“What happens to me when I’m provoked is that I get tongue-tied and my mind goes blank. Then I spend all night tossing and turning trying to figure out what I should have said.”
Here’s a quote by Kathleen Kelly, Meg Ryan’s character from popular 90’s romantic comedy, You’ve Got Mail. And it perfectly depicts the anxiety caused by the disconnect of what should have happened and what actually happened (or didn’t happen). This can be applied to the integration issue in B2B e-Commerce. Read More
Lessons in e-Commerce to be learned from Star Wars
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”
Many of us are huge Star Wars fans, so we thought of having a little fun and pay homage to this iconic film series by sharing what important lessons and parallels translate to the e-Commerce industry. From understanding the Force to destroying the Death Star to using Jedi mind tricks, we translate it to simple e-Commerce insights and tips you can use. Let us guide you, young padawan.
Understanding the trends in business and technology in both B2B and B2C e-Commerce can help us to craft better strategies and more valuable experiences for everyone. E-Commerce is becoming increasingly common and expected for B2B as they desire to grow. As a result, ERP and e-Commerce platforms have to continually evolve for companies to stay competitive. Some trends that have emerged are the growing presence of millennials, advanced technology (in the form of automated personalization, B2B-specific features, ease of use, improved integration, just to name a few), and blending B2C e-Commerce characteristics with a traditionally B2B-style webshop.
Customer expectations are at an all-time high, especially in the B2B sector. With more customer demands, there is an increased need for those in B2B e-Commerce to evaluate the trends and adopt more customer-centric approaches. B2C has taken great strides in user experience and B2B companies would do well to use some of those elements to propel themselves forward. Customers have grown accustomed to the ease and convenience that some B2C webshops offer and find themselves wanting the same in B2B websites.
What lessons from B2C can we apply to B2B?
Some of the most important takeaways from B2C e-Commerce is their ability to understand their customers and their behavior, anticipating their needs, and adapting quickly to trends and patterns. One of the ways B2C is doing this right now is embracing the “millennial” culture. Millennials have had an impact on the retail and e-Commerce model as they spend plenty of time online and use social media while shifting easily to brick and mortar if need be. They’re resourceful when it comes to looking for deals and expect a lot from digital and brick and mortar shopping experiences.
Understanding the Customer
As a society, we’re becoming more tech-savvy, becoming proficient with smartphones, tablets, and apps – we also have the desire to take the business online and out and about. Customers can now make purchases anywhere with their device of choice. Salespeople are learning to adapt to the mobilization trend by using technology that allows them to access relevant information online or through centralized systems out in the field. Taking a cue from B2C regarding this mobile trend, we recognize the need for feature-rich e-Commerce solutions with comprehensive content management. For B2B e-Commerce, this means that sales tools and vital customer data will be easily available to sales agents in the field. Nav-to-Net™ is built with Responsive Design to address the mobile trend in the e-Commerce industry.
Customers Have New Habits
In this day and age, we have developed technology-oriented working habits as well as some unique consumer habits, especially when online. We browse a little more freely with the plethora of options and resources at our fingertips, we use social media, and we revel in the freedom online shopping gives us. In e-Commerce, there is overall demand for ease and convenience, no matter what kind of device we choose to use. Lots of factors that play into how these habits came about, but it can be boiled down to this; customers want simplicity. It’s really as simple as wanting what they want, how and when they want it. It’s up to us as an e-Commerce business to anticipate those needs and create solutions that meet or even exceed those needs.
Technology is Key with Simplifying
Understanding the differences between the complexities of B2B and B2C and identifying gaps and areas that can stand some modification is important. The one thing in common is that customers always want things to be quick, easy, and painless. It may be hard to think of simplicity in a B2B environment when there are so many components to manage. While B2C can seem comparatively simpler being “click and buy”, it’s worth remembering that each situation comes with its own unique intricacies. The goal of today’s e-Commerce technology is to simplify and optimize all business processes including item management, order taking, checkout processes, and more, no matter the industry.
B2B has several parts that need to be addressed; this could include dealers, suppliers, vendors, and a variety of business processes that sometimes differ depending on the account, customer, or even country. The focus of B2B e-Commerce is building valuable long term business relationships with clients while selling a large amount of inventory. The decision process is also a lot more complicated for a typical B2B customer. The goal of e-Commerce technology is to make the complexity of B2B simple, even amidst the many core features, functionalities, and processes you require to run your e-Commerce business smoothly and efficiently.
Customized e-Commerce solutions integrated with your Microsoft Dynamics NAV is key. Nav-to-Net™ B2B is an integrated e-Commerce suite that combines all business elements and your webshop so you will operate efficiently. Take advantage of B2B-specific features like custom product lists and online sales quotes just to name a few! Click below for more information:
Customers are demanding more from their e-Commerce experience. Their preference for a more dynamic and engaging online shopping experience could mean decreased sales for your business if you’re not keeping up. B2B and B2C businesses choose e-Commerce to evolve and to maintain a competitive edge, but it is short-sighted to “set it and forget it”. E-Commerce is an ongoing investment that requires upkeep and maintenance to ensure optimal performance at all times. An e-Commerce platform can be seen as a business’ most hardworking salesperson, present for taking orders 24/7 and with all the appropriate content required to convert prospects into loyal customers.
Having powerful search functions, coupon management, and smooth checkout processes, among other e-Commerce features, add a lot of value to a webshop and make it pleasant to use. However, the overall experience of the website relies on a strong foundation. The core of how an e-Commerce website operates is in NAV Business Central, the unique business processes already in place, and how we can leverage it with the right solution.
Is it time for an upgrade for NAV? If so, what about your Nav-to-Net™ website? Read More
Timing, budget, lack of resources, changes to the company or industry – there are a variety of valid reasons why you may be waiting to upgrade to a newer version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV Business Central. There are many compelling reasons and benefits to gain when upgrading NAV and your e-Commerce website, but we can’t assume that every company is in the position to do so. While many consider it good practice to upgrade all in one go, there is an alternative solution that can still help you move forward with your business.
There are constant and consistent technological advancements in ERP and e-Commerce, changing the way we sell and manage our businesses, staff, and resources. It can be a struggle to keep up, but these investments help propel our business forward so we don’t stagnate. It gives a competitive edge. Even the upgrade process is improving, becoming more and more automated, especially with the know-how of NAV experts and a knowledgeable partner community. Read More
Starting an e-Commerce business can be very satisfying and financially enriching. It’s certainly a worthwhile project for many reasons, but it can be a long and hard process. It starts with lots of planning, shopping around, and involves the input from executives, IT, marketing, retail, finance, etc. It’s a huge decision that affects people across the business. You have to define requirements, design the process and experience, think about the technology involved, logistics, marketing, and sales. There needs to be a change in mindset to succeed in the e-Commerce space.
The right solution may have been found; it’s the “dream website”. But then there’s the investment of actually implementing such a solution with all the customizations you want and having it integrated with the ERP system. You’re investing in new technologies and people to provide the services to maintain it. Read More
Celebrating 20 years of innovative technology and solutions!
Staying ahead of the curve is no easy feat, but we’ve been doing it for 20 years! Digital Vantage Point has been involved with Navision (Microsoft Dynamics NAV or simply NAV) since pretty much from the start. We were recognized as a Navision Service Partner (NSP) and then became an ISV in the Microsoft Dynamics channel. We have received almost every accreditation and it has always been part of our mission to provide different vantage points, perspectives, and solutions to customers. Read More
Why We’re Not Exhibiting at Envision 2016
There’s been a change in the Microsoft conferences this year, specifically Convergence. In the past, this has been an event that we’ve attended, sponsored, and invested in to great success (see here and here.) However, this year, Microsoft has rebranded the event and it is now called Envision. It targets C-level executives and key business decision makers. The conference seeks to help business leaders to understand new technology and how they can take advantage of the evolving business landscape; it aims to focus on the insights and strategies from various Microsoft channels. Read More
What does it mean to be sticky and why is it important? Building partner and customer relationships can be a challenge when technology, business needs, and priorities are constantly subject to change. In this post, we’ll discuss why sticky solutions are valuable in more ways than one, for both partners and customers.
This is the second holiday post. Read our first holiday post here.
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Who remembers this cute carol? And who remembers losing their front teeth? Without our front teeth, we can still technically eat, but we’re missing a good chunk of our smile.
We’re getting into the holiday spirit here at Digital Vantage Point and we can learn something about e-Commerce solutions from this song. Read More
