Marketing channels perform the essential function of moving goods from producers to consumers by overcoming time, place, and possession gaps. They gather customer information, develop communications to promote sales, negotiate agreements for transfers of ownership, place orders with manufacturers, store and transport physical products, and facilitate payments. For example, Apollo Hospitals is one of the largest hospital chains in Asia with over 8,500 beds across 54 hospitals in India and abroad. It provides healthcare through multiple channels like smaller Apollo Reach Hospitals in towns and Apollo clinics in cities, as well as consulting services to support healthcare globally.