportation. Hard and
tight packaging may protect the items and also may it help in safety delivery of parcel
to the customers.
 11. Ilose my credit customers majorly due to delay in delivery of their booked
consignments.
ISSUES: According to the survey on 25 CPs almost 90% of them agreed that they lost
their credit customers majorly due to delay in delivery of their booked consignments.
They had mention few basic points that why delay in delivery happen generally ?
some of are follows:
1. Due to weather condition in particular city.
2. Mishandling of parcel.
3. Due to Operational issues.
4. Loading issues
5. Et cetera.
Solution: Company should more focus on their operational as well as IT issues. They
must ensure all CPs that delivery boy should be very legal and have proper
knowledge regarding all areas in the particular city. Seniors of the company
personally invigilate that why sometimes major delay in delivery happen and give
proper solution regarding that.

12. I have faced problem with the contact details of other CP's?

Out of 25 CPs very few are got problem like this otherwise almost CPs are not
having complain regarding this question. All are well connected to each other
and have proper communication among themselves
13. I face difficulty with payment mode while paying T/s to DTDC.

As you see in the all 25 questionnaires all of them are disagree with this
problem. That means no CPs have/had any difficulty with mode of payment
while paying T/s to DTDC. Some CPs pay T/s by NEFT, Some of them pay by the
medium of cash etc.

14. My employees need training* from DTDC.

Almost all 25 CPs owners agreed and admitted that their employees should get
training. Thats because each and every franchisees employees always present
at the shop even when owner is not present itself so, they have to perform
several serious task like booking consignments, tacking parcels etc. So, each
franchisee think that if they dont have knowledge regarding these things and
also regarding different product and services how can he manage these work in
the shop. So, it is essential that all employees must undergo few week of
training so, they properly handle day to day work without any problems.
 15. My CME meets me very often to address my problems.

ISSUES: Out of 25 CPs 9 or 10 CPs admitted that their CME came to meet very often
at their shop. They just addressed their problems through emails and through
WhatsApp messages and also through calls.
Solution: All CMEs should must visit their respective franchisee regularly or on
certain interval of time and listen their issue or problems siting formally face to face
instead of telephonic calls and then after they should give proper solution to their
problems.

16. I am satisfied with the responsiveness of problems addressed by the CMEs

Yes, almost all CPs are satisfied with the responsiveness of problems addressed
by their respective CMEs except 1 or 2 whose CMEs visit rarely to their shops,
they just solve the problems either through telephone call or emails.

17. We have regular Franchisee engagement programs

Yes, DTDC have regular conduct the franchisee engagement programs. There is
no issue regarding this question. All franchisee regularly attend the programs
and every time they learn something new.
 18. The DTDC management acknowledges and rewards me on my success.
(Positive change in sales/service)
Yes, many franchisees admitted that they got rewards according to their
success like on completion of target sales, positive change in services etc. Few
of franchisee of out of 25 have still not got any rewards because they may not
involve in doing such things which mentioned in the question above.
Company should encourage these type of franchisee regarding doing positive
change in sales and services and also give them idea related to how to achieve
sales target within the given period of time. So, they can also come in the
category of reward getting franchisees.

19. There are no issues with the IT.

ISSUES: Smart tracker problems in day to day business, Online tracking problem,
Booking date and location problems etc.
Solution: We all know that IT problem is a common thing these days in every small or
big organization because it completely not in any humans hand. IT problems
generally happen due to crashing of server or slow server or bad weather or
sometimes due to technical issue of the devices. So, I would like to suggest the
company that deploy a proper and well educated and skilled IT engineers team in
every states where DTDCs major offices are present. Company should properly
interviewed the person and analyze properly regarding weather the interviewee is
underdog or skilled.
20. List
down 3 prominent festivals in your region around which you expect
increase in sales.
The 3 prominent festivals in patna around which all CPs are expect increase in
sales are as follows:
1. Raksha bandhan
2. Chath puja
3. Diwali.

23.Attractive schemes on pricing for customers or internal sales contests

amongst franchisees will help me increasing business during these festivals.

Yes, it will directly help each franchisee in increasing business during festivals.
But till date no any internal sales contest amongst franchisee has happen during
festivals time. And they arrange the pricing scheme according to themselves
during festivals time like diving some discount, free packaging etc.

24. There is scope for participation in melas/mandis/marketing

activities in and around local hot spots during these festivals.

during my survey out of 25 franchisees half of them are agree with this
statement and always participate in melas/mandis/marketing activities in and
around local hot spots during these festivals by installing canopy , decorative
table and chairs, provide prashad near river during chath puja etc. And rest half
of the franchisees are do not care about these things they just do their daily
business without any extra activities.
 25. Please mention any other ideas that will work for sales promotion
during these festivals.

1. Advertisement in newspapers, televisions, Radio jockey etc. during festival seasons.

2. Banners and posters should be hung on every major corner of the city/towns.
3. New pricing scheme for customers for certain period of time.
4. By installing canopy near colleges/universities.
5. Communicating the different offers to customers before starting of festival seasons.
6. Services should be more good rather than daily business days
7. Sponsoring celebration/events.
8. Special offers and discounts.