There was once a time in the not too distant past, when success in the B2B sector was very much focused on the offering the best services and products on the market, offering the most competitive pricing and indeed, being in the right markets. However, as the big players focus much more on providing excellence in consumer experience and the competition on the global stage hots up, there is a growing need to invest in improving the customer journey.

Whilst this kind of approach was once only relevant in the B2C world, this growing demand for customer-centric in the B2B world has been led by the leading companies who looking to create a competitive advantage by the use of this ethos. There is a growing feeling in the B2B sphere that companies that don’t follow suit in the way they interact with their customers are risking being left behind.

Smart Strategies

In the next number of years, it seems that there will be a battle between B2B businesses and it will be fought primarily using digital technologies that improve the overall customer experience. Providing a digital solution for some of the more complex B2B businesses will most certainly involve striking a balance between digitisation and traditional human interaction in the customer journey. However, what seems clear is that eschewing the option to introduce digital technologies into the core of a B2B company’s operational core would damage the customer experience it offers and weaken its position in the market.

Based On Customer Feedback

This change in focus has not happened by accident or on a whim. Instead it occurred due to demand from B2B customers for a better end to end solutions. A recent survey conducted by US consultancy Mckinsey & Co revealed that their number one gripe when dealing with B2B product and service providers was poor and slow communication during the process - a factor that was raised twice as much as that of price point. Quite illuminating wouldn’t you say?

In fact, the customer feedback went further, highlighting that more than 85% of those surveyed said that they preferred the use of digital, self-service re-ordering interfaces, rather than speaking to a sales representative.

Greater Expectations

When the situation is viewed in the cold light of day, it is evident that the expectations that have existed for a long time in the B2C arena, now increasingly apply in the B2B arena as well. Digital technologies help to significantly reduce manual processes, enhance the tracking of invoices and improve the relationships enjoyed with both suppliers and partners and provide greater control, visibility in the supply chain - all of which improves the overall customer experience.

There is also a great deal to be gained from partners and suppliers interacting with each other digitally in order to share knowledge and collaborate. For that to happen, companies need to take the plunge and invest in digital facilities or their own, or they really do risk losing out.

In Summary

Increasingly it is becoming evident that companies that wholeheartedly embrace the need for a fully functioning back and front end digital infrastructure are the ones that are achieving the best results. At HUB Central, our 20 years of experience in the creation and development of digital logistics systems is what helps us streamline the businesses of our clients. 

If you would like to learn more about anything discussed here, please take a look around our website www.hubcentral.ie, where you’ll find everything you need to know. However, if you’d like to book a consultation, please enter your details into our contact form [Link], and someone will be in touch shortly.

Thank you for reading our blog. We hope that it has highlighted the need to consider digitising the customer service elements of your B2B business.