Without the correct tools and processes, it may be difficult for SMEs to handle customer needs and expectations. Giving consumers the tools they need to help themselves is critical for businesses looking to expand. What if you could take orders, keep clients updated on the status of their orders, and even collect payments online without having to lift a finger? How much time would that save your company each year? A business-to-business portal can do all of this and more. B2B portals have been around for a while and have assisted hundreds of firms in streamlining order administration and improving customer experience.
What Exactly Is A B2B Portal?
A B2B portal is a self-service system that allows your clients to explore your product catalog, make orders, pay invoices, and follow the status of their purchases online in a secure environment. Typically, B2B portals are an extension of a company’s website. However, many firms have a specialized B2B platform. Integrating the B2B portal with your order management system allows you to more easily automate order processing and product listing.
5 Ways A B2B Portal Can Help Your Business Grow
- Save Time By Reducing Manual Tasks
By automating boring operations, a B2B customer portal may help you save a significant amount of time. Allowing your consumers to place purchases online eliminates the need for your employees to manually enter orders. You may also free up your customer support crew from mundane activities like providing order updates to consumers through email and processing phone orders.
- Improve Your Client Service
Perhaps the major advantage of having a B2B client portal is the beneficial influence it may have on the quality of your customer care. The harsh reality is that today’s consumers want near-real-time service and dislike waiting. A B2B customer portal is an excellent tool for empowering your customers to assist themselves. It can provide your consumers rapid access to the status of their purchases, as well as the ability to make payments and place orders without going via your sales and customer care employees.
- Get Paid Sooner
Accepting payments may be simple with a B2B gateway. You may provide clients with a safe option to pay for their orders online by connecting your site with popular payment processors such as Stripe and PayPal. It also allows your clients to retrieve previous orders and invoices without having to contact your accounts staff.
- Increase Your Sales By Providing A Personalized Buying Experience
You may welcome your consumers to a personalized buying experience by using a B2B portal. You may, for example, configure your B2B portal to display price information based on the buyer’s status as a distributor, retailer, or end-user. Customers may also browse pricing information in their preferred currencies and save goods to their favorites list. Simplifying the ordering process and personalizing the shopping experience to the requirements of your clients are good methods to gain repeat business.
- Order Handling Should Be Simplified
Your sales and inventory teams may gain rapid visibility into orders by linking the B2B portal with your order management system. As a consequence, it reduces fulfillment lead time by removing the need to manually punch in orders. A B2B portal may also offer automatic updates to your clients on the status of their orders, saving your support team from having to send them individual emails.
