Seven is a special number. The Greeks chose seven Wonders of the World because they believed the number represented perfection. From colors of the rainbow to days of the week, this number has always had a special place in our lives.
So, here are seven steps that we recommend to help you perfect your B2B digital transformation strategy and get ahead of the crowd.
Step One: Customer focus
Your success will depend on how well you engage with your customers. The first and most important step on your digital journey is to understand your current customers and your potential new customers. From product information and pricing to user experience and purchasing processes, their needs will vary.
Take a look at how your customers will distinguish you from your competitors and carefully consider your approach to digital engagement if it isn’t currently a feature in your market.
Step Two: personalization
Online retailing has shaped the expectations of B2B buyers. They want their professional buying experiences to be just as simple and personal. Easy registration, previous order histories and related product recommendations are quickly becoming minimum requirements. To meet these expectations integration of your ecommerce platform with your business systems and processes needs to be high on your list of priorities.
Step Three: All-device excellence
70% of B2B buyers say they increasingly use their mobile devices for work. So their experiences on their desktop computers and mobiles need to be consistent, fast and effective. Your strategy must make sure your site is responsive and cover everything from accelerated mobile pages (AMPs) for super fast page loading times to secure payment.
Step Four: Tailored technology
There isn’t one technology solution that will suit every business, but great options are available that can be tailored to your needs. Choosing the latest technology could be the obvious answer if you’re just starting out, but make sure your choice can grow with your business. “Out of the box’ and customization can both deliver benefits, so be clear what you want to achieve. If you already have business technology solutions be sure they can be integrated in your digital plans and that they won’t hold you back in the future.
Step Five: Speed
It can take months or even years to deliver a fully functioning and tested platform. To keep the initiative you need to move fast.
The good news is that powerful application programing interfaces (APIs) and Cloud-based solutions are ideal tools for innovation, iterative development and testing. You can focus on getting the basics right and deliver your site in weeks rather than months. Then you can develop and test in real time, building on what works and learning from what doesn’t.
Step Six: Partnership working
By working with trusted partners who are technically strong and strategically savvy your digital journey will be faster and easier. You will need to have confidence that they understand your plans and share your optimism. To make sure they are right for you, talk with their existing customers to find out what they have to say.
Step Seven: Project management
Good project management means you will know what you need to do and when. You will have the right people in place with the experience and expertise you need. Most importantly, you will know what decisions you need to make and the implications of your choices. To make sure your digital transformation is successful your business goals must be clear and specific.
Start your digital transformation journey – one step at a time – with the help of our experts. Contact us now to discuss.
