Joe Cicman, senior analyst, Forrester Research

Buyers want helpful online product content and purchasing features, demands that have many of them preferring manufacturers’ websites, new research from Digital Commerce 360 and Forrester Research Inc. finds.

“Brand manufacturers win buyers with great content,” says Forrester senior analyst Joe Cicman. “Our joint research indicates the top choice for business buying in 2023 is the brand manufacturer’s own site (57%), beating-out Amazon Business at 43%. Why? Both a surprise and a delight: 85% of buyers tell us that the best source for product information is the brand manufacturer’s own site.”

The joint research project also found that 70% of B2B buyers will increase their online purchasing of goods and services in 2023.

Cicman — who will discuss at the EnvisionB2B Conference & Exhibition this month the results of the joint DC360/Forrester suryey and the intersection of online buyer demands and sellers’ ecommerce technology strategies — asserts that sellers must review the functions that address the challenges they face in serving customers, then identify the ecommerce technology platform that covers those w.

McKesson discusses B2B commerce trends

Val DuVernet, senior director of digital strategy and optimization, McKesson

Cicman will speak at EnvisionB2B in a June 21 session to analyze with DC360 the results of the joint research project and discuss digital commerce technology trends with Val DuVernet, senior director of digital strategy and optimization at medical products distributor McKesson.

B2B companies “should examine potential ecommerce solutions to identify which ones cover the specific common functions they most value,” Forrester says in the March 2023 report, “Demystifying the Technical Functions of B2B Commerce Solutions,” written by Cicman with input from other Forrester analysts.

Some of those functions, for example, can include how ecommerce technology manages customer account hierarchies, contract terms and personalized product catalogs for each customer.

Gartner’s Gene Alvarez on technology choices

Gene Alvarez, distinguished vice president and analyst covering digital commerce technology at research and advisory firm Gartner Inc., says B2B companies today have plenty options for deploying ecommerce technology based on their resources and their customers’ demands regarding the online buying experience.

Gene Alvarez, distinguished vice president and analyst, Gartner Inc.

Companies with limited IT resources can opt for software-as-a-service platforms that support customized customer-facing front ends. But businesses with more substantial resources can move up to even more customizable modular and composable MACH platforms with extensive use of microservices, APIs, cloud and headless infrastructure configurations, Alvarez says.

As competition increases in B2B ecommerce, and companies develop new and innovative ways to interact with buyers and make their customers’ jobs easier, it will be crucial for online sellers to operate commerce technology they can modify to keep up with new standards.

“As new innovation comes along, you need to” be able to bring about that new innovation because it will be table stakes within a year,” Alvarez says. “That’s where MACH brings advantages.”

Alvarez will speak on digital technology trends and strategies at EnvisionB2B. He will lead a June 20 panel and workshop on building customer loyalty.

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Connected commerce in B2B ecommerce is red hot and getting hotter. That’s because the technology and business strategy driving connected commerce is all focused on letting B2B buyers purchase what, when and how they want—and across multiple channels. But crucial to getting connected commerce right the first time and every time is having a technology strategy that gives buyers a truly helpful online purchasing experience. That is no small task.

Join us for an exclusive webinar chock-full of new research data and analysis that investigates the challenges and opportunities of building and expanding a successful connected commerce strategy.

Highlights include:

• Hear exclusive results analysis from a survey of more than 120 B2B organizations on their readiness plans for connected commerce.
• Gain perspective on the pivotal role e-procurement and punchout play in successfully implementing connected commerce.
• Learn how to overcome challenges for connected commerce and generate a true ROI.
• Learn best practices for doing connected commerce right each time, every time.

ALL attendees will receive the new report survey report and the 2023 U.S. B2B Ecommerce Market Report (a $399 value)*. Note, only consumer brands, manufacturers, distributors and retailers  are eligible for the complimentary report and subject to approval.

Sponsored by:

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The report, B2B Ecommerce Technology Trends + EnvisionB2B 2023 Preview, includes several reviews of B2B companies and a preview of the full EnvisionB2B agenda, which features more than 50 speakers and 25 sessions. EnvisionB2B is scheduled for June 20 – 22 at the Hilton Chicago.

Joe Cicman, senior analyst, Forrester Research Inc.

Joe Cicman, senior analyst for B2B digital commerce at Forrester Research, asserts that B2B sellers must review the functions that address the challenges they face in serving customers, then identify the ecommerce technology platform that covers those functions.

At EnvisionB2B 2023 next month, Cicman will refer to findings of a recent joint Forrester and Digital Commerce 360 B2B Digital Buyer study and discuss with Val DuVernet, senior director of digital strategy at pharmaceutical distributor McKesson Corp., the intersection of online B2B buyer demands and ecommerce technology strategies.

Among the survey’s findings: 70% of B2B buyers will increase their online purchasing of good and services this year, and buyers’ prefer purchasing on manufacturers’ ecommerce sites because of the quality of their product information. Those findings show that B2B sellers must find the right ecommerce technology to offer customers the best buying experience, Cicman says.

B2B companies “should examine potential ecommerce solutions to identify which ones cover the specific common functions they most value,” Forrester says in the March 2023 report, “Demystifying the Technical Functions of B2B Commerce Solutions,” written by Cicman with input from other Forrester analysts.

Some critical functions, for example, can include how ecommerce technology manages customer account hierarchies, contract terms and personalized product catalogs for each customer.

Gene Alvarez, distinguished vice president and analyst, Gartner Inc.

Gene Alvarez, distinguished vice president and analyst covering digital commerce technology at research and advisory firm Gartner Inc., says B2B companies today have plenty options for deploying ecommerce technology based on their resources and their customers’ demands regarding the online buying experience. Alvarez will lead an EnvisionB2B panel discussion and workshop on customer loyalty strategies.

He asserts that, as competition increases in B2B ecommerce and companies develop new and innovative ways to interact with buyers and make their customers’ jobs easier, it will be crucial for online sellers to operate commerce technology they can modify to keep up with new standards.

“As new innovation comes along, you need to” be able to bring about that new innovation because it will be table stakes within a year,” Alvarez says.

Manufacturers and distributors push ahead with ecommerce

Brent Steffen, director of ecommerce, Caterpillar Inc.

“Everything we are doing with digital is about creating integrated and seamless experiences for our customers that help them be more efficient,” says Brent Steffen,  Caterpillar Inc.’s director of ecommerce, who will give a June 21 keynote address about innovation in B2B ecommerce at EnvisionB2B 2023.

With corporate roots going back to 1873 and annual sales of more than $6 billion, Konica Minolta Inc. is well known as a global manufacturer and marketer of digital imaging products used in corporate and institutional facilities worldwide.

But the company is ready to reach and engage more customers more often, which is why it’s forging into B2B ecommerce.

Velinda Cox, vice president of ecommerce, Konica Minolta

“We are in a position of transition, change and transformation,” says Velinda Cox, senior vice president of ecommerce at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc., in Ramsey, New Jersey, where she is spearheading the global company’s ecommerce strategy. Cox will give a June 22 EnvisionB2B keynote address on developing a new strategy for digital ecommerce and a supportive technology ecosystem.

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Christopher Schutts, CEO, Logik.io

The company will expand its market strategy with $16 million in a Series A funding round, Logik.io announced today.

“Many B2B companies struggle to deliver the low-touch consumerized experiences customers demand today,” co-founder and CEO Christopher Shutts said. “But the businesses who are leading their industries understand that no matter how complex your products are, buyers seek out businesses who make it simple to find, configure, and augment purchases across any channel.”

Logik.io’s clients include Keysight Technologies and Club Car

Logik says its Commerce Logic Engine technology is designed to help B2B buyers find and configure complex products and services from manufacturers, SaaS software providers and service companies. Logik’s customer base includes electric testing equipment manufacturer Keysight Technologies and Club Car, a maker of golf carts and utility vehicles.

The $16 million funding was led by Emergence Capital and joined by ServiceNow Ventures and Salesforce Ventures. Logik.io has now raised a total $26 million since Schutts and Logik.io chairman Godard Abel co-founded the company in 2021. Santi Subotovsky, general partner at Emergence Capital, will join the Logik.io board.

Prior to Logik.io, Schutts and Abel co-founded BigMachines, a configure-price-quote software provider they sold in 2013 to Oracle Corp., which renamed it Oracle CPQ.

Abel also developed Steelbrick, a CPQ software firm now part of Salesforce Inc. In addition, Abel is co-founder and CEO of G2.com, an AI- and ChatGTP-backed online information resource for business software.

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Denise Vivas, vice president of ecommerce, Essity Professional Hygiene

As the vice president of ecommerce at Essity Professional Hygiene, a global hygiene and health products manufacturer, Denise Vivas plays a critical role in Essity’s focus on growth through digital commerce. Here she addresses how Essity is engaging a new generation of online buyers of such products as Essity’s Tork brand line of workplace cleaners, dispensers, and related products.

Vivas is a panelist on the “Ecommerce Business Strategy: Creating a Blueprint for Digital Commerce Excellence” session June 21 at 2023’s EnvisionB2B Conference & Exhibition in Chicago.

DC 360: What is driving B2B companies like Essity Professional Hygiene to expand online?

Vivas: At Essity, our “North Star” is to deliver superb customer experiences in everything we do. We are always thinking ahead and always researching to ensure we provide the best service to our customers where they are. And where they are is online. In fact, research shows that close to 70% of our customers are millennials, and for them digital is the norm, not the exception.

Our digital transformation efforts are directed toward executing a customer-centric strategy across every inch of our business — from the way we manufacture products all the way to reaching and engaging current customers and seeking new business and profit opportunities. Digital is how we can bring Tork products and solutions to customers with speed and convenience.

Our online services seek to accomplish three important objectives at Essity:

• Build brand equity and trust.
• Defend our share as end customers shift from offline to online practices.
• Drive growth by unlocking new buckets of opportunities.

DC 360: What are your biggest internal and external barriers?

Vivas: There’s no greater satisfaction than when Essity and our partners — distributors, wholesalers, service providers and such — find we are on this digitalization path together. When our visions align, we are able to amplify and accelerate growth and customer satisfaction.

But in reality, resistance to change continues to be a barrier to that forward trajectory. Legacy systems and lack of resources can all weigh down and slow down progress. We strive to be leaders and help our partners embark on the digitalization journey with us.

Think about buying a car 15 years ago versus buying a car now. The transformation of how a car operates, all its safety features, and even how you can now purchase a car online, is mind-boggling. But people still operate the vehicles and must be willing to accept this new technology and drive that car off the lot. That is what we hope to continue to do with our partners — to show them how much faster, safer and more efficient we can be when we are firing on all cylinders together.

DC 360: What are the chief gains you’re realizing?

Vivas: Our online business — both through distribution partners and direct — is growing faster and more profitably than any other channel. And what we have learned along the way is that we can not only understand and acknowledge our customers’ needs but also help address and solve them.

Back to that Essity North Star, we are committed to strengthening our distributor partnerships, which includes the work we do to support their online business. How can we do that? Our approach involves developing ecommerce, digital marketing activation, and digital selling capabilities that we extend to our distributor partners as value-add services. These services complement the great work we do offline. As we master the art of supplementing online levers with offline ones, we advance further toward our destination, which is to differentiate Essity as a leader in omnichannel partnerships.

DC 360: What is the most valuable piece of advice you have on how to launch online B2B sales or increase them?

Vivas: As basic as this sounds — and it can’t be stressed enough — understand your customers’ pain points and devote the time and resources to solving them. And do it better and faster than anyone else. This is how you build brand equity and trust, and it’s how we reach our North Star and the growth that naturally follows.

I would also add: Be bold. The cost of technology continues to go down. Going back to my car analogy, think about the cost of cars today with all that technology now included even in base models. Take advantage of these lowered costs and start small. Pilot a service where you can prove to scale or dump quickly. But don’t be afraid to fail! Just fail fast and move forward.

DC 360: Regarding COVID-19 and supply-chain disruption, what is the biggest adaptation your company has made?

Vivas: We quickly and efficiently implemented highly responsive networks that stabilized our value-creation chain end to end. This was a collaboration across our organization. We even set up remotely to avoid face-to-face interaction during the “lockdown” period.

Some examples include:

• Streamlining our portfolio in order to boost output.
• Deliberately increasing target inventories of articles with a more complex supply chain (such as dispensers).
• Creating task forces to identify alternative suppliers.
• Developing an employee-retention program to create stability within our operations.
• Developing and sharing a successful health and hygiene website that educates our customers on how to avoid infection at the workplace. This site was recognized by experts and adopted by unions.

DC 360: Looking back over the past few years, is there anything you wish you had done differently in ecommerce?

Vivas: As we have seen with technology advancements, things move quickly. And at Essity, we have worked hard to keep up with and ahead of those advances. But what we’ve learned is that success in ecommerce is 10% technology and 90% an effective operating model.

In other words, success truly depends on an organization’s ability to effectively manage change. To do that, you must engage your people so that they trust the process. Invest as much time and as many resources as necessary to get employees involved right from the planning and development phase. As our approaches changed, having everyone on board helped them remain aligned and agile.

DC 360: What excites you the most in new digital commerce technology?

Vivas: While artificial intelligence is just emerging, and we must proceed with caution, I am excited about the potential AI has to power predictive personalization engines. This will allow us to truly connect with customers in a very intimate way, at scale and with immediacy.

To achieve this, we are actively working on the next wave of digital capabilities. We hope to further simplify the way we do business while still delivering exceptional customer service, driving us right toward our North StB2ar and ultimately translating into rapid, profitable growth for Essity Professional Hygiene and our partners and customers.

DC 360: Going forward, what do you see as the most significant commerce challenges and opportunities?

Vivas:  Our biggest opportunities lie in the ability to deliver value to our customers with simplicity and speed. And in the B2B world, how that  comes across is all in the eye of the beholder. In other words, digitally savvy customers have much different needs for simplicity and speed than do more traditional customers. But we must make the process seamless for both. The key is to be effective at servicing a wide range of customers, offering our digital tools to those ready to utilize them, and bringing customers with us as we maneuver this digital highway together.

Finally, I will say that as fast as technology moves, we must always pause to be sure our internet and customer information-management systems are secure. This is a trust we never want to breach.

Jim Daly is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy.

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Kris Harrington

In today’s dynamic business environment, staying competitive requires a more dynamic approach to utilizing your organization’s valuable resources. As an original equipment manufacturer or after-sales leader, your teams should be focused on delivering exceptional products, enriching customer experiences, and driving revenue growth.

However, some companies still rely on outdated practices, operating as mere ‘order-takers’ and spending a significant amount of time on administrative tasks, rather than adding value to their customers. And adding value can make a massive impact for OEMs.

If your organization is more focused on order-taking tasks than creating value for your customers, you may be at risk of falling behind. Here are three telltale signs that your organization operates as an “order-processing center”:

● Customer service teams are spending most of their time responding to customer inquiries for parts identification, price, availability, and order-related tasks.

● The organization is relying heavily on manual workflows and paperwork to manage orders, returns, and warranty claims.

● The organization is not leveraging technology or automation to streamline processes, reduce errors, and improve customer experiences.

So, what can you do to move away from an order-taking culture and start focusing on value-adding activities? Here are five things that OEM and after-sales leaders should consider:

1–Implement a digital self-service platform. One of the most effective ways to reduce the burden of order-taking on your customer service teams is to provide customers with self-service options. This can include customer or dealer portals that allow customers to access product information, place orders, track shipments, and request support without having to engage with customer service representatives every step of the way. By enabling users to self-serve, you can reduce the volume of calls and emails your customer service teams receive and free up their time to focus on more strategic activities.

2–Automate order processing and fulfillment. By integrating EDI and ERP systems, businesses can streamline operations, reduce errors, and improve customer satisfaction. For example, automated order processing and fulfillment allow companies to allocate inventory, generate pick lists, and create shipping labels automatically. This automation helps reduce the burden on customer service teams and will let them focus on more strategic initiatives. Additionally, automation provides real-time visibility into inventory levels, order status, and delivery tracking, which enables businesses to manage their operations and improve customer service proactively.

3–Use data analytics to anticipate customer needs. Rather than waiting for customers to contact you with their needs, you can use data analytics to anticipate their needs proactively. By analyzing customer behavior and buying patterns, you can identify which products or services they are likely to need next and offer them personalized recommendations or promotions that encourage repeat business. This use of analytics can help you build stronger customer relationships, increase revenue, and reduce the need for reactive order-taking.

4–Invest in training and development for customer service teams. While digital self-service and automation can help reduce the burden of order-taking on your customer service teams, they still play a critical role in ensuring customer satisfaction. That’s why it’s important to invest in training and development programs that equip your customer service teams with the skills and knowledge they need to handle complex inquiries, resolve customer issues, and provide exceptional service. By empowering your customer service teams to add value, you can differentiate your organization from competitors and build a loyal customer base.

5–Create a culture of continuous improvement. Finally, it’s important to create a culture of continuous improvement that encourages experimentation, innovation, and collaboration across your organization. This can include regularly reviewing and analyzing customer feedback, identifying areas for improvement, and testing new processes and technologies to drive efficiency and customer satisfaction. By embracing a culture of continuous improvement, you can position your organization for long-term success and move away from a culture of order-takers to a culture of value-creators.

The pressure to deliver more value to your dealers and customers is greater than ever, and organizations that fail to prioritize this customer service strategy risk losing market share. By implementing the steps outlined in this blog, OEM and after-sales leaders can optimize their operations, improve customer experiences, and set themselves up for success in the years to come.

About the author

Kristina Harrington is the co-founder and CEO of GenAlpha Technologies, which provides digital commerce technology for manufacturers. Prior to GenAlpha, Kris worked for more than 10 years in leadership positions at two large multinational original equipment manufacturers, Bucyrus International and Caterpillar, supporting the mining industry. In her various positions, she worked with internal stakeholders, dealers, and customers to deliver business results both in aftermarket and equipment sales. She can be reached at kharrington@genalpha.com.

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Most manufacturers (53%) have achieved “full adoption” of cloud-based data platforms, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and connected services. Meanwhile, just over a third (35%) have fully adopted scanning and intelligent data capture (OCR), says PwC in a new survey from 300 supply chain executives.

Manufacturers still on their way to more digital supply chain processes

But adoption of digital technologies that help drive predictive insights or cross-enterprise efficiency are in the early stages. Just one in four (24%) manufacturers have applied artificial intelligence to their supply chains, according to our survey. Even fewer have adopted blockchain (18%), robotics/robotic process automation (RPA) (16%) and augmented reality (14%).

“Given the relatively lean adoption rates of these technologies, manufacturers expect to make investments to increase them,” PwC says. “Nearly three-quarters (73%) report that they plan to make investments in AI/ML, robotics/RPA and blockchain over the next two years.”

But as the economy continues to soften and cut back on their spending, some manufacturing companies may slow how much they will spend on digital supply chain applications. For example, nearly half (47%) cite budget constraints as the top challenge of digitizing their supply chains, followed by insufficient capabilities of supply chain hardware and software systems (31%) and a misalignment of supply chain goals and the business’ overall strategic goals (31%).

“Despite some success in adopting digital technologies — and plans to invest in areas that are lagging — many manufacturers are encountering systemic obstacles and other challenges in getting the most out of digitizing the supply chain,” PwC days. For example, few tools yield “out of the box” benefits, requiring more time and digital know-how to make an impact.”

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Check back soon for more Charts & Data Stories, like our weekly B2B infographics. We add new content regularly. 

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Despite the rapid pace of new ecommerce technology, such as headless commerce, and mounting pressure from digital-first customers, progress is mixed at best for many companies, according to a new survey of 600 manufacturing executives from Epicor Software Corp.

For example, only about 44% of manufacturers are spending more on new digital technologies, while 49% will keep paying the same amount as the prior year.

Although nearly half of all companies describe their company as “somewhat” to “very” modern, only 13% are fully digitized. Nearly 60% still use a mix of ecommerce, electronic business software and paper and manual procedures to conduct business.

“The shift to all-digital workplaces is slowly happening,” the report says. “31% (of manufacturing companies) are still using all paper.”

Other findings include:

• Big data: 41% of companies are gathering and analyzing data company-wide to gain insight into operations.
• Robotics and artificial intelligence: 36% of organizations are using robots and AI to automate manufacturing.
• Augmented reality: 32% of manufacturers are using AR to better see, understand and track data to improve manufacturing efficiency and productivity.

“Those who say their company is ‘very modern’ are more likely to say their company is eager to embrace new technology,” the report says. “Those companies who say their company is not very modern are more likely to say their company is hesitant to embrace technology.”

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Randy Altschuler, CEO, Xometry Inc.

For the quarter ended March 31, Xometry posted total revenue of $105.3 million, up 26% from $83.67 million in the same period last year. Revenue for the company’s manufacturing services marketplace grew by 35% to $86.68 million from $64.14 million in the first quarter of 2022, as the number of active buyers grew 46% to 44,716 buyers and the number of suppliers increased 11% to 7,621 sellers.

In addition, the company narrowed its net loss in the first quarter to $18.34 million, compared with $20.12 million in the year-earlier quarter.

“The continuing shift to digital is inevitable, and as the leading two-sided marketplace, Xometry’s asset-light digital marketplace creates efficiencies and value for buyers and suppliers alike,” CEO Randy Altschuler told analysts. “Artificial intelligence is at the heart of Xometry, generating prices for buyers and suppliers across a range of on-demand manufacturing processes.”

Xometry continues to build out its marketplace services and inventory, he said.

“In Q1, we added more than three dozen materials and finishes, including galvanized steel, stainless steel, and custom CNC materials,” Altschuler told analysts. “Additionally, we launched instant quotes for parts with multiple finishes. We also launched a new quick-turn injection molding service for quotes in as fast as two hours and parts in as little as five business days.

“For U.S. buyers, we introduced a new domestic economy shipping option, which offers lower pricing and longer lead times than the standard shipping option, but with higher pricing than our traditional offshore economy option. We are pleased with the adoption of the domestic economy.”

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The old world of ecommerce technology is shifting away from legacy monolithic platforms limited in adaptability and scalability, and designed primarily for transaction processing.

Instead, ecommerce platform technology is entering into a new development and implementation area utilizing new applications such as headless commerce, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics. Called by various names such as connected commerce, composable commerce, and Ecommerce 3.0, today’s cutting-edge ecommerce platform technology supports more customizable ecommerce sites and an integrated B2B buying experience with transactions that can occur anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

BigCommerce releases an updated B2B Edition

Lance Owide, B2B general manager, BigCommerce

For ecommerce technology provider BigCommerce, its latest release of B2B Edition — a suite of B2B ecommerce applications for suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers — features a new array of tools and applications that include Multi-Storefront (MSF) compatibility, headless support and a brand new buyer portal.

“With B2B Edition, B2B brands can create buying experiences that help them sell more, convert at a higher rate, and influence repeat purchasing and loyalty,” says BigCommerce B2B general manager Lance Owide.

The updated B2B Edition, which BigCommerce announced this week, offers several updated tools, features and functions, including:

• Customized purchasing from a single back-end user experience based on a buyer’s specific region, industry vertical and purchasing needs.
• Purchases with preset price and shopping lists that buyers can configure price and quote (CPQ).
• Easier reordering such as by company or user and with the ability for users to view past company orders, quotes and lists in one place and upload orders in bulk with a quick order pad feature.
• Enhanced storefront integrations with any BigCommerce Stencil storefront, or any headless platform connected to BigCommerce such as CMS platforms.
• An enhanced mobile-friendly buyer portal.

Launching multiple online storefronts

With MSF, organizations can launch and manage multiple storefronts from a single BigCommerce back-end across brands, geographies, and/or customer segments, the company says. The updated buyer portal also automates many administrative tasks, such as managing orders, quotes, and workflows, BigCommerce says.

“B2B brands can create buying experiences that help them sell more, convert at a higher rate, and influence repeat purchasing and loyalty,” Owide says.

BigCommerce also released its first-quarter earnings. For the quarter ended March 31, revenue totaled $71.8 million, up 9% from $66.05 million in the year-earlier quarter. Net loss was $22.1 million, compared to $37.0 million in the first quarter of 2022.

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