What is the digital shift in B2B sales?

[ishanijerin1]

Although I wrote that the COVID-19 pandemic is the impact, B2B customers have been moving towards online and digitalization for some time now. As the data in the figure below shows, "92% of B2B purchases start with a search" and "68% of B2B buyers prefer to do their own research online," those who start their consideration based on information from a salesperson are now in the minority (60% of people prefer not to interact with a salesperson!). The digital shift is progressing on the part of customers (users), who gather information online (websites, electronic catalogs, etc.) and make their decisions. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated this digitalization even further. It is becoming the norm to search for vendors online, gather information, meet with salespeople remotely, and make payments online.

btob_img.jpg

B2B sales must adapt to the trends of the times. This is the digital shift for B2B sales, and sales work that has taken a lot of time and effort up until now must be digitized and moved online.

"Digital shift" for business survival
At the end of December 2020, the Ministry nurse database of Economy, Trade and Industry released the "DX (Digital Transformation) Report 2 Interim Summary." In it, it states that the COVID-19 pandemic has put companies at risk of losing their business, and whether they can respond to this crisis will depend on whether they are able to take the plunge into transforming corporate culture, business practices, payment processes, etc. that have not previously been questioned, such as stamping, on-site presence at customer locations, and face-to-face sales. The winners and losers in the digital race will become even clearer. It states that a digital shift is essential for companies to survive. Furthermore, DX Report 2 also presents the following as actions that companies should take immediately in light of the COVID-19 pandemic:

Moving business environments online

Digitalization of business processes

Digitalization of employee safety and health management

Digitalization of customer contact points

This is the action that must be taken as a digital shift for companies to survive, and with regard to the digitalization of customer touchpoints in particular, he states that "providing customers with a 'digital entrance' for your company's products and services not only serves as a substitute for face-to-face interaction at a store, but also serves as the starting point for various transformations, such as touchpoints with customers in remote locations that cannot be achieved at a physical store, and feedback on products and services using data." As mentioned above, BtoB business is characterized by the lack of effective customer touchpoints, but it is important to differentiate your company by promoting the digitalization of customer touchpoints and build effective touchpoints that lead to increased customer satisfaction.