The Digital Shift in B2Bs is Insufficient yet Eternal

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many B2B companies to quickly adjust their eCommerce abilities to maintain a smooth flow of orders. While this transformation may have felt rushed for most businesses, it will likely stay even after the pandemic subsides. Here are the various ways B2B has changed in recent months:

Buyers Prefer eCommerce

Buyers have always preferred the precision, simplicity, and convenience offered by digital experiences even before the pandemic and are getting more used to the satisfaction of shopping from a wide range of online retailers every day. According to the McKinsey & Company Report, over three-quarters of sellers and buyers nowadays prefer remote human interaction and digital services over face-to-face interactions. This preference has only intensified during the lockdown.

In addition, more than 80% of professional buyers believe that a mix of digital self-service and remote human interaction is more secure, less expensive, and easy to set up than a personal experience. Only 20% of B2B buyers thus expect to go back to in-person sales since most were more satisfied with the recent increase in eCommerce sales. In April 2020, up to 54% of buyers were sure that the new B2B eCommerce sales model triggered by the pandemic was effective, and this number rose to 75% in August of the same year.

Mobile Applications Boost Orders

Service providers no longer have to worry about running out of supplies and tools. All they need to do is tap an application on their phones to replenish their stock. They do not have to drive long hours to purchase materials, and such convenience is highly ideal for numerous B2B purchasing scenarios.

While ordering through mobile applications has been around for a long time, it became much more common during the pandemic. In fact, mobile app orders rose 250%, while customer preference for mobile orders increased 30% ever since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The Rise of Video Conferencing

With in-person meetings no longer being an option, how did companies and employees communicate with one another? Via video calls. Video conferencing rose 41% during the pandemic, as B2B salespeople tried to maintain communication with buyers. This will likely not go away anytime soon as well. Instead, in-person meetings will be fewer.

Sweet Tips from Ally:

The pandemic caught most businesses off-guard, forcing them to adopt digital systems hurriedly. Many entrepreneurs have since realized the importance of B2B eCommerce. Thus, digital transformation in the current environment is inevitable, and businesses must be well prepared to cope with even more upcoming changes. Remember, the shift is ongoing, and organizations will need professional guidance to fully adapt successfully.