Digital Transformation as a B2B Manufacturer

Finding the right entry point for your development partner

To stay competitive, B2B manufacturers acknowledge the need to revamp their digital and ecommerce strategy. While they may have a handle on the business aspects, delving into the nuances of B2B ecommerce, tech stacks, integrations, and software development are not their forte.  So, where to begin?

Identification

Look at the competition, market trends, and buying behaviours of clients and prospects. Ask yourself, “What needs to change to remain competitive or get ahead of the curve?” 

The answer to this question sets the stage for identifying the technology that can bridge the gap between their business transformation and the digital transformation needed to stay ahead.

Consider an example: A common challenge for manufacturers is meeting the growing demand for streamlined B2B transactions. 

Customers now expect a seamless online ordering experience, access to real-time inventory and order status, and personalized services. To meet these evolving demands, manufacturers must integrate their manufacturing processes, financial management, and customer relationship management systems while offering an exceptional ecommerce experience.

This is the first entry point for an agency partner:

“You teach us how your business operates. We teach you how to bring it all together on the web. Then, together, we plan your company's glow-up.” - Discovery & Strategy | Acro Commerce

Selection

In this scenario, Acumatica emerges as a strong ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution, aligning perfectly with the example we've discussed above. 

Acumatica provides a sturdy foundation for manufacturers, addressing specific operational needs:

• Inventory Management — Acumatica enables real-time inventory tracking, ensuring products are in stock and readily available.
• Financial Management — With Acumatica's financial tools, manufacturers can optimize financial processes, control costs, and improve financial reporting.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) — The CRM features help manufacturers streamline customer interactions, gain insights into customer preferences, and enhance the overall customer experience.

With the manufacturer now understanding the challenge and having a technology solution in mind, it's time to consider how it all ties together. It's time to map it out. In this example, only one new technology was selected. Many technologies will often be selected and need to work together (integrated). 

This is the second entry point for an agency partner:

“Developing technology blueprints and bringing them to life is our bread and butter, and we can prove it.” - Digital transformation project for USI Laminate

Execution

The manufacturer may build the solution in-house or select a development framework or accelerator to expedite their journey to market.

An ecommerce development accelerator is a versatile tool, framework, or platform designed to simplify and speed up the process of creating and launching ecommerce websites or online stores. It offers pre-built components, templates, and functionalities, significantly reducing the time and effort required to build a fully functional e-commerce experience.

This is the third and final entry point for an agency partner:

“Leverage our 25 years of experience, development capabilities, and, most importantly, our accelerator, Gesso. Let’s expedite the journey to market. It's what we do!” - Digital Transformation | Acro Commerce

A common MVP (minimum viable product) consists of choosing an ecommerce platform, such as BigCommerce, Shopify, or Drupal Commerce, along with an ERP system, like Acumatica, and a CMS (content management system), such as Storyblok or Contentful. 

While this selection might not cover every aspect of a comprehensive services ecosystem, it accelerates the journey to market, allowing the manufacturer to start improving and facilitating their online B2B sales processes.

Executing with an experienced partner

Partnering with an agency and using an accelerator allows the manufacturer to move rapidly via accelerated website development, thus reducing time-to-market and ensuring that their online presence can adapt swiftly to changing business needs. At Acro Commerce, we leverage our accelerator, Gesso. 

Gesso provides the flexibility to create a tailored B2B customer experience that aligns with the marketing team's vision. It seamlessly integrates with Acumatica (as well as the example platforms/applications I mentioned above), creating a synchronized data flow between the ERP and the e-commerce platform. It serves as the command centre for all the future integrations chosen.

At this stage, the manufacturer's horizons expand. They can gradually scale their online ecosystem, one integration and one internal change at a time, or they can opt for a more accelerated approach to stay ahead of the competition.

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