A survey of B2B shoppers found that most online stores fail to perform even basic functional tasks.
As more and more B2B buyers rely on e-commerce to meet their product needs, many are frustrated with their online interactions. A survey of more than 1,200 B2B buyers in seven different countries was conducted, and most of them indicated that today’s e-commerce sites don’t meet their needs. In fact, 50 percent said that B2B online stores don’t fully meet their expectations, and 94 percent have experienced various customer experience (CX) issues.
These CX expectations are increasingly shaped by the demographic and behavioral changes of B2B shoppers themselves. The younger generation is demanding a faster, more convenient, omni-channel and deeply personalized shopping experience – often comparing it to the B2C shopping experience. So where are B2B shoppers finding e-commerce sites that don’t meet their CX expectations, and how can you ensure that your online offering meets all of their needs?
Prioritizing Speed and Dependability as Central Factors
B2B shoppers prefer a quick and relaxed buying process, accurate presentation of product information and inventory availability in your online store, and presentation of customized prices (subject to agreement terms) in the right currency. However, 27% of survey participants complained about insufficient or incorrect information on websites, and 22% were unhappy with unclear or erroneous pricing information. In order to make sure you’re providing customers with correct and timely information, your online store should be linked to an enterprise resource management system (ERP) or product information management system (PIM). All modifications to your internal systems will immediately show up in the online store.
Assist Your Customers in Locating the Appropriate Product
B2B merchandise is typically much more complex and often subject to customization, so presenting accurate and comprehensive information is an important element in helping the buyer identify the desired product. For example, when looking at a machine component, even a slight change in size can mean the item is not suitable for its intended use. Nevertheless, 32 percent of the B2B buyers we surveyed indicated difficulty finding the right products, and 30 percent were frustrated by the lack of images. First, figure out how your shoppers find your product: by part number, using the main product as a starting point, or using the search bar, and improve that experience. Product specifications and features should be described in detail, with high-quality images and videos for extra visibility – especially if you have an extensive or complex catalog.
Providing a Unified, Omnichannel Experience
Omni-channel interaction is customer-focused selling that works effectively. B2B buyers often combine the use of online shopping with other channels, and real-time data plays a key role in ensuring consistency in presenting information to the customer, regardless of the stage of their buying journey or the channel chosen. For example, if a customer made a purchase through their account manager, this should be recorded in their account and purchase history in your ERP or back-office system so that in the future, if they decide to buy replacement parts for that product through your online store, they can easily log in and quickly find them using information from their account.
To get a complete picture of your customer journey as a whole, build a map of all your customer interaction points through various channels, considering how they find you, how they interact with you, how they place orders and manage their purchases. By examining your entire business, you can understand how your different channels interact with each other and identify any inconsistencies, gaps, or challenges.
Mirroring Offline Personalization in the Online Space
B2B relationships often involve prices, contract terms, delivery commitments and payment terms that are unique to each customer, so it’s critical to be able to reflect these aspects in your online store for each individual customer. At the same time, our research found that 25% of B2B buyers are unhappy with the lack of specific payment terms or contracts online, and 36% expect a more personalized CX.
Allow your shoppers to log into your e-store to have access to their personalized pricing, discounts and special offers, as well as the ability to reorder regularly purchased items. By integrating your online store with your ERP or back office system, you can pre-fill forms with unique customer information and shipping terms or offer product recommendations based on order history, using real-time 24/7. This will help show respect to your customers by showing them that you understand their needs and value their business, and allow you to more accurately reflect the B2C shopping experience they are used to in other areas.
While the new reality of B2B shopping presents some challenges and weaknesses for those who are unable to adapt, it also presents great opportunities for those who can optimize their online CX. Those who are able to offer high-quality online service that accurately reflects the level of service customers are accustomed to offline, will strengthen their customer relationships, increase satisfaction levels, strengthen brand loyalty and distribution, and ultimately increase their revenue.
