A big manufacturing group in the structural products sector wanted to find out the reasons for sales problems encountered by one of its subsidiaries.

It then needed to have help to completely redefine its subsidiary's marketing mix (sales and distribution strategy, structure of its range, decision on products to be developed).

Substantial preliminary work of auditing the business and its market involvement context was first of all undertaken in cooperation with internal staff. It enabled an initial report to be drafted on the company's range and strategy.

A field phase, based on 75 in-depth person-to-person interviews and 320 semi-structured interviews by phone, then allowed an analysis of the company's image and the positioning, and of the appropriateness of its strategy to the needs of the various players in the sector (firms and builders' merchants).

The investigation phase also highlighted the company's strong points / weak points compared to its main competitors, and the winning strategies in the sector.

The results obtained

The results of the research enabled the company to be aware that its difficulties were not caused by a deficient product range as it had initially supposed, but from a sales strategy and positioning that were not suitable.

DEVELOPPEMENT CONSTRUCTION's recommendations enabled to company to undertake a complete redefinition of its sales and distribution strategy, then of its marketing mix, which resulted in a resumption in the growth of its business and turnover.