Report • 08.10.2015
"B2C and B2B are becoming more and more alike"
28. ECC-Forum "B2B in Digital Transformation" in Cologne
And there was at least one thing speakers and participants agreed upon: B2B and B2C retail are becoming more and more alike, in particular regarding the presentation of products and the possibilities of purchase completion. "Consumerisation" is the keyword here.
According to IfH CEO Dr. Kai Hudetz who again opened the event this is a very logical development. More and more “Smart Natives” are starting their working life today. And they expect the same services in B2B retail which they are accustomed to from their private online shopping. Although the B2B sector has a much more global approach than the B2C sector, the big topic of digitization has so far not been dealt with in many companies.
"The biggest challenge for B2B e-commerce in the next five years is the optimal connection of the various distribution channels," said Hudetz. In his opinion, the successful implementation of e-commerce at this point still is a hurdle for many B2B-oriented companies. According to Hudetz, marketplaces will play a growing role in the implementation of e-commerce strategies in B2B in the near future.
Mark Steier, operator of wortfilter.de, is an expert on online marketplaces and their use in the B2B environment. Steier made his money selling auto parts to professional clients online between 2001 and 2010. "I know the potential that marketplaces like Amazon Business and eBay Motors have to offer”, said Steier. “These two platforms are the most relevant players in the B2B sector and therefore the ones retailers should use”. Marketplaces strengthen not only the digital but also the overall brand identity of manufacturers because of their high level of virality.
Steier also believes that the demands of business and private customers become more and more similar - hence his opinion that mobile will continue to grow in importance for selling to commercial customers, because they also want to flexibly and as quickly as possible order the required products in any situation.
How do manufacturers manage to create a "unified brand image in the tension between B2B and D2C (Direct to Consumer)" was the topic of the talk by Klaus Kallenbrunnen, International Head of Digital Business at HAIX Shoes who is responsible for eCommerce and multichannel within the company. The manufacturer of functional shoes traditionally sells its products through specialized retailers for work and functional clothing, but has also recognized the potential that lies in direct sales to the end customer.
Kallenbrunnen has also experienced the fact that B2B and B2C come ever closer. This is why HAIX has started a cross-channel campaign that should appeal to both markets equally. The aim was to strengthen the brand awareness in all channels. The most direct way to reach the end customer was the use of Touchpoints previously unused by the footwear manufacturer. For example, TV spots were launched which proved to also have an impact on another new new touchpoint: The number of mobile visits to the company's website increased by 80 percent after the broadcast of the TV commercials according to Kallenbrunnen.
"It is especially important for manufacturers to take advantage of digital opportunities," says Kallenbrunnen "but the content must always be adapted to the medium used". In B2B, the changing media reception is an important factor for customer contact, which is why HAIX is using social media to interact with their customers. "Even in the B2B sector, it is crucial to go ahead courageously rather than to be running late on digitalization," is Kallenbrunnens final conclusion. Then it would also be possible to tap into new potentials both in B2B retail and sales to end customers as well.
Author: Daniel Stöter, iXtenso.com
channels: online trading, e-commerce
