Do you know who your customers are? (Because this is the first step in crafting your B2B CX).
When it comes to direct consumer e-commerce platforms, many companies would reply “yes.” After all, it’s standard today to know your customer, understand their preferences and buying propensities, and even predict their needs and wants before they know them.
But can the same be said about the digital CX in the B2B sphere?
B2B CX: Know your buyer
The same buyers who have become accustomed to the easy, personalized, and user-friendly purchasing experiences afforded to consumers are the people in charge of making B2B purchases. So, it’s reasonable that they’d expect the same type of digital experience when analyzing product specifications, defining replenishment orders, or reviewing quotes.
Experience has risen to prominence when it comes to buying decisions, and B2B businesses need to shift towards a more human-centric approach when interacting with their customers, who all want to be treated uniquely.
As the line that was starkly separating B2C and B2B businesses has slowly begun to blur, and B2B businesses are moving along through their digital transformation, there are a few things they should consider when thinking about creating a B2B CX that will keep their customers happy.
Tear down the walls
The business models of B2B companies have several complexities, and even more so when there are multiple, distinct brands involved. To deliver the most experiential and efficient experience for your customers, companies need a platform to support them.
One crucial step is unifying any siloed B2B operations to create global operational efficiencies across your various brands. This will enable an integrated view of all the selling channels and provide a single view of your inventory.
Achieving this is simplified with a best of breed native product information management system as part of a unified commerce stack, which enables a consistent view of products across all touchpoints and channels. This is especially relevant as the importance of omnichannel order management has risen.
This will also empower your employees – whether in marketing, customer service, or sales – to work effectively in a collaborative manner, as one team. Customers will no longer feel they are communicating with siloed departments, but rather, in a meaningful way with one knowledgeable merchant.
Know your worth (it’s not as simple as it sounds)
I’ve heard, “Your network is your net worth” many times, and it rings true in many different scenarios. But what does that mean from a B2B perspective?
Companies may differ on what exact strategies help them achieve their business objectives, but one common factor that lies at the core of these strategies is providing an exceptional experience for every single customer. Your customer is always at the heart of your business.
While that statement resonates with a typical B2C story, it’s also applicable for B2B businesses. Customers – who in the B2B sphere are valued suppliers and partners – expect bespoke, individualized experiences. Each customer has unique requirements and needs, so it’s imperative to gather customer insights at every step of the buying journey.
How to begin creating a B2B CX that will keep customers happy
- First, you have to understand who your customers are and what they need. For example, if you have a supplier who specializes in craft beers, it wouldn’t make sense to start promoting vintage wines to them.
- B2B e-commerce sites need to be personalized for each customer, just like B2C sites are. This can be achieved through a platform which can support the complexities of B2B companies, and enable the consumerization of B2B with capabilities like customized product lists and promotions, faceted search and navigation, and transparent product comparisons. That way, you’re placing relevant content in front of specific vendors, providing a more tailored experience.
- To elevate the B2B CX one step further, companies can even create individual shops for larger B2B accounts, as well as multiple micro-sites with integrated web content management. This facilitate increased conversation rates and also help nourish existing relationships with your customers, which is especially important in the B2B space, where the probability of an existing customer purchasing a new product or service is approximately 70% greater than a net-new customer.
Gone are the days where B2B business were driven by product specialization provided by manufacturers, because with the commoditization of goods, experience has become king. By leveraging the knowledge you have on your customers, you can position the right products at the right time, creating consistent and fully customized experiences.
The 90’s called: They don’t want their CX back (and neither do your B2B customers)
Although B2B product orders can often greatly differ from their B2C counterparts, one common thread connecting the two is that the order placement process is increasingly going mobile. This could be largely related to the changing demographics of buyers, who are tech-savvy, time-conscious, convenience-driven individuals, who expect a high level of sophistication in their purchasing journey.
These buyers will be more reluctant (or even unwilling) to engage with a platform that is tedious, siloed, or provides a poor UX. Whether your buyer is traveling, in the office, or even on a hike, they expect a user-friendly, self-service interface that allows them to research various products choices, check on statuses of current orders, and complete their transactions all on their mobile device.
To meet these expectations, it’s important that your e-commerce platforms are optimized for mobile devices, from the very first touchpoint.
