Century Ply’s decision-making influencers – springboard to growth

Learning outcomes After completion of the case study, the students will be able to understand the role of industry forces using frameworks such as Porter’s five forces; analyse the significance of building transactional versus long term relationships with influencers in business-to-business (B2B) purchase decisions; evaluate the role of digital tools in designing and implementing influencer engagement programs to enhance relationship quality and sales impact; and create and assess an improved influencer incentive program by applying the IDIC framework to address operational challenges and leverage engagement opportunities. Case overview/synopsis This case revolves around the annual budget meeting at CenturyPly, Kolkata, India, where Debasis Sen, the business head, faced the challenge of achieving ambitious growth targets in a competitive and undifferentiated product category. Despite past successes, Sen was apprehensive about sustaining consistent growth and sought to brainstorm alternatives with his team. CenturyPly had made strides in brand awareness and product innovation. In the latter part of the journey, they identified and rolled out a loyalty program for influencers, namely, carpenters, contractors and architects. However, the loyalty program lost steam over the years, and spending of this program was diverted to product discounts on the bill. The loyalty program led by the distributors pushed customers to hunt for deals and bargains, leading to a price disparity. The organisation was at a crossroads in deciding the fate of the loyalty program. CenturyPly re-examined the execution, tech interventions and innovative offerings to build a lasting, engaging and nurturing relationship with influencers. The decision to categorise the influencers as decision-making influencers is an interesting aspect stemming from their role in facilitating the purchase. Complexity academic level This case study is suitable for PG students studying marketing, customer relationship management and B2B marketing. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing.