Sales leaders need to adapt, the new post-COVID-19 reality. The market requires rapid change, because the new normal for the industry will be B2B Ecommerce.
The trend of digital transformation was already before the pandemic, but now it is no longer just a question of transforming, but accelerating. Because as the author of the Theory of Evolution said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one that best responds to changes".
We have 5 factors that we must prioritize at this point:
The health and well-being of employees and customers.
Reduce unnecessary expenses, in this case with trips to shops, fairs and offline showroom.
Scan all company processes, with automation through ERP’s, Hubs, Secure payment methods, etc.
Change the traditional form of communication, humanizing the digital and transforming your sales team into true digital representatives of your brand.
Use a robust platform, with the necessary parameters for the wholesale trade policies, with modern and intuitive technology.
It is time to invest in OPEX, delegate the development and implementation processes of the system to experienced suppliers. And save time without increasing operating costs by outsourcing the software development project, thereby reducing CAPEX expenses and increasing the system's ROI, keeping managers' focus on business expansion and evolution.
React to the crisis with determination, resilience and strategic planning with a focus on multichannel business. And prepare your company for the resumption of sales, whether online or offline. It is very important to be aware of the market, and possible partnerships with other sales channels such as the various marketplaces with the profile of your product.
Decision-makers must respond to new expectations with optimism, but work on innovations urgently. Because even though 45% of the world population believes that the economy will recover in 3 months, globally ecommerce has increased sales by 43%, and has already grown 39% more than in March. (Source: emarketer, by Klaviyo)
How To Do Your B2B Ecommerce Successfully
Offer excellent service, but it is not enough to offer customers multiple self-service options. Because the three things that buyers value most are Agility, Transparency and Experience. If your company can provide all of that, live chat better still, to encourage customer loyalty.
The factors that frustrate the buyer the most are 36% the duration of the purchase process, 34% the difficulty of finding products and 33% of technical purchase failures. Other common concerns are confusing websites, lack of information about delivery and technical support and difficulty in setting up payments.
How to engage your salespeople and representatives in digital
Provide constant training and present digital tool solutions for use in remote conferences.
Monitor the importance of maintaining the tone of voice that represents the company and its values, that is, the same language in all channels and social networks.
Remunerate for your results fairly, as the value of these professionals' business relationship needs to be respected.
Personal interactions gave way to sales and service support via video conferencing, webinar, telephone, chat, social networks and other means. In this remote and digital world, however, the human role in the process is crucial.
Very important points to be considered, before closing with any supplier, make sure it offers the necessary automation to scale your B2B Ecommerce.
Here is a checklist for your operation:
Platform and ERP
Set up wholesale trade policies
Allow receipt of products by HUB with validation, to avoid import errors
Synchronize inventory and price in real time from the main offline and online retail platforms and ERP's
Synchronize orders and order status on major offline and online retail platforms and ERP's
Provide several file formats to facilitate the process of importing and exporting data
Payment Method
Accept all flags and payment methods
It is integrated with CIP and in agreement with BACEN
Have split to manage payments
Risk and Anti-Fraud Management
1-click purchase
Automatic retry
Transparent Checkout
Card debit pre-authorization
Easy reconciliation and Financial control in an intuitive interface
Logistics
Predictability of freight costs
Greater dispatch efficiency and agility
Real-time visibility of all shipments
Automation of communication with operators
Start this new cycle right away and reinvent the traditional form of wholesale trade!
Erica Borges, Founder of THE1 Showroom and THE GOAL