B2B Portal: definition, features and benefits for your company
Implementing a B2B portal to streamline your online shop's business processes is one of the ways you can optimise your order management and ensure customer satisfaction.
In this article, find out everything you need to know about this tool and how to use it to your advantage.
B2B portal: what is it?
Definition
In a business-to-business business model, a B2B portal is an extranet that seeks to optimise the purchasing processes and the exchange of information between the actors involved, such as:
- manufacturers,
- suppliers,
- partners,
- commercial intermediaries, etc.
Differences with ecommerce
The difference with e-commerce platforms or e-commerce websites lies in the fact that the B2B extranet goes beyond the online sales process.
This is because the portal, by integrating other functionalities and systems such as an ERP (in which information is shared and updated in real time), favours communication, which, at the end of the day, translates into greater efficiency and competitiveness.
What about the B2C model?
Actually, since in the business-to-consumer (B2C) model, the aim is to reach the end customer, the target audience changes and, therefore, the dynamics of buying and selling.
Generally, the conversion rate in B2C tends to be lower in this type of model than in B2B, as there is less personalisation of the commercial relationship.
On the other hand, in B2C, access to information and supply is much less restricted:
- prices are public,
- information is available, without the need for a user account or profile.
B2B portal: features and functionalities
B2B portals promote collaborative work and encourage better document management. They are also characterised mainly by:
- their scalability, as they can evolve according to the needs of your business;
- their security, as they protect the information that is shared;
- they can be integrated, as they can be aligned with your company's ERP and CRM.
Benefits of having a B2B portal
The advantages of implementing a B2B portal as part of your marketing strategy also benefit the customer, resulting in a double win:
| Advantage | Benefits for the company | Customer benefits |
| Offer a better service to the customer | Strengthening of the brand and the company's image, achieving greater customer loyalty. | Greater satisfaction by being able to consult the status of their orders and the availability of products or services in real time and at any time. |
| Automates processes | Optimisation of: - logistics, - inventory management, - order management, - content management. |
Improved customer experience through shorter delivery times. |
| Reduced costs | Simplification of business processes and their associated costs as an omnichannel solution. | Reduced transaction costs. |
| Enables internationalisation | Greater market coverage; more and better sales opportunities. | Access to a wider range of products and services. |
There are e-commerce platforms that help you simplify your business resource needs by offering a flexible working environment.
Such is the case of Magento Commerce, a platform from which you manage your B2B business, managing multiple company accounts at the same time and setting up multiple levels of buyers.
For online shops that are just starting to get interested in the model, Shopify offers tools that make it easy to define a business name, buy a domain and do all the branding.
However, if you're looking for a tool to help your sales team with their sales goals, a specialised e-commerce software is the way to go.
B2B extranet tools
Tecon
Tecon's B2B extranet allows you to simplify your commercial process, facilitating the management of orders, with the security of a private access portal.
The customer creates their profile and has access to all financial information (order status, estimated delivery date, stock availability, etc.).
Tecon
Quartup
Quartup, a company specialising in the development of software solutions, offers a B2B eCommerce portal in the field of ecommerce, which improves your customers' shopping experience.
Moreover, by offering a professional customer-oriented environment, it helps you to optimise and facilitate your commercial processes.
© Quartup
Quartup
B or not 2 B: that is the question
When a B2B ecommerce business uses the internet and technological advances to offer its products or services, it is increasing its sales possibilities and ensuring its success.
Going beyond selling online, by offering your customers a much more direct and interconnected communication channel through a B2B portal, can make a difference in the way your business grows and your customers perceive you.
Article translated from Spanish