It seems as if the term “business as usual” is become increasingly difficult to define. Not only are sales tactics changing thanks to the digital revolution, but enterprises have a growing number of e-commerce options to choose from. This is particularly the case when referring to business-related sales and marketing. The methods of today will serve to strengthen the firms of tomorrow, so it is always important to keep our eyes on the horizon. What changes have taken place over the past year and what can we expect to witness in 2019? Let’s quickly review how this entire landscape has been irrefutably transformed.
A Focus on Customisation
Perhaps the most interesting observation that we can make in reference to B2B ecommerce is how the platforms themselves have evolved. If we roll the clocks back to the early 2000s, only a handful of providers existed. This resulted in fairly limited options and there were few choices for those who wished to enjoy a customised experience. Another issue was that users would normally be required to possess a fair amount of technical knowledge. It is therefore no wonder why many business-to-business transactions were known for a rather clumsy architecture.
Another issue involved cost. Not only were B2B platforms notoriously difficult to work with, but they were quite expensive. Thus, they were limited to organisations associated with a more flexible budget; essentially cutting out start-up firms. Readers will be pleased to learn that such concerns have been done away with thanks to highly intuitive software and a number of pricing plans to choose from. Even novices can leverage the benefits involved and this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
Now that we have taken a look at the past as well as some present advancements, what should we witness during 2019 and is the future of this industry as promising as it appears?
Focusing on the End-User Experience
B2B platforms are now designed to suit the needs of the end user. Keep in mind that we are referring to the seller as well as anyone who might be involved with the transaction processes. They are lightweight, agile and scalable. Furthermore, they can now be integrated across multiple portals with ease. All of these features result in a number of undeniable benefits including:
- A better understanding of sales and marketing campaigns.
- The ability to embrace a modular framework.
- Access to more than 100 different payment gateways.
- Increased levels of customer loyalty.
- The possibility to effectively manage high-volume accounts.
These and other features would have been challenging to achieve in the past and even large corporations often struggled to stay one step ahead of the online retail curve. Third-party e-commerce providers are now solely focused on providing deliverable results that are moulded around the specific needs of the organisation.
Not only does the future of B2B commerce appear bright, but the use of modern e-commerce technology signifies that even smaller firms can make their presence known.
