Not a Sales Channel, but a Strategic Partner
Mert Şemet
International Sales Manager, İmbat
Since 1991, we have grown from İzmir into a global technology company exporting to more than 60 countries, with 55% of our turnover generated in the European market.
As we approach 35 years of experience and continue our journey under the motto “İmbat is the Way,” we see our relationship with dealers and distributors as far more than an operational necessity. For us, it represents a strategic partnership and a shared source of strength.
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Are your dealers really a “sales channel”, or are they business partners? How does this distinction translate into practice?
Not a Sales Channel, but a Strategic Partner
I would like to begin with the most important point in your question: for us, our dealers are definitely not merely a “sales channel”.
In our philosophy, a dealer is our presence in the field — our eyes, our hands and the face through which our engineering expertise reaches the end user.
Particularly in international markets, our relationship with distributors goes far beyond simply moving products. We do not just supply equipment; we provide customer-focused engineering solutions.
In practice, we see the difference very clearly. A dealer focused solely on moving inventory does not create a sustainable model for us. However, when a partner joins the project at the design stage, leverages İmbat’s R&D expertise and offers customers high-efficiency solutions such as Perseus Rooftop, In-Room or Free Cooling Chiller, that partner becomes a genuine strategic business partner.
Are your campaigns designed to drive dealer sales or simply reduce stock levels? How do you maintain that balance?
Creating Value, Not Clearing Stock
Our campaign strategy is very different from the traditional approach of simply clearing inventory.
İmbat operates an R&D centre built around 100% locally developed design capabilities and tailor-made engineering. Therefore, our campaigns are not designed to fill dealer warehouses; they are designed to strengthen our partners technically and commercially.
A recent example is our newly launched Perseus Rooftop series, developed to comply with the latest ESPR+ requirements. It provides our dealers with a significant competitive advantage.
Rather than competing primarily on price, our campaigns focus on technology and efficiency. We help our partners grow sales by providing Eurovent-certified products with proven efficiency and competitive technical specifications.
How do you support dealers when markets contract or costs increase? What kind of support did you provide during recent economic volatility?
A Safe Harbour in Challenging Times
When markets contract or costs increase, one of the best ways to protect our dealers is to provide them with products that remain commercially attractive even during difficult economic periods.
At a time when energy costs are rising, dealers representing manufacturers of highly energy-efficient systems have a natural competitive advantage.
One of the most important forms of support we provide during periods of economic volatility is our flexible manufacturing capability and broad product portfolio.
We are active not only in comfort cooling but also in specialised areas such as Data Centre Cooling solutions including In-Row and In-Rack systems, as well as Pre-Conditioned Air (PCA) solutions for aviation. This enables our partners to diversify their businesses rather than depend on a single market segment.
Our international service network and remote training programmes also help dealers minimise after-sales costs.
Is offering the same campaign to every dealer really fair? Do you differentiate according to region and scale?
Different Markets, Different Strategies
One of the most important lessons we have learned from exporting to more than 60 countries is that a one-size-fits-all approach is not only inefficient in a technically demanding industry such as HVAC; it can also be unfair.
For that reason, we do not believe that offering exactly the same campaign to every dealer is necessarily the right approach.
The market conditions, scale, product focus and expectations of our partner in Germany may be completely different from those of our partner in Tunisia. Likewise, our strategy in Kazakhstan is naturally different from the strategy we follow in Spain.
For us, fairness means providing every partner with the right tools to succeed in their own market.
Do only high-volume dealers benefit, or are there real opportunities for dealers that want to grow? Do you offer development programmes for smaller or newer partners?
Our Door Is Open to Growth
The idea that “only the biggest players win” has no place in our culture.
Within our strategy, there is an opportunity for every dealer that genuinely wants to grow and whose vision aligns with ours.
Particularly in target markets such as Europe, the CIS region and the United States, we place great importance on working with specialised local partners that understand regional regulations and have strong technical capabilities.
For smaller dealers with strong technical potential, we organise training programmes integrated with our R&D department, helping them develop from product sellers into genuine HVAC specialists.
What is the most common criticism you receive from your dealers, and what concrete action have you taken in response?
Feedback and Future Vision
One of the most frequent comments — and perhaps criticisms — we have received from our dealers is that our brand awareness has not always reflected the strength of our technical capabilities.
They would tell us: “Your products are at a world-class level, but more people need to know about you.”
We treated that criticism as valuable feedback and placed marketing at the centre of our new strategy.
We are strengthening our digital presence through investments in our website and by working with specialised professionals in social media and digital communications.
At the same time, we continue to stand alongside our dealers at international exhibitions such as ISH and MCE, while actively participating in trade fairs across many different countries.
Our objective is to present İmbat consistently and powerfully across every brand touchpoint.
Ultimately, together with our partners, we are moving confidently towards our goal of becoming a 100-year company, built on efficiency, trust and innovation.


