---
title: "When Distributors Complain, What Should a Regional Manager Do?"
description: "Distributor complaints are common for regional managers, but handling them requires skill. This article explains how to distinguish genuine complaints from false ones using the 'one look, three questions' method, and offers strategies for addressing real issues by soothing emotions and solving problems, illustrated with a case study of a small appliance brand."
author: "马坚行"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2019-08-01"
language: "en"
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# When Distributors Complain, What Should a Regional Manager Do?

> Distributor complaints are common for regional managers, but handling them requires skill. This article explains how to distinguish genuine complaints from false ones using the 'one look, three questions' method, and offers strategies for addressing real issues by soothing emotions and solving problems, illustrated with a case study of a small appliance brand.

Click 'Read Original' for details.
As a regional manager, hearing complaints from distributors is perfectly normal. Comments like "Your company ships so slowly that customers have cancelled orders," "Every manufacturer is running promotions except you," or "Your products have problems again; I won't recommend your brand anymore" are all too common. Just like a married couple, occasional arguments and bickering are part of real life. Are there distributors who never complain? Yes—those who don't take your brand seriously and don't care whether they sell more or less.
Although regional managers hear many complaints, they must not take them lightly. Sometimes, mishandling a complaint can escalate the situation, potentially leading to a collective "rebellion" among distributors. Therefore, handling distributor complaints requires skill.
Just as in retail sales, when a customer says the price is too high, the underlying reason could be that they genuinely think it's expensive, they don't intend to buy and are making an excuse, or they like the product but want to negotiate. Distributor complaints can also be genuine or false. Determining their authenticity is the first step in handling them.
**How to judge the authenticity of complaints? Use the 'one look, three questions' method.**
**1. Look at the timing.** If the complaint arises when you are setting tasks, requesting resources, or announcing "unfavorable" news to the distributor, it is likely an excuse to make a fuss.
**2. Ask 'why'. "** Why do you think that?" "Why do you think this method isn't good?" After asking, listen to the distributor's response. If they speak vaguely or change the subject, it's a false complaint. If they go into details, it's a genuine complaint.
**3. Ask 'what to do'. "** What do you think we should do?" Listen to the distributor's proposed solution to understand their real needs.
**4. Ask 'if we solve this problem, can you achieve your goals?'** See if the distributor dares to accept the challenge. If they do, it's a genuine complaint.
In market operations, some things do harm distributors' interests. So, if a complaint is genuine, how should a regional manager handle it? Eight words: soothe emotions, solve problems.
**Three methods to soothe emotions: sincerity, note-taking, and empathy.** Some problems can be solved by the regional manager, while others cannot. Regardless, you should be sincere, take notes seriously, and show empathy to ease the distributor's emotions.
When it comes to solving problems, you need both ability and the right mindset. Don't fear difficulties, withstand tough questioning, and endure grievances. Many problems are categorized by regional managers as "beyond my ability," but they can often be solved with some creativity.
Before the Chinese New Year, I conducted training for a well-known small appliance brand. During pre-course interviews, I learned about a situation. This brand had once been dominant in the market but had recently shown signs of decline. Last year, the company implemented a series of reforms with significant results, greatly enhancing product strength. At the same time, the company adjusted its after-sales service policy. Previously, distributors could return or exchange goods at will, which added considerable costs to the manufacturer. Now, the return/exchange policy has been standardized. However, the new policy triggered strong backlash from distributors. Each distributor's warehouse and network had many years' worth of slow-moving inventory, and the inability to freely return or exchange goods would cause them significant losses.
Distributors work hard all year, with net profits of about 4-5 percentage points. After inventory checks, slow-moving items could wipe out half a year or even most of a year's profits. Naturally, distributors were unhappy. One distributor even told their store staff in front of the regional manager to stop selling the brand. Many regional managers hated the new policy and complained that it was unreasonable. However, some regional managers handled the issue well. Manager Chen, responsible for the Henan market, also found the problem tricky, but since the company had set the policy, he sought ways to manage it. After thinking it through, he took a series of measures to reduce conflicts between the manufacturer and distributors over after-sales issues:
> 1. Policy advocacy: ensure distributors fully understand the policy to reduce resistance.
> 2. Inventory assessment: review distributor and channel inventory, and use promotions to clear slow-moving stock.
> 3. Coordinate exchanges between distributors.
> 4. Assist distributors in network communication (especially with core networks).
> 5. Promote new products (slow-moving items are all old products with poor quality and design; new products are better in both aspects).
> 6. Improve inventory management: avoid arbitrary stock pressure, and purchase reasonably based on sales performance of different products.
> 7. Apply for special policies or compensate through promotional policies in individual cases.
> 8. Strengthen product sell-through.
In the end, as he put it: "Turn big problems into small ones, and small ones into nothing." He and his team did a lot of work. When you work earnestly, distributors see it, and they will develop recognition and respect for you. You can even turn bad things into good and problems into opportunities. No manufacturer is perfect, and no product is perfect, but a regional manager can reduce distributor complaints through effort and achieve a perfect result.
Source: Ma Jianxing on Marketing


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