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How To Break Down the Complexity of B2B Commerce

How To Break Down the Complexity of B2B Commerce

B2B purchases don’t have to be complex. Learn how Salesforce can help you provide an intuitive buying experience for your customers.

While the last year has brought unprecedented change to how we work and connect with our customers, customer experience remains a key differentiator. 

For the Fourth Edition of our State of the Connected Customer report, we surveyed over 15,000 global consumers and business buyers. Four-fifths indicated that they place the same emphasis on flawless engagement as they do on product quality. 

The percentage was even higher amongst business buyers. These individuals no longer want to be treated as an entity. They have come to expect a personalised customer experience that is just as intuitive as what they would get when buying a pair of shoes or a jacket online. It’s an important reminder that while B2B purchases can be complex, the buying journey need not be. 

Here’s how Salesforce can help make the B2B buying journey as straightforward as possible:

Simplifying customer engagement

Technology has fundamentally changed customers’ expectations. Our latest State of the Connected Customer report revealed that 65% of business customers prioritise convenience over brand. It also found that 66% of business customers prefer personalised products and services.

These demands are putting digital technology at the forefront of B2B selling. We see many businesses transform processes like quoting and pricing. One of these is PLDT. 

PLDT is a leading Philippines-based telecom operator that serves both businesses and consumers. The Enterprise Business within PLDT is transforming digitally with Salesforce , with the aim of simplifying customer engagement. 

“We want to make a positive impact on every single business. To do that, we realise that we first have to make an impact on the people of our organisation. That’s why we have endeavoured to drive our vision forward with a digital transformation that will allow us to simplify the complex for our organisation and likewise for our customers,” said Jovy Hernandez, Senior Vice President and Head, Enterprise Business from PLDT.

The first step in PLDT’s digital transformation is consolidating all customer needs onto a single platform in order to streamline operations and serve customers better. 

PLDT also plans to digitise proposal and contract generation. Leveraging Salesforce, the sales team will be able to prepare proposals faster. The team will also have access to a product catalogue that highlights all solutions that are suited to a customers’ needs. Customers will be able to sign contracts digitally and receive the solutions they need more quickly.

Making online buying easy

Changes in customer behaviour are also accelerating the growth of B2B ecommerce. Salesforce B2B Commerce can help businesses take advantage of this shift and offer more consumer-like buying experiences. These include seamless online ordering and purchasing recommendations that can be tailored to each customer in real time. 

Salesforce B2B Commerce was recently evaluated by Forrester in The Forrester Wave™: B2B Commerce Suites, Q2 2020. Salesforce was found to be a leader amongst 13 B2B commerce suite providers. 

Salesforce received the highest possible scores in the criteria of business intelligence and analytics, content and offer personalisation, and product and service configuration. It also scored on-par with other vendors in the criteria of promotions and order and inventory management.

The Forrester report described Salesforce as a “powerhouse for end-to-end customer engagement solutions centred around its CRM.”  It also said “Salesforce is above par in its approach to the market, setting strategies that speak to customer needs and delivering (as promised) with reliable technical and support resources.”

Access the full report here to learn more about why Salesforce has been named a leader. You’ll also find guidance on what to look for in a B2B commerce solution.

Salesforce

Salesforce is the #1 CRM, bringing companies and customers together in the digital age. Founded in 1999, Salesforce enables companies of every size and industry to take advantage of powerful technologies—cloud, mobile, social, blockchain, voice, and artificial intelligence—to connect to their customers in a whole new way. They are coming to us as their trusted advisor, and together we are transforming their businesses around the customer.

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