7 Ways to Improve B2B Customer Experience with Expert Export Management
Customer experience (CX) is the sum of all interactions a customer has with a business. It affects customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. In the B2B sector, CX is especially important because of the long-term relationships and high-value transactions involved.
But how can B2B businesses improve their CX and stand out from the competition? One way is to leverage expert export management services. Export management is the process of planning, executing, and controlling the movement of goods and services across borders. It involves complying with various regulations, documentation, logistics, and customs clearance.
Export management can be challenging and time-consuming for many B2B businesses, especially if they lack the expertise, resources, or network to handle it efficiently. That’s why outsourcing export management to a professional service provider can be a smart move.
Here are seven ways that expert export management can enhance your B2B customer experience:
1. Faster delivery times. By outsourcing export management, you can reduce the delays and errors that often occur in international shipping. A professional export manager can handle all the paperwork, coordinate with carriers and freight forwarders, and ensure that your goods arrive at their destination on time and in good condition.
2. Lower costs. Export management can also help you save money on transportation, tariffs, taxes, and fees. A professional export manager can negotiate better rates with carriers and freight forwarders, find the most optimal routes and modes of transport, and take advantage of preferential trade agreements and duty drawbacks.
3. Higher quality standards. Export management can also help you maintain or improve the quality of your products and services. A professional export manager can ensure that your goods meet the quality standards and specifications of your target markets, comply with the relevant regulations and certifications, and undergo proper inspection and testing.
4. Better communication and transparency. Export management can also help you communicate better with your customers and provide them with more visibility into their orders. A professional export manager can keep you and your customers updated on the status of your shipments, provide tracking information, and resolve any issues or disputes that may arise along the way.
5. Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. By outsourcing export management, you can improve your customer satisfaction and loyalty by delivering on your promises, exceeding their expectations, and solving their problems. A professional export manager can act as an extension of your team and represent your brand values and culture in every interaction with your customers.
6. Expanded market reach and opportunities. Export management can also help you expand your market reach and opportunities by enabling you to access new or existing markets more easily and effectively. A professional export manager can help you identify and evaluate potential markets, conduct market research and analysis, develop market entry strategies, and establish relationships with local partners and distributors.
7. Competitive advantage and differentiation. Export management can also help you gain a competitive advantage and differentiation by offering a superior customer experience that sets you apart from your rivals. A professional export manager can help you create a unique value proposition for your customers, tailor your products and services to their needs and preferences, and provide them with added value and benefits.
As you can see, expert export management can have a significant impact on your B2B customer experience. By outsourcing export management to a professional service provider, you can focus on your core competencies, streamline your operations, reduce your risks, and increase your profits.
How B2B Customer Experience Can Boost Your Business Growth
Customer experience (CX) is not just a buzzword for B2C companies. It is also a crucial factor for B2B success. In fact, according to a study by PWC, 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience . Moreover, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator by the end of 2020 .
But what does customer experience mean in the B2B context? And how can you improve it to gain a competitive edge and increase your revenue? In this blog post, we will explore some of the latest statistics and trends about B2B customer experience and share some best practices to help you enhance your CX strategy.
The State of B2B Customer Experience in 2020
B2B customer experience is the sum of all the interactions that a business has with its suppliers, partners, or vendors throughout the entire relationship lifecycle. It includes aspects such as product quality, delivery speed, ease of ordering, communication, support, and after-sales service.
However, B2B customer experience is not as simple as it sounds. It involves multiple decision-makers, complex and lengthy buying processes, detailed ROI analysis, and high expectations. According to Gartner, 77% of B2B buyers feel that making a purchase is very complicated and time consuming . Additionally, 90% of customers do not follow a straightforward customer journey, often looping back and repeating at least one or more tasks in the buyer journey .
Another challenge for B2B companies is that their customers are influenced by their experiences as consumers. At least 80% of B2B buyers are not only looking for but expect a buying experience like that of a B2C customer . They want fast, easy, personalized, and omnichannel interactions with their suppliers. They also want to have more control over their purchases and access to self-service tools.
Unfortunately, many B2B companies are lagging behind in delivering a satisfying customer experience. B2B customer-experience index ratings significantly lag behind those of retail customers. B2C companies typically score in the 65 to 85 percent range, while B2B companies average less than 50 percent . This gap will become even more apparent as B2B customer expectations rise.
The Benefits of Improving B2B Customer Experience
Improving customer experience is not only a necessity but also an opportunity for B2B companies. Research shows that customer experience influences 80% of B2B buying decisions and 85% of B2B buyers value it as much as the product features . Therefore, enhancing customer experience can help you attract, retain, and grow your customer base.
But the benefits of improving customer experience go beyond customer satisfaction. According to McKinsey, companies that invest in improving customer experiences can expect to see significant results such as reduced attrition, increased win rates, lower service costs, and higher revenue . For example, one IT-services provider that launched a customer-experience transformation in 2012 saw its negative net promoter score turn positive and outperformed the industry average within two years .
Moreover, improving customer experience can also have a positive impact on your employees. By creating a customer-centric culture and empowering your staff to deliver exceptional service, you can boost employee engagement, productivity, and loyalty. According to Forrester, CX leaders have employees who are seven times more likely to stay with their company than those who work for CX laggards.
How to Improve Your B2B Customer Experience Strategy
Improving your B2B customer experience strategy requires a holistic approach that covers all aspects of your business. Here are some steps you can take to start enhancing your CX:
– Understand your customers: The first step is to know who your customers are, what they need, what they value, and how they interact with you. You can use tools such as surveys, interviews, feedback forms, analytics, and CRM systems to collect and analyze data about your customers. You can also create buyer personas and map out their journeys to identify their pain points and opportunities for improvement.
– Define your value proposition: The next step is to clearly articulate what makes you different from your competitors and how you can solve your customers’ problems better than anyone else. You can use tools such as SWOT analysis, competitive analysis, and value proposition canvas to define your unique selling points and communicate them effectively to your customers.
– Align your organization: The third step is to ensure that your entire organization is aligned with your customer-centric vision and goals. You can use tools such as mission statements, core values, and employee training to create a culture of customer obsession and accountability. You can also use tools such as performance management, incentives, and recognition to motivate and reward your employees for delivering excellent service.
– Optimize your processes: The fourth step is to streamline and optimize your processes to make them more efficient, effective, and customer-friendly. You can use tools such as process mapping, lean management, and automation to eliminate waste, reduce errors, and speed up delivery. You can also use tools such as design thinking, agile methodology, and prototyping to innovate and improve your products and services.
– Leverage technology: The fifth step is to leverage technology to enhance your customer experience across all channels and touchpoints. You can use tools such as websites, apps, chatbots, social media, email, and video to provide convenient, personalized, and omnichannel interactions with your customers. You can also use tools such as AI, analytics, cloud, and IoT to gain insights, predict behavior, and offer proactive solutions to your customers.
B2B customer experience is not a nice-to-have but a must-have for B2B companies. By improving your customer experience strategy, you can not only meet but exceed your customers’ expectations and gain a competitive advantage in the market. You can also increase your customer loyalty, reduce your costs, and grow your revenue. To achieve these benefits, you need to adopt a customer-centric mind-set and follow a systematic approach that covers all aspects of your business.
References:
https://www.infosys.com/about/knowledge-institute/insights/Documents/future-customer-engagement.pdf
http://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/marketing/customer-experience-management.html
https://www.walkerinfo.com/customers2020/
https://www.gartner.com/en/sales/insights/b2b-buying-journey
https://lumoa.me/blog/the-state-of-customer-experience-in-b2b
https://go.forrester.com/blogs/the-us-customer-experience-index-for-2017/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/06/03/how-to-improve-b2b-customer-experience-in-the-post-covid-19-world/?sh=6f9a8d3c4f0a
https://www.business.com/articles/export-management-companies/
https://www.export.gov/article?id=Why-Export
Sell on Rexcer.com
