It’s clear that there is a mandate for B2B companies to create “consumer-like” experiences for their customers. While the underlying premise that B2B commerce experiences should be useful and usable is an imperative, the specifics are not always so clear.
There are fundamental differences between direct-to consumer and B2B customers. Direct-to-consumer customers primarily shop by want. B2B customers shop by need. Additionally, B2B companies must also create and demonstrate value at two levels, for the business user and the business itself, in order to convert prospects and retain existing customers. This calls for a unique approach to engagement, borrowing some elements of leading consumer sites and adapting others in entirely new ways to meet these customer’s specific needs. Let’s call this creating a business-like commerce experience.
B2B e-commerce: User experience
We can all agree that business customers are not shopping for fun. They’re looking to accomplish what is usually a very specific task and move on to their next assignment. And after the initial purchase, or migrating from offline to online, much of their interaction revolves around replenishment. This calls for customer-centric experiences that can vary greatly from traditional consumer interfaces.
If aesthetic design isn’t always a priority, functional user experience and simplified information architecture certainly are. For instance, drill-down browsing may not be the best means of product discovery. So search should a featured site element. This should include the ability to surface products and content, and even serve as a competitive product lookup tool. Product compare should quickly identify key differences and be incorporated into approval workflows. And other opportunities, such as condensing the purchase funnel, should be identified to simplify the transaction in every possible way.
Customer engagement
To be a true business driver, the ecommerce channel must complement all other sales channels. Its purpose is to make transacting business easier and more efficient for the customer, not to isolate them and erode the relationship. Specifically, data generated by the commerce platform can be used to identify opportunities to engage, or reengage, with customers. This may call for select instances where automated or human touch points are introduced into the relationship based on customer interaction with the ecommerce system. And this can be done by simply feeding data to the CRM system, or other system of record, and defining specific, actionable events.
For example, increases or decreases in purchasing quantity and frequency, or changes in product mix can be a signal of fundamental changes in a customer’s business. This can be an excellent time to reach out to the customer to proactively resolve potential issues or identify new business opportunities. The means of engagement can vary, from auto-generated emails to direct sales rep contact, but the outcomes from these seemingly small actions can directly lead to more meaningful customer relationships.
Content and commerce
It’s every business’ obligation to educate their customers about new products, services, and promotions. However, connecting with customers whose interaction with the site is often minimal can be a particular challenge. This can call for creative ways of getting content in front of customers.
Email is certainly a viable and effective method, but the e-commerce channel still needs to serve as a primary means of customer engagement. Since many B2B customers are not casually browsing the site, or even the homepage, it is important to present them with relevant content where they do spend their time. The order confirmation page has long been used by consumer brands and retailers to present supplemental offers. For B2B users, this can be adapted to present personalized informational and educational content based directly on the current purchase. A more unique approach is to alter the My Account section to also serve as a promotions and message center. This requires thoughtful design to avoid clutter and information overload. However, presenting select content here, the place virtually every B2B customer visits regularly can ensure that important messaging will be seen.
It’s a given that B2B customers deserve the same convenience as consumers. Taking the commerce experience even further to cater to business-specific needs can serve to provide added benefits to those on each side of the transaction.
