A London based high-tech firm produces component parts that are sold to cellular phone manufacturers as well as a diverse set of customers across several different industry sectors. The firm uses a corporate sales force for large customers, like Motorola, and relies on a mix of manufacturers’ reps and/or industrial distributors to serve small and medium-sized customers.

The top management team at the company hired you as a consultant. The executives are concerned that rapidly changing customer needs have created important gaps in the firm’s market coverage and market offerings. They would like you to conduct an audit of the firm’s channel strategy and develop a multichannel strategy for the firm. Describe and detail the specific steps that you would follow in conducting this audit and designing a multichannel strategy.