Market Forces that are Disrupting the JanSan Supply Chain (1st Part)
This report provides insight into the forces that are disrupting the JanSan supply chain. Markets are dynamic. Change is in the air. It's surrounding us more every day. Buyer's preferences are changing drastically and with it how they want to buy
Market Forces and Disruption in the JanSan Industry.
Findings
When we shop at home, we are accustomed to immersive online shopping experiences and ubiquitous access to product information.
At work, B2B customers are demanding a buying experience that parallels their personal buying one: product pages with detailed descriptions, videos, everything within a few keystrokes, and ease of purchasing.
It’s no wonder that one study reported that 92% of senior executives wished purchasing business products online had the same ease as buying consumer goods online.
Definition: The Amazon Effect
The modern business-to-business (B2B) buyers expect the same level of convenience available to them as business to consumers (B2C). The impact that online marketplaces have on traditional business models is known as the Amazon Effect.
Several B2B buyer surveys indicate that wholesale distributors will need to embrace the Amazon Effect by adopting tools, processes, and models that originated in the consumer market.
The Amazon Effect blurs the lines between online and face-to-face selling. The challenge for distributors and manufacturers is to create a seamless experience that integrates the customers’ desire for self-service with the role of the salesperson.
Implications
The availability of information has permanently changed the role of salespeople. Catalogs, technical specifications, troubleshooting, training, and pricing are now only a few clicks away.
As a result, B2B customers have largely moved many traditional sales functions online.
The graphic below highlights four of the changes in customer behavior.
Modern buyers have access to more information than ever. As a result, they prefer to research and move through a large portion of the buying decision without a salesperson. At the same time, they are willing to pay a premium for a better customer experience.
The Amazon Effect requires both distributors and manufacturers to redefine the salesperson role and other consumer-like online experiences.
Source: Knowledgeworx