B2B Customers Demand a B2C Shopping Experience

Like it or not B2B Expectations are dictated by Companies like Amazon.

The new generation of business customers grew up with technology and use it daily in their personal lives, so when it comes to their professional lives, they expect the same levels of convenience and customer service.

When you buy a book from Amazon you are given all the information you need to make a purchase, reassured by independent reviews, enticed by other product recommendations and rewarded with personal offers.  Then you receive multiple eMails telling you the precise location of your order and when you should expect to receive it. Whether we like it or not, this sort of service sets the customer experience barrier for everything we do whether it be at work or play.

• Almost 50 % of manufacturers and distributors do not yet have an eCommerce site.
• Recent Forrester research found 38% of B2B buyers make half or more of their purchases online.
• In a recent Episerver survey 84% of B2B organisations agree that increasing digital expectations by customers and partners is the top threat to their business.
• In the same survey from Episerver 82% of B2B companies agree their website is indispensable.

What do B2B Distributors need?

So, what are the top ways B2B companies can make it easier for their clients to do business with them?

What can Episerver Provide for the B2B Company?

A single platform which can;

• Provide an eCommerce infrastructure where customers can easily place their orders.
• Deliver a great CX across all devices – Omnichannel enabled.
• Make repeat orders and additions easily manageable.
• Create client based organisational structures with budgetary controls.
• Deliver personalisation at all points of contact with the customer.

Episerver Commerce provides a single platform which can maintain the relationship between B2B organisations and their customers, through a variety of technologies and techniques such as:

• Customisable shopping carts and pricing mechanisms.
• Shipping alternatives and sale completion times.
• Bulk transaction terms.
• Fulfilment alternatives.
• Advanced AI for search and personalisation.
• Omnichannel operation and reporting.

How does Episerver Commerce provide these capabilities?

Episerver (now Optimizely) has a mature Commerce solution which covers the following areas:

Catalogue and Product Management

Episerver provides one of the most advanced catalogue management solutions available on an eCommerce platform, with advanced search facilities, individual pricing and alternative / associated product recommendations.

Customer Management

Episerver enables multiple customer segments to be identified, organisational structures to be managed and groups of customers to be formed with their own budget limits and permissions.

Order Management

Episerver creates a truly Omnichannel environment through which orders can be placed and managed, which also enables multi-lingual and multi-currency operations. Individual customer journeys can be created with repeat order functionality and automated messaging. Inventory, fulfilment and shipping options are standard features, which complement the robust online returns & replacement processes.

Market and Marketing focus

Multiple markets can be defined and managed together with targeted marketing campaigns which may include deals and discounts. This is further supported by facilities for automated personal messaging.

Advanced Technology

Personalisation is provided by ‘state of the art’ AI technology which enables businesses to consolidate data from across their organisation and deliver an unparalleled level of customer service.

For further information visit : https://focus.ultimedia.co.uk/b2b or contact Ultimedia today on 0161 260 1500 or info@ultimedia.agency