The agriculture inputs market has seen success in improving customer orientation and sales through partnerships with 50 agro-vet retailers. Support provided to initial partners covered 75% of promotional discounts and training costs. Three partners have seen excellent buy-in and increased rural sales after 6 months. Eight additional retailers now seek the same support, potentially expanding the program to 11 partners total. The task is to determine if the initial offer should be adjusted for new partners.

1. TASK SHEET (7a): MANAGING MOMENTUM FOR DESIRED SYSTEMIC CHANGE AND
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE?
You have entered into the agriculture inputs market with an offer to agro-vets to
improve their customer orientation and buying experience in exchange for a loyal
customer base and more sales. The input supply market has about 50 viable agrovet retailers that could evolve into retail chains with multiple stores and strong
customer oriented strategies. The structure of your initial support to agro-vets was
75 per cent cost share on promotional discounts and substantial technical assistance
including 75 per cent cost share of the training and first year’s salary of a new
position of agent managers. In exchange, the agro-vets agreed to pay the other part
of the cost and to manage and lead the process of change inside their firm.
You have been working with 3 agro-vet firms for six months and you observe that
they are investing and showing excellent signs of buy-in and ownership. Their sales
have increased especially in the more rural smallholder farming areas that
previously were not seen as having many high potential customers.
Another 8 agro-vet retailers who have expressed their interest in MAP support have
contacted you. “I didn’t believe the rural market offered any prospects until I saw
with my own eyes my competitor’s success” said one. “I talked to an agent and I was
so impressed by his knowledge of the retail market that I’ve set aside money to hire
my own agents” said another.
You are overjoyed by this response but if these newly interested 8 agro-vets are
added it will expand the program to 11 agro-vets. You need to think through the
implications of how this might affect – if at all -- your offer and support to all 11
agro-vets.
TASK:
Should the project adjust its initial offer to new adopters?
If it should why and how?
If not why not?