Snapshot Box:
- Client: Thermoflow HVAC
- Sector: Commercial HVAC & Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturer
- Target Market: Nigeria (Lagos & Abuja)
- Service Used: Distributor Vetting + Demand Testing
- Headline Result: 2 of 3 shortlisted distributors eliminated; 47 qualified buyer signals generated
- Timeline: 10 weeks
The Challenge for
Thermoflow HVAC
The client had been approached by three Nigerian distributors claiming established HVAC networks. They had no way to verify whether these partners actually had field sales teams, real customer relationships, or just procurement contacts. Committing to a distribution agreement without validation risked years of poor market coverage.
What We Did:
Understand
Mapped the addressable buyer universe across hospitals, hotels, and commercial property developers in Lagos and Abuja (312 target accounts).
Validate
Conducted structured interviews with each distributor’s referenced customers. Simultaneously ran direct outbound demand testing via LinkedIn and email to the mapped account list to gauge independent market appetite.
Connect
Developed a distributor scoring framework covering territory coverage, technical capability, existing brand conflicts, and CRM/lead tracking maturity.
Execute
Presented validated findings with a recommended path.
The Data
- 312
- Accounts Contacted
- 89
- Responses
- 47
- Qualified Opportunities
Distributor validation: Distributor A (strongest claimed network): only 4 of 12 referenced customers confirmed an active purchasing relationship. Distributor B: 9 of 10 references confirmed. Distributor C: no verifiable field sales activity. The 47 qualified opportunities were buyers who confirmed active HVAC sourcing needs within 6 months.
The Outcome:
The client selected Distributor B for a structured trial agreement with staged exclusivity: 6-month territory-based exclusivity contingent on monthly pipeline reporting and minimum quarterly order thresholds. Distributors A and C were disqualified. The 47 qualified buyer signals were handed over as a warm pipeline for the new distributor to work, with a 90-day follow-up protocol.