4 Ecommerce Capabilities That Every Modern B2B Seller Should Have

Goodbye Clunky Systems, Hello Modern Selling 

It’s never easy to say goodbye, especially when it’s come to a system that has served your organization well for years. Even while it’s difficult to break free from historical ties with these well-known and frequently used systems, they simply won’t meet your clients’ current needs.

Because they were built in-house or converted from an existing CMS or ERP system, many of these systems lack the functionality required to meet modern customer expectations. You are, however, most likely aware of this. Isn’t it the reason that you’ve come here?

And you’re probably well aware that, in order to retain customers and prosper in the face of shifting industry needs, B2B sellers will need to start looking for a modern e-commerce solution that will allow them to make customer experience a key brand difference.

What to Look for When Replacing a Legacy System 

You’ve decided it’s time to move on, but what exactly do you require from your next suitor? When examining options, keep these four crucial capabilities of a contemporary e-commerce system in mind :

1. Self-Service Account Management 
2. Order Management 
3. Buying Experience Product 
4. Content Experience 

Let’s take a closer look at each of these components.

1. Self-Service Account Management

Customers desire to be free. Customers are accustomed to assisting themselves in order to obtain a resolution in today’s increasingly independent DIY-ing, Googling, and Pinning world. Clients not only want, but also expect, to be able to manage their account chores without having to contact their account managers or customer success representatives. Customers gain the freedom they want and can utilize their time to accomplish more important things when they can manage basic chores like setting up their accounts, accessing contracts and invoicing, and managing users, roles, and purchasing procedures fully through a digital channel, or through self-service.

2. Order Management

Examine how your salespeople spend the majority of their time. Is their time being used strategically developing consumer relationships? Is the majority of their time spent entering and managing orders? Order management can be automated and optimized so that every stage of the fulfillment process, from placing orders to tracking shipments, is done through a digital solution instead of wasting time on manual activities. Your sales team won’t have to be order takers any longer, and they’ll have more time to be actual consultants to your consumers.

However, automation is beneficial to more than just sales teams! Through features like contract pricing, bulk and repeat ordering, and efficient order administration, customers can speed up their own purchasing process. Buyers will spend less time trying to find out how to place an order and more time accomplishing job-critical duties if the process is made easier and faster for them.

Find more: Top 10 Business Tips for Starting a Successful Business

3. Buying Experience 

If order management refers to how customers place and receive orders, then the buying experience refers to everything that happens before they get there. B2B purchasing processes are complicated enough as it is. Unique requirements, different parties, and custom contracts are all factors to consider. And, with convoluted systems and bad user experience, this experience is frequently made even more challenging. B2B consumers want to expedite their purchasing process to locate the products they need fast so they can get back to work on their other projects. To make the entire process easier, sellers should think about how to: 

• Deliver personalized experiences to customers based on their unique business requirements and contracts
• Tailor information and catalogs according to contracts, regions, and available products 
• Simplify search so that customers can easily see what products are available

4. Product Content Experience

Customers are more worried about making the right purchases in the end. It’s a matter of life and death for them. Sellers may assist their customers in making the best decisions by giving thorough and useful product content on the same platform where they shop. Customers will be more informed before they make a purchase if they have access to advanced documentation, datasheets, videos, manuals, and compatibility information. Providing a superior product content experience not only reassures customers about their purchase, but it also fosters trust and transparency.