Meeting customer expectations: Why the secret to success requires a dual approach

Over the past five years, one lesson stands out: the business landscape is ever-changing. Yet, amidst this evolution, one principle remains constant—the imperative to not just meet but surpass customer expectations. For B2B commerce enterprises, this rings truer than ever. In this digital era brimming with information and choices, buyers seek not only products or services but an immersive, B2C-like experience.

Understanding customer expectations

At its core, managing customer expectations is about understanding what your clients need and how they want those needs met. It’s a blend of perception, service, and the overall experience. The first step to understanding customer expectations is to simply ask your customers. You can do this with a simple feedback survey or through formal market research. This involves gathering data on your target audience, their buying habits, preferences, and pain points. By understanding customer expectations, you can tailor your products or services to meet those specific demands.

To exceed customer expectations, use technology to automate processes that typically create friction in the customer experience, communicate clearly about what to expect during the order process, and offer personalized experiences (such as product recommendations) for customer attraction and retention.

Automating order management

Consider the order management process. In a traditional setup, it’s often manual, time-consuming, and prone to errors. By automating this process, you not only streamline operations but also enhance the customer experience. With automated order management, you can:

• Fulfill orders faster: Automation allows orders to be processed quickly and with greater accuracy, resulting in fewer mistakes and returns. This not only saves time and money but also exceeds customer expectations, building trust with your brand.
• Scale easily: During peak seasons or periods of rapid growth, implementing automated order management lets you expand your capabilities without major process changes or additional staff. This is especially critical when customer expectations are at their highest.
• Gather analytics: Analyzing your order data can provide invaluable insights into the customer journey. By leveraging this data, you can improve demand forecasting and optimize order fulfillment.
• Boost customer satisfaction and loyalty: When customer expectations are routinely met, those customers become your biggest advocates. Automated order management systems help ensure that orders are fulfilled accurately and on time, leading to happy customers who will likely return for future purchases. 

Imagine a system where orders are processed instantly, inventory levels are updated in real-time, and, similar to a B2C experience, customers receive timely updates about their order status, all done with little to no manual intervention. This level of efficiency and transparency can exceed customer expectations and boost satisfaction. 

Inventory management made simple

Similarly, effective inventory management is crucial in meeting consumer expectations. There’s nothing more frustrating for a customer than placing an order, only to find out later that the item is out of stock, likely causing further downstream effects for them. 

Automating your inventory management can help avoid such situations (learn how bike products and services leader, enviolo, is using Celigo to do this). By having a system that tracks inventory levels and provides alerts when stocks are low, you can ensure that your product availability always meets demand. This not only meets customer expectations but also helps increase sales and prevent lost revenue due to stockouts.

Streamlining shipping and fulfillment

Shipping and fulfillment are other areas where customer expectations are high. As people become normalized to next-day delivery, businesses need to ensure that their shipping processes are as efficient as possible. This not only exceeds customer expectations but also helps reduce costs and increase productivity within your business.

An often overlooked but crucial aspect of customer satisfaction is efficient returns management. A streamlined returns process can be a significant competitive differentiator. Automating returns management simplifies the process for both your clients and your business operations. With an automated system, clients can easily initiate returns through a self-service portal, receive instant shipping labels, and track the return status in real-time. For your business, automation enhances the management of return logistics by updating inventory levels, expediting refunds, and providing valuable data to minimize future returns. Implementing a seamless returns process not only strengthens client confidence but also fosters repeat purchases, driving long-term loyalty and growth.

By integrating shipping, fulfillment, and returns automation, businesses can create a robust supply chain that not only meets but exceeds customer expectations.

Empowering customer service teams

While technology plays a critical role in automating and streamlining processes, the human element cannot be overlooked. Your customer service teams are on the front lines, interacting directly with your clients. And while technology has undoubtedly revolutionized the way we do business, there is still room for the human touch. Your customer service teams are essential in building strong relationships with clients and ensuring their satisfaction. By equipping them with the right tools and information, you give them the power to provide top-notch service. This means providing them with easy access to customer data, order histories, and inventory levels so they can quickly address customer inquiries and resolve any issues that may arise. By investing in your customer service team, you not only improve the overall customer experience but also set a high standard for customer expectations. 

In today’s fast-paced B2B marketplace, delivering exceptional customer service is vital. Amid fierce competition, businesses need to surpass expectations to keep customers and draw in new ones. This is where empowering your customer service teams truly makes a difference.

A dual approach to customer expectations

Meeting customer expectations in B2B commerce requires a dual approach. On one hand, it’s about leveraging technology to automate and streamline processes that directly impact the customer experience. On the other, it’s about empowering your people to provide the kind of service that leaves a lasting positive impression. By focusing on these areas, you can build a business that not only meets customer expectations but consistently exceeds them, creating loyal customers and driving long-term success.

Explore more of the latest B2B commerce trends in this ebook, “Future-proof your B2B commerce.“