Lift your digital B2B strategy with these 5 omnichannel tactics

In an increasingly complex and digitally driven marketplace, B2B businesses must adapt to evolving buyer expectations and tech advancements. The omnichannel strategy, once predominantly associated with direct-to-consumer brands, now offers critical lessons for the B2B sector. And time is of the essence. 

With 68% of B2B buyers planning to increase their use of digital channels and an estimated 80% of B2B sales projected to occur through digital channels by 2025, companies can’t afford to sit on their hands.   

And why would they? After all, integrating omnichannel principles is a great way for manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors to enhance operations, improve buyer satisfaction, and ultimately drive revenue growth. 

Strategic Areas to Address

Based on our extensive experience with omnichannel strategy, we’ve identified five inspiring, rewarding, and actionable strategic areas B2B companies should focus on making the most of their existing setups.  

What can B2b learn from the omnichannel playbook?

While the five strategic tips mentioned above are based on solid omnichannel insights, B2B companies must always stay up to date with the current competitive landscape to be truly successful. The following five specific industry learnings provide great value individually, but they will have the most impact if manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers consider them as a whole: 

One of the most significant challenges facing B2B companies is managing inventory effectively. For example, a recent report by NuOrder reveals, that a staggering 51% of wholesale orders are now conducted through self-guided e-commerce platforms, highlighting the need for accurate, real-time inventory data. 

Wholesalers, manufacturers, and distributors can all benefit by integrating inventory data with back-end systems like ERP to ensure that all stakeholders – whether sales teams, suppliers, or customers – have up-to-date product information. This will also help to reduce order cancellations and customer service queries. 

Modern buyers expect the same level of personalisation in B2B transactions as in B2C. Statistics reveal that 73% (and counting) of B2B buyers want tailored experiences, emphasising why tailored outreach should become the de facto way of engaging across all channels.

To meet this demand, B2B companies can leverage data analytics to offer customised product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and localised promotions, mirroring the personalised approaches seen in successful B2C operations. 

With buyers using multiple channels to make purchasing decisions, it’s crucial for B2B companies to optimise these touchpoints. According to McKinsey, 33% of buyers rate real-time customer service (for example in the form of 24/7 live chat) during the research stage of their buyer’s journey as a top-three requirement for best-in-class suppliers.

Borrowing from B2C strategies, wholesalers and distributors should consider enhancing their digital showrooms, trade shows, and marketplaces. Manufacturers, on the other hand, can benefit from virtual product demonstrations or interactive platforms that showcase production capabilities and product details. By integrating engaging content such as videos, 360-degree product views, and detailed knowledge guides, B2B companies can enrich the buyer’s journey across all touchpoints. 

Automation plays a key role in streamlining operations across the B2B landscape. While manufacturers can automate production scheduling and inventory management, wholesalers and distributors can focus their efforts on streamlining order processing, pricing adjustments, and stock tracking by integrating CRM, ERP, and PLM systems. This approach not only saves time but also ensures accuracy and efficiency in handling large volumes of data and transactions.

As buyers increasingly prefer self-service options, manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors must offer platforms that support complex orders with features like customisable carts, split deliveries, and flexible payment methods. This approach will enable B2B companies to offer a more efficient and satisfying purchasing experience – for company and customer alike.