How to Improve Your B2B eCommerce Order Management

Virginia Miller

August 11, 2024

In this article

The B2B market is increasing, and B2B customers are skyrocketing. With massive B2B orders, managing orders has become a challenging task. Compared to B2C orders, B2B order management is relatively complex. It is mainly because the B2B orders are usually high in value and large in volume. Moreover, they can even increase customer acquisition costs. Therefore, it is vital to have an eCommerce order management system.

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With proper order management, the B2B eCommerce companies can overcome the potential challenges and enhance operational efficiency. It can also help in ensuring the optimum satisfaction of the customers. This blog post will get to know the different ways to improve your B2B eCommerce order management.

‍What is B2B eCommerce Order Management and Why it Matters?

B2B eCommerce order management refers to tracking the orders of business clients and effectively managing the fulfillment process. It starts when clients place orders online through a B2B platform or web portal. The client then receives order confirmation. Later, the purchased items are manually or automatically picked, packed, and shipped from the warehouse. Finally, the client receives their order.

An effective B2B order management system helps better manage client orders, saves time, and speeds up order delivery.

Benefits of Improved B2B Order Management

Good order management provides many critical benefits for B2B companies:

Increased efficiency in order processing and fulfillment
Better inventory visibility and control
Enhanced customer satisfaction through faster deliveries
Cost savings from automation and optimized workflows
Improved sales margins from reduced overhead

How to Improve B2B Order Management

Leverage Order Management Software

Order management software (OMS) is one of the most effective ways to improve B2B order management. Combining an ecommerce platform, OMS, and accounting software centralizes order data across systems. Advanced OMS also provides robust reporting and enhanced inventory management capabilities.

Retail and B2B Operations Platforms

Retail and B2B operations platforms offer the essential functionalities B2B companies need, including:

Inventory management
Financials and accounting
Sales and order management
Supplier and purchase order management
Fulfillment and shipping
Customer relationship management

These platforms are customizable to meet different business requirements. However, they may lack some HR or payroll features.

ERP Software

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software can also improve B2B operations. ERP solutions feature many capabilities like order processing, inventory control, logistics, purchasing, and customer management. However, companies pay for functionalities they may not need. ERP software requires careful evaluation to match business needs and avoid overspending.

Conclusion

Managing high order volumes is challenging for B2B companies. Using order management software, operations platforms, and ERP systems can help enhance operational efficiency. The right tools and strategies enable better order management to meet client demands.

FAQs

What are the main benefits of efficient B2B order management?

Key benefits include increased order processing speed, better inventory visibility, faster deliveries, lower costs through automation, and improved customer loyalty.

How can order management software help B2B businesses?

OMS centralizes order data, provides robust reporting, enhances inventory management, and gives a unified view across all platforms.

What order management capabilities do operations platforms offer?

Retail and B2B operations platforms provide complete visibility and control over inventory, financials, supplier orders, shipping, customers, and more.

What are some limitations of ERP software for order management?

ERP provides extensive capabilities but companies may pay for features they don't need. Also, customization may be more limited compared to specialized OMS and operations platforms.

What processes are part of B2B order management?

Key processes include order capture, confirmation, picking, packing, shipping, invoicing, payments, customer service, and returns or refunds.

How can better order management increase efficiency?

Automating manual tasks, optimizing workflows, and having integrated systems minimize errors, reduce labor, speed up order processing, and enhance capacity to handle more orders.

What metrics help track B2B order management performance?

Key metrics are order cycle time, queue depth, shipping accuracy, peak throughput, utilization rate, and inventory accuracy.

How does order management optimization reduce costs?

Faster processing, improved inventory control, automated workflows, and fewer errors decrease operating costs associated with manual processes, excess labor, and inventory carrying costs.