As we have argued many times before, the digital revolution has drastically reshaped the customer journey. While B2C purchasing paths have changed B2B selling has also become increasingly complicated. B2B has, in other words, become consumerised which means that enterprises have been impacted by technology and devices that originate from the consumer space. In this blog post, we will share four fascinating statistics and insights about the modern B2B buyer's journey.
61% of B2B buyers think third-party sites and feedback from industry peers and social channels are more important than conversations with a company's sales representatives according to a report from Avanade.
Investments in B2B digital advertising are expected to double by 2018 according to McKinsey. They predict that enterprise buyers will similarly to individual consumers, demand digital tools such as product configurators and price calculators.
Research from McKinsey shows that B2B customers frequently use up to six different interaction channels during the purchasing journey.
65% of enterprise buyers are frustrated by inconsistent customer experiences according to McKinsey. Individual customers, on the other hand, are also frustrated by the friction points that temporarily stops or entirely halts them from achieving their goals. As a matter of fact, a study from Zendesk shows that 87% of (individual) customers think brands need to become better at providing seamless customer experiences across all channels.
Futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson keynoting in Stockholm, Sweden.
The B2B buyer's journey are undergoing big changes and as a result, it will become more like today's spirally shaped B2C customer journey where customers are switching between different channels and devices. We can also conclude that enterprise buyers just as individual consumers, are frustrated by friction and inconsistencies in the shopping experience.
The consumerisation are displacing the traditional marketing approach and forcing organisations within B2B to rethink their strategies and metrics. Businesses need to adapt to this new landscape and consumer behaviours and not the other way around, so when you're re-designing a journey or experience for your clients/customers, make sure it's insight-based, integrative, personal and most importantly seamless.