[Sales Tech Star] Navigating B2B Customer Experience: Trends and Biggest Pitfalls

[Sales Tech Star] Navigating B2B Customer Experience: Trends and Biggest Pitfalls

(Originally published on Sales Tech Star by Josh Kim)

The world of B2B marketing comes with a unique set of challenges and considerations, setting it apart from traditional B2C marketing. Unlike B2C scenarios where advertising often leads to immediate action, B2B customers tend to meticulously evaluate potential tools and solutions before integrating them into their companies. They weigh factors like alignment with their business model, compatibility with existing systems, and contribution to internal operational processes.

Because of this, many B2B companies are either lagging to the start or missing out on potential technologies that deliver personalized experiences – leaving them at a competitive disadvantage. So, what are the current trends in tech that every B2B company should be paying attention to this year? And what should you make of them?

First: Embrace the Change

It can sometimes take a full month for new tools to be fully integrated into an existing business. Many can often appear difficult or overly complex when they are first introduced, especially when a company is comfortable with their programs and applications.

Yet, companies continue to search for the next best thing – even if they are slow to purchase. When companies start to scrutinize pricing and small product details, we know there is a willingness to implement. If they are not considering the product, they often scan over the descriptions and leave the page.

Another unique aspect in B2B is that the customers who are searching for these new tools are usually the employees who will be the practical users of the tool: such as CS team leaders, marketers, or CEOs. The interest is there, but they need a push to make the purchase.

Amazing new products that can help companies operate more efficiently and increase sales are constantly being developed. For your business to move forward, embracing change is key. This usually starts with taking advantage of new technologies that can improve your outcomes as a company.

Second: Automate Marketing Messages from Inquiry to Purchase

Instead of having customers spend time exploring the website, an increasing number of companies are utilizing an automated chatbot to get questions answered quickly. This is a great example of effective automation, which can help customers find what they are looking for and decide whether the products they are considering are a good fit.

Additionally, these systems can help determine what customers are most likely to want and can address potential future interest based on past purchase behavior, and time spent on certain sections of the website. Not only does this lead to a quicker understanding of the products being reviewed, but it shows credibility and raises the registration conversion rate.

Businesses are also using chatbots to make an appeal to existing customers who are using only partial features, giving them an insight into other functions and upgrades available to customize or enhance their experience.

While these solutions are great, it’s crucial to remember that people want to feel understood. If they think that an automated chat bot is ineffective at answering their questions, they will leave frustrated – and unlikely to work with you again.

Third: Turn Cart Abandonment into Conversion

Did you know that half of the customers who add items to their carts take a minimum of 24 hours to make a purchase? What’s more: on average, customers who placed items in their cart but never make a purchase take up 60% of the entire customer pool.

The main reason for this is that many B2B customers use carts to compare the total cost of similar products and programs with those from other websites. Yet, for businesses, this is a golden opportunity to turn those “maybes” into sales.

Since customers often forget the fact that they have items added to their carts until they are reminded of it, cart abandonment reminders have become extremely popular to induce purchases. Reminders often feature discounts or incentives based on cart items to help nudge customers towards completion of purchase.

Fourth: Leverage Purchasing Patterns for Customer Outreach

There is also a rise in analyzing purchasing patterns to strategically reach customers at the right time. For example, companies can use insights and AI to predict when their customer base will need the products most and can prompt a message to be sent at that time.

For example, a B2B software company that sells project management tools can recognize that its target clients, such as consulting firms or marketing agencies, tend to finish their plans and budgets at the end of each quarter. By leveraging data and customer insights, the software company can strategically schedule its marketing communications to appear during periods of heightened activity. This approach ensures that clients receive information and offers when they are most likely to be seeking solutions.

Fifth: Tailor Consultations to Keywords

Most customers who visit an online shop enter through keyword searches based on what they are looking for – so it is important to initiate conversation with the customer using messages that fit these inquiries.

Many companies make the mistake of starting a consultation with a generic introduction that has little to do with the reason for the customer interest. When visitors arrive via keyword searches, they often have a specific aspect of the product or service in mind. By aligning messages with these words, they can offer personalized assistance that resonates with their immediate needs.

Just as one would enter a physical retail store looking for a specific item and follow the guidance of a sales employee, these targeted consultations mimic the experience of receiving tailored help based on one’s specific needs and interests.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

As technology and customer preference continue to advance at a record pace, staying ahead of the trends is crucial for success. B2B marketing demands a proactive approach to stay competitive with the personalized experiences of physical stores. By staying on top of these trends, companies can adapt to evolving demands and ensure sustained growth in the years to come.

Josh Jaehong Kim is a serial entrepreneur who created and drove three successful startup exits. Currently, he is founder and co-CEO of Channel Talk, a leading CRM-based AI messaging platform used by over 160,000 brands globally.