Navigant Associates is a global training, consulting, and research company specializing in channel sales strategies utilizing 3rd party sales and service partners. We help sales teams design and transform sales channels resulting in higher earnings and customer value.
We help clients recognize their performance gaps, understand best-in-class practices and build strategies to improve their partner relationships, execution skills, ultimately satisfy more customers.
Our partners and advisors bring 100+ years of experience in channel selling. We built careers as sales reps, sales leaders, and business executives—both domestically and as expats in international locations. When we combine real-world experience with the Channel ACE methodology, you have a powerful partner to help you with your channel sales challenges and opportunities.
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Lee Richards
Lee is the Founder and Managing Partner of Navigant Associates and a specialist in complex sales strategies and channel partner development.
His expertise comes from 25+ years leading sales teams around the world including Ingersoll Rand, Gardner Denver, and Cameron Compression. His experience consulting the following 5+ years for global manufacturers in the energy, utility, and industrial markets brings a solid understanding of the culture and process required for a successful organization.
Lee Richards
While his professional career was highlighted by leading a global sales organization, his career started as a machinist working nights through college. In addition to his professional experience, Lee’s education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology along with an MBA from University of Houston.
Navigant Associates is a global training, consulting, and research company specializing in channel sales strategies utilizing 3rd party sales and service partners. We help sales teams design and transform sales channels resulting in higher earnings and customer value.
We help clients recognize their performance gaps, understand best-in-class practices and build strategies to improve their partner relationships, execution skills, ultimately satisfy more customers.
Our partners and advisors bring 100+ years of experience in channel selling. We built careers as sales reps, sales leaders, and business executives—both domestically and as expats in international locations. When we combine real-world experience with the Channel ACE methodology, you have a powerful partner to help you with your channel sales challenges and opportunities.
Channel Sales or Direct Sales? 3 Considerations for a Manufacturer
A week doesn’t go by without a manufacturer questioning a decision to sell direct rather than selling through the channel model they have historically used. Something happens with a channel partner that doesn’t sit well with the vendor and the immediate reaction is “we should just sell direct.” It’s a knee jerk reaction, often without…
Read More
6 Steps to Channel Partner Price Increases
Are You Risking a Price Increase? Just when everything was starting to look up as we come out of the global pandemic, economists and financial gurus are bracing the markets for economic challenges that lie ahead. By now you have read the news or experienced firsthand the impact of global commodity price increases, scarcity of…
Read More
Is it Time for Mid-Year Incentives to Drive Channel Partner Performance?
“How do we jump start partner focus and investments the balance of the year?” is the question many vendors are asking as we reach mid-year. By this point in time, you likely have an estimate of 2022 performance and may have a sinking feeling you are off track. You already know which distributors, reps, and…
Read More
Channel Partners Make Great Dance Partners
It’s common to find manufacturers excel at designing, manufacturing, and servicing quality products within their target markets. Often these businesses are built with talent from technical backgrounds who excel at analytics, problem solving, and discrete business practices. Manufacturers who are leaders in their market also recognize the need for equally successful market and sales expertise.…
Read More
Manufacturers Create their own Grey Markets
All too often, manufacturers create their own grey markets. The following is a real situation with the names changed to protect the innocent. Statewide Distribution, the southern region distributor, came to the manufacturer for another quote on the same product. While the price of the product had not changed over the last 3 years, Statewide…
Read More
Predictable Partnership Behaviors
A good friend of mine is involved in a messy divorce, and he is now in a dark place — the end of the settlement negotiation. Unfortunately, the negotiation is taking longer than his most pessimistic expectation, and each day that passes without a settlement cost him more and more. His legal representative is charging…
Read More
Manufacturer Rep or Distributors? How do Customers want to buy?
There comes a time when virtually all manufacturer reps ask the question “should move to a distribution model?” Power Engineers approached Sarah, their Channel Account Manager, to talk about moving their relationship from an Industrial Manufacturers Rep (IMR or “Rep”) paid on commission to a Distribution Partner allowing the ability to buy and resell products…
Read More
Channel Sales or Direct Sales? 3 Considerations for a Manufacturer
A week doesn’t go by without a manufacturer questioning a decision to sell direct rather than selling through the channel model they have historically used. Something happens with a channel partner that doesn’t sit well with the vendor and the immediate reaction is “we should just sell direct.” It’s a knee jerk reaction, often without…
6 Steps to Channel Partner Price Increases
Are You Risking a Price Increase? Just when everything was starting to look up as we come out of the global pandemic, economists and financial gurus are bracing the markets for economic challenges that lie ahead. By now you have read the news or experienced firsthand the impact of global commodity price increases, scarcity of…
Is it Time for Mid-Year Incentives to Drive Channel Partner Performance?
“How do we jump start partner focus and investments the balance of the year?” is the question many vendors are asking as we reach mid-year. By this point in time, you likely have an estimate of 2022 performance and may have a sinking feeling you are off track. You already know which distributors, reps, and…
Channel Partners Make Great Dance Partners
It’s common to find manufacturers excel at designing, manufacturing, and servicing quality products within their target markets. Often these businesses are built with talent from technical backgrounds who excel at analytics, problem solving, and discrete business practices. Manufacturers who are leaders in their market also recognize the need for equally successful market and sales expertise.…
Manufacturers Create their own Grey Markets
All too often, manufacturers create their own grey markets. The following is a real situation with the names changed to protect the innocent. Statewide Distribution, the southern region distributor, came to the manufacturer for another quote on the same product. While the price of the product had not changed over the last 3 years, Statewide…
Predictable Partnership Behaviors
A good friend of mine is involved in a messy divorce, and he is now in a dark place — the end of the settlement negotiation. Unfortunately, the negotiation is taking longer than his most pessimistic expectation, and each day that passes without a settlement cost him more and more. His legal representative is charging…
Manufacturer Rep or Distributors? How do Customers want to buy?
There comes a time when virtually all manufacturer reps ask the question “should move to a distribution model?” Power Engineers approached Sarah, their Channel Account Manager, to talk about moving their relationship from an Industrial Manufacturers Rep (IMR or “Rep”) paid on commission to a Distribution Partner allowing the ability to buy and resell products…