Pandemic Learning: The future of B2B Business Is In eCommerce
Ever since the invention of the internet, we have been toying around with the idea of selling our goods online, and moving out of brick-and-mortar stores. Then eCommerce comes onto the scene, and business was booming. Consumers were able to go onto the internet and browse the virtually millions of products and buy at the click of a button – just like that. And businesses loved it!
Businesses could place their products online, play around with the prices, conduct flash sales and advertise like crazy, with some of the internet’s biggest titans thriving as a result.
The problem
Sadly, B2B has still not fully adopted this model – we still have sales professionals making sales calls like it’s 1980.
Cut to 2020, and the world has changed for good. The pandemic has changed the face of business as we know it. Businesses that have failed to adopt to the new environment are now floundering, struggling to survive. So, we understand, that perhaps change is good, because now it is inevitable.
With the social distancing regulations prevailing across the world, physical sales calls are a no-go. Selling over the phone or over a video conference might be an option, but not as effective as physical sales calls. So, how do we sell what we need to? After all, the sales function has been what keeps businesses breathing and, in the best cases, growing.
The winds of change have brought upon us some interesting notions. One of these is the concept of a full-fledged B2B eCommerce environment. Something not thought of, something revolutionary, something disruptive. What, with digital transformation being a keyword in the last few years, we need only look at the pandemic as a catalyst for digital transformation.
This is good news, truly. It beckons forth a new era of sales transformation and innovation that could stay for the foreseeable future. Traditional sales strategies and practices might stick around for some time, but we are at the verge of complete and enormous digital transformation, and it would be prudent for any B2B business to adopt the eCommerce model for their sales function.
If you are thinking you should wait for a couple more years before you adopt this model for lack of proper B2B eCommerce solution, think again. The market is already saturated with several B2B eCommerce solution providers, and mature B2B eCommerce solution providers like Archarina have already made quite a footprint.
The solution
Archarina’s Arc eComm is a mature eCommerce model, tailor made specifically for the B2B space. The solution allows B2B businesses to sell the way the want to, with provisions to make virtual demos, download brochures, templates, studies, whitepapers and other collaterals. Likewise, based on the case, options to build in intuitive calculators to understand ROI.
Arc eComm also offers options for your sales team to engage directly with customers through the eCommerce portal, and with live video conferencing, document discussion, and demonstrations, it is the perfect tool for your sales team to take your B2B sales strategy online. In other words, it has everything a B2B business would need to get started with eCommerce.
The Advantages
Now that we’ve told you what you could do with Arc eComm, you need to know why you should do it. Beyond the obvious reasons of changing with the times, the shift also offers some unprecedented advantages in B2B sales.
eCommerce for your B2B presents an opportunity for you to scale your business, accelerate processes, and meet customer demand at a pace and confidence that has never been seen before.
Sales
An increase in sales numbers or leads to the sales funnel is music to the ears of any sales manager. A clean and intuitive online experience, where B2B buyers can understand the impact of the product, will ultimately help them make quicker decisions to purchase. Since most of the lead generation or lead conversion can be automated, sales closes can be done almost instantaneously, increasing average sales numbers in any given period.
Costs
By removing all of the travelling and entertaining costs of traditional B2B strategies, the costs of sales conversions decline as well. Since everything can be tracked online, hassle free, there is no need for multiple courtesy visits just to make sure you and the client are on the same page.
Likewise, the efficiency provided by the system offers greater control over the entire sales process, meaning you no longer have to run anything on a trial-and-error basis.
Customer Loyalty
Because of the aforementioned efficiency, clarity, and speed to decision that is achieved through eCommerce, customers find it easy to come back for making a purchase of their preferred solution. Customer churn is reduced, and dropped leads from human error are a thing of the past.
Productivity
Due to the automation and the general efficacy that an eCommerce system provides, your sales team spends less time on courtesy activities, and more time focusing on the actual conversion of leads. This frees up their time and energy, increasing overall productivity.
Competitiveness
Staying abreast with the times is an unavoidable necessity. Staying ahead of the curve offers an advantage over your competition like never before. Moving to an eCommerce B2B sales strategy could change the way you do sales and make you a pioneer in the sales strategies of the future.
Conclusion
It is true that we are facing an unprecedented time in the history of business, and that the challenges that we have faced in the past year are staggering. You need the right tools to navigate these unchartered waters. You need Archarina’s Arc eComm.
Get in touch with the experts at Archarina to understand how we can help you prepare yourself for the future of B2B eCommerce!
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