One of the biggest changes has occurred in B2B businesses. A few months ago I echoed a Mckinsey study (October 2020) on the transformation of B2B digital sales :
The preference for digital B2B sales has doubled. In Spain and the United Kingdom, it has tripled .
Customers want self-service tools:
Online chat is the preferred channel for contacting suppliers.
Preference for placing orders via mobile apps increases by 30%.
+250% on orders via mobile app.
For this reason, companies that offer a uk telegram number good digital experience are twice as likely to be hired.
The reason for the shift to digital B2B sales was that teams were working remotely (96%) and purchasing decision-makers realized that they prefer the digital channel (65%) because they get the same or better results than before the pandemic (the countries where this shift is most common are: China, India, Spain and the UK).
Seeing these changes, I began to reflect on what the main changes in the B2B marketing strategy should be to adapt to these changes:
B2B omnichannel.
Turning websites into commercial platforms.
Define a marketing strategy that supports B2B sales.
Facilitate the digitalization of the sales team .
So far we have the data that describes the reality and the methodology that will help us take the first steps. Perfect. And now what? Companies don't change just like that.
The digitalization of B2B companies starts with people and first with a relatively simple change of mentality
What happens? Well, as with all major changes, this one starts with people. If the people who make up the company (and ultimately the sector) are not at least somewhat digital, the transformation of these businesses will be difficult, no matter what the data from studies say otherwise.
But I think that this change, at least the beginning of the change, begins with a simple change of mentality.
It is curious to see how our way of seeing things changes when we are at home or at the office. At home we shop online, watch series on digital platforms, participate (to a greater or lesser extent) in social networks, etc. etc.
But we arrive at our job in a B2B company and manage orders by printing purchase orders and signing them. That is, at home we are in 2021 and in the office we are in the year 2000 (or almost).
This is why we talk about the famous digital transformation, about changes in processes, tools, etc., about a lot of things that represent such big changes that companies can't find the time to undertake them. It has happened (and continues to happen) in B2C, and it looks like the same thing is going to happen in B2B.
In reality, big changes start with small things. Why don't we dress our B2B businesses in B2C? Why don't we apply common sense and try to apply what we do at home to our B2B businesses?
Where does the digitalization of B2B companies begin?
Well, where it always is. Change is cultural, but it starts with deep knowledge and adaptation to customers. It is, and always will be, the guide for the transformation of our companies.
That's why I particularly liked the simple analysis that McKinsey has made in one of its latest articles. In the following image you can see an analysis of the problems along a client's customer journey and the digital proposals.