Customer expectations have been changing for years, and the COVID-19 pandemic simply magnified and accelerated them in 2020. Being on the defensive is only a strategy if you want to lose slower. For distributors who are willing to play offense, there are three major trends to watch and take advantage of in 2021
B2B customer expectations have changed online.
Customers are no longer happy to only have a basic online buying process; they expect their experience to be as good as the experience in their everyday B2C life. As a distributor, you are judged by the standards of Amazon or Uber, not the mom-and-pop competitor across town that still hand writes all their orders. Customers demand control, dynamic shopping experiences and access to what they see on their own landing page. With so many channels available, they will no longer put up with your archaic ordering system and will actively punish you for having it by buying less or buying elsewhere. Customers are often not broadcasting those purchasing shifts, and unless you are constantly monitoring, you may not notice the change for months. Is your ecommerce giving you an advantage or holding you back? Do you have any data to support your opinion?
Technology natives influence buying decisions – and they don’t want to talk to you.
Millennial and Gen Z are the first generations to grow up completely immersed in technology. Technology is natural to them and their daily lives. Unlike previous generations, they have no need to adapt technology to their life, it is a part of everything they do. Because of the expectations of technology, the selling role has shifted so far that it has become an entirely new discipline. READ FULL ARTICLE >>