B2B Customer Expectations Changed Because of COVID-19
A consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic was the immediate shift for employees to go from working in an office to having to work from home. This forced employees to quickly become skilled in technology that before seemed unnecessary to their work. We all remember learning how to use new software, programs and tools, like Zoom, basically overnight. Well, our customers experienced the same drastic shift as they learned to shop for groceries and work online too. The success of B2C companies created a frictionless customer experience that many B2B companies are still roadblocked from following.
Working From Home Isn’t Going Anywhere
Well, B2B companies better learn how to clear that roadblock and fast. According to Gartner, 88% of organizations encouraged or required employees to work from home due to the pandemic. Today working from home has become the new normal with companies providing the software and tools their employees need to be productive. Not only did employees get used to working remotely, but there is increased demand for flexible work. In Buffer’s “State of Remote Report,” 98% of respondents said they would choose to work remotely, at least part-time, for the rest of their careers.
Respect Your Customers’ New Digital Expectations
Despite companies adapting to the remote work needs of their employees, they haven’t been as successful in adapting to the new expectations of their customers. Now, customers expect frictionless transactions whether they are ordering food, video chatting – or sharing files and setting work appointments. In other words, your users expect a comfortable B2C-like experience while dealing with B2B transactions. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels. If your company can match your customers' B2C expectations during your B2B customer journey, then growth can soar.
Opportunity for B2B Digital Payment Innovation
Here at cleverbridge, we previously shared eight tips on how to provide a memorable B2B digital customer experience. Click the link to read those tips but the short answer is to respect your customer and clear the digital roadblocks they’re facing. B2B customers now expect online payment transactions to be frictionless like their B2C ones. Now’s the time to innovate and meet their post-COVID B2C expectations. One simple way to do this is with some B2B digital innovation by creating a frictionless global payment system that accounts for multiple currency transactions.
With cleverbridge Digital Opportunity is Viable
Don’t ignore the opportunity to clear the B2B digital payment roadblock facing your customers’ B2C post-COVID digital expectations. Innovate your end-to-end eCommerce services – everything you need to rapidly launch, operate and optimize commerce sales for your global customers. Schedule a demo with our team to get started today.