Human Element Consultants Break Out the B2B Crystal Ball for 2025
At the end of last year, the Human Element consultation group sat down, dusted off our crystal ball, and asked the giant AI-in-the-sky “what happens in 2025 for our B2B customers?”
Ok, ok, so it was a little less mystical and mysterious than all that. However, there were some really interesting insights from our consultants.
Our digital marketing and strategy teams have a wealth of experience when it comes to B2B and we’re always looking ahead for what can help our clients take their businesses to the next level. In this blog post, we’ll take you through some of the things that we see happening now and how we predict they’ll unfold for the rest of the year.
The AI Hype and Reality
While AI adoption has grown exponentially in recent years, its practical application for smaller manufacturers and mid-market B2B companies remains limited. Despite the hype, many businesses are still figuring out how to harness its potential.
A critical component of getting the most out of an AI solution is what data and information is provided to the AI to work with. It’s sort of a “garbage in – some neatly packaged garbage out” scenario. Many businesses are discovering this and we think we’ll start seeing a divestment from AI in the general sense. But a total divestment from AI is a mistake. Businesses can’t afford to ignore AI as it makes its way into the market.
We think the biggest bang for the small to mid-size B2B company’s buck is utilizing AI in specifically scoped areas. Examples for this could be within fulfillment or a smart search on the front end of the eCommerce site. Starting small with manageable sets of data with a honed-in purpose will provide businesses with the traction they need to get the most out of AI.
Read more around our thoughts on AI in Business.
B2B Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is not a new trend in the B2B world. Businesses large and small are trying to get “caught-up,” as it were, with their digital presence and operations. Within these major overhauls we’re seeing a couple different trends that will pack big punches in 2025.
Right Team, Right Time
We often come across B2B businesses who have the right team in play today. However, as the business grows and modernizes their technology stack, new skillsets will be required to really take advantage of the new tools and marketing strategies. Sometimes there is untapped potential on the existing team; sometimes these skillsets need to be hired in. Regardless, the office administrator is not the person to manage the new eCommerce store along with their other responsibilities. If you invest in technology, invest in the people who can help you make the most out of it.
Company Buy-In and Customer Adoption
This also isn’t a new trend but something we’d like to see more focus on in 2025. One of the biggest challenges to the success of launching a new eCommerce system is the lack of buy-in from the rest of the organization and willingness of customers to adopt the new functionality.
To combat these challenges, there are strategies a business can take. Providing customers with a tour of the site features is one avenue where we’ve seen success.
Another is asking for direct feedback. Whether you are launching a new site or have been maintaining a site for a while, it’s never too late to ask your customers questions about what is working and what isn’t. Give them opportunities to give feedback and listen to what gets in their way of spending money. After all, we aren’t mind readers.
Internally, digital transformation can also create feelings of instability for employees who worry about how new technology will impact their roles. The best way to address this is through transparency—communicate why these changes are happening and how they will benefit both the company and the team. Find ways to make jobs easier with new tools rather than simply adding more complexity. When employees feel included and supported, they’re far more likely to embrace change rather than resist it.
Buying Online is the “New” Normal for B2B
Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of B2B transactions will occur through a digital channel. Additionally, Forrester is predicting that in 2025 more than half of large ($1 million+) B2B transactions will occur online. These numbers are expected to continue to increase. Picking up the phone or waiting for the visit from your regional sales rep isn’t going away. However, the expectation to be able to order online is becoming the norm.
This is due to how people are used to shopping online as consumers but also is attributed to generational preferences when it comes to purchasing. As younger generations enter the workforce, they will expect to be able to get what they need by visiting an online store.
It’s important to find ways to continue to create relationships between customers and sales reps while catering to the desire to shop online. That means getting your sales team familiar with the eCommerce site, utilizing it as a tool to help their customers find and buy what they need. Occasionally, sales teams can see a new eCommerce store as competition. To avoid this, B2B features that allow sales reps to be assigned to accounts and facilitate purchases on behalf of customers will be critical to include in new website builds.
Sales Strategies to Meet Your Market
Markets are constantly changing and as every smart business knows, you have to adapt to meet your customers where they are. The Human Element team believes we will see this manifest in 2025 in a couple different ways.
- B2B vs. D2C
We’ll see even more B2B companies start to shift their distribution to the direct to consumer market where it makes sense. While this won’t work for every business, those who can avoid the distribution middle man will try to find ways of doing so. Building a community of loyal customers who can save a bit on buying directly from the maker.
- Product Improvements
Another thing we’ve started to see and will likely take off in different ways is manufacturers finding ways to improve their product line. Where some manufacturers sell a mix of their own products along with products they buy to distribute, they are trying to find ways to reduce this mix by making a better product themselves.
If You Do One Thing…
As a consultant, I like to ask the “magic wand” question. This helps me narrow down what is the priority for the person I’m talking to and understand their biggest pain point. So I asked our HE strategists, “If you had a magic wand and could make one thing happen for our B2B clients this year, what would it be?” Here’s what they said:
- Make your site transactional! If you aren’t taking orders online yet, you need to change that this year. It’s time!
- If you’re not talking with your customers, let’s start. Find out what is getting in the way of purchasing from you. Then figure out how to clear those barriers.
- Focus on your data, getting it clean, uniform and reducing redundancies for maintenance. This will help the whole sales funnel.
- Launching a new site or new feature? Launched something a while ago and not seeing adoption you’d like to see? Find ways to onboard your customers into this new technology.
We can’t avoid it, the future of B2B is digital, and the companies that embrace digital transformation will be the ones that thrive. If you’ve been on the fence, this is the year to take action, streamline your operations, and meet your customers where they are. The best way to predict the future is to build it—so let’s get started.
