B2B Info Center

You’ve realized that in order for your B2B wholesale or distribution company to keep growing, it’s time to invest in B2B eCommerce software that will take you to the next level. You have customers who want to order online and a sales team that needs more modern tools. There are many turnkey options out there that can get you up and running quickly. But how do you know which one to choose?

Here are some things to keep in mind before the demo and questions to ask during the demo to slow things down and elicit the vital information you will need.

B2B eCommerce presents its own unique challenges—while it shares similarities with B2C eCommerce, the differences are profound.

Wholesale businesses understandably prefer to focus on growth rather than returns and refunds. Managing a high volume of returns can be both time-consuming and costly. To effectively minimize these challenges, implementing efficient inventory management software is crucial.

Any good B2B eCommerce strategy is built on a solid foundation, but that foundation will crumble if it doesn’t consider customers' needs.

Your customers, whether you’re aware of it or not, are only interested in a handful of things:

It’s never a bad thing to get new orders. After all, orders keep your business running. The speed bumps arrive when you need to fulfill the order. You’re not alone if you have yet to find the perfect system for fulfilling customer orders as efficiently as possible. Most businesses don’t have a system as streamlined or effective as they’d like.

Why is that?

It starts with the order-taking process. A salesperson may have handwritten a form, called it in, or emailed it, or customer service has taken a handwritten order of its own. 

Manufacturing, wholesaling, and distribution companies share common needs in their order processes. These businesses rely on both internal and external sales teams to cultivate enduring relationships with B2B customers, efficiently manage inquiries, and maintain accurate customer information. For these enterprises, securing an exceptional sales and order processing system is vital to support both employees and customers. Customer order software offers tailored functionality for B2B companies aiming to enhance customer service while reducing administrative expenses. By selecting customer order software that seamlessly integrates with accounting solutions like QuickBooks, you can broaden your customer engagement and streamline operations.

Wholesale businesses are constantly on the move. There are always orders that need to be filled and shipped out. While this is great for business, you also want to ensure you can track all your customers and upcoming orders without anything slipping through the cracks. With the help of order entry software, that won’t be a problem. Just check out the following reasons why this software is exactly what you need to transform your business.

Creating that personal connection is a key driver in online marketing and B2C companies.  The B2B industry is noticing.  Seeing online B2C growth and the lack of personal connection is one reason the B2B world feels more compelled to change. Many B2B companies are attempting to nurture more personal relationships with buyers today and are looking for quick and easy ways to do this. 

The B2B industry still struggles to find better ways to connect with buyers after so many years of more formal relationships. Things have slowly started to change with B2B buyer connections because of B2B eCommerce. Some B2B companies don’t realize what customers need in a B2B eCommerce platform, and sometimes placing orders is too confusing. Also, "buy and go" ruins the ability to develop relationships between you and the wholesale buyer.

When wholesale businesses are asked what practices in their customer ordering process cause the most problems, they often mention the following: 1) delays in shipping; 2) excessive employee time spent on order entry; 3) lack of access to sales data and inventory and 4) human errors throughout the process. When a situation presents itself for differentiation, there exists for every business with a customer base, an opportunity for improved market share and customer satisfaction. How can you guarantee that your wholesale order and fulfillment processes afford you a competitive advantage while reducing customer-related headaches?