Today’s B2B buyers are savvier than ever. With a few swipes, they can compare products, check reviews, and get trusted recommendations. In markets where product differentiation is razor-thin, dealer training becomes your greatest opportunity to stand out. By equipping your dealer network with expert knowledge and service skills, you can improve customer loyalty, drive aftermarket revenue, and win more deals.

On average, aftermarket services have a 17%–33% profit margin for industrial manufacturers, according to Boston Consulting Group. A Deloitte study found that 40%–50% of the overall profit that many large OEMs generate comes from aftermarket services. Having a well-trained dealer network with a thriving maintenance, repair, and service offering is a must-have for B2B success and generating ongoing revenue.

Unfortunately, there’s often a gap between the service training that dealers need and the education that B2B companies provide. A McKinsey study estimated that industrial companies lose up to 10% of revenue due to bad organizational practices, such as viewing service as a cost center, treating service as a separate entity, allowing disjointed service sales and delivery departments, and “excessive decentralization of delivery.” Sound familiar?

Don’t leave revenue on the table. A strong dealer training program empowers your network to deliver top-tier service, improves dealer relationship management, and drives sales.

Here are three ways to make sure your dealers have the training necessary to succeed.  

1. Create a Targeted Dealer Training Strategy 

Develop an ongoing dealer training strategy that takes advantage of existing opportunities, channels, and events, like quarterly or annual sales meetings, webinars or teleconferences, dealer/distributor summits, and on-site visits. Also invest in new opportunities, such as online learning management systems, virtual training events, video training series, and social enterprise networks like Slack or Salesforce’s Chatter. Build the foundation for a robust training program that is continually updated with timely and relevant content.

2. Boost Dealer Training Outcomes With Peer Learning

If you’re a manufacturer or producer of just about any product, you have a wealth of knowledge and expertise for educating dealers and distributors. Another benefit you offer is the ability to facilitate cross-sharing and peer learnings across your dealer/distributor networks. In our work with clients, we see B2B companies experience significant benefits when they bring their dealer network together to learn from one another. Creating connections between dealers/distributors (who don’t compete with each other) gives them real-world experience and wisdom from peers who have the same challenges and have found solutions. Help create an environment for them to teach each other and share best practices.

3. Customize Dealer Training To Fit Every Learning Style

When creating educational and training materials, it’s really important to keep your dealer network’s needs and learning preferences in mind. Technology has completely changed the learning process — allowing people to watch a video, explore an interactive learning site, or “talk” with their instructors and classmates through online forums, video chats, or social networks. But there are still many learners who prefer more traditional methods, like workbooks and in-person classroom experiences. Provide a mix of opportunities to reach everyone.

Why Investing in Dealer and Channel Growth Pays Off

Smart B2B companies go beyond just building and selling products — they also invest in dealer marketing strategies to strengthen dealer engagement and brand positioning, ensuring long-term success. Are you helping them grow their business? Are you educating their staff? Do you offer business training as well as product and sales training? If not, it’s time to focus on delivering exceptional dealer training to empower your network.

Our team has decades of experience in optimizing B2B dealer channels for clients. We provide in-person training, create classes for online universities, and develop educational videos and workbooks that help dealer networks succeed. We can help you get started or enhance what you’re already doing. Contact us to find out more.