The Expert View: Fuelling the Growth of Business-to-Business Companies

As B2B buyers demand the same seamless digital experiences they enjoy as consumers, companies are under pressure to rethink how they sell, serve and innovate. The pace of technological change, accelerated by the arrival of AI, means firms must balance transformation with trust, agility and a relentless focus on value.

 

At a recent Business Reporter roundtable, Rupert Chappell, Key Account Director for Commerce, said that B2B commerce is changing faster than many businesses can comfortably manage. “Buyers now expect the same experience they get as consumers,” he noted. “At the same time, we’re trying to understand how to embrace the advent of AI and agentic technology.”

 

Keeping pace with change

In many industries, the speed of change has become a competitive fault line. Attendees from construction described a sector still “playing catch-up” on IT. “Even our competitors are on outdated ERPs,” said one executive. In contrast, attendees in areas such as travel and hospitality, where B2B firms compete directly with consumer platforms, said expectations are already sky-high.

 

“Our systems aren’t as flexible as we’d like, but we’re working to give customers what they want,” said one hospitality leader. “Seventy-one per cent of our customers want to order online; they’d rather not speak to anyone at all.”

 

For organisations serving the public sector, however, speed is as much a cultural issue as a technological one. “The challenge is getting them to move at our pace,” one participant said.

 

Despite differences, attendees across industries agreed that agility depends on shedding legacy systems quickly, adopting new technologies only when they add real value, and knowing when to stop chasing hype. “You have to know when good is good enough,” one attendee said. “We can spend vast amounts pursuing trends that never amount to anything - just look at the metaverse.”

 

The customer at the centre

 

Despite the rise of automation, many participants emphasised that B2B remains a relationship business. “Younger people may want things faster, but when something goes wrong, they still want to speak to a person,” one delegate said.

 

The human factor is also vital to technology design. “If you can’t give someone a tool they can figure out within three clicks, it’s not good enough,” said one. Discovery, how easily customers can find what they need, was described as a make-or-break factor in some businesses.

 

Others highlighted how digitalisation is forcing firms to rethink ownership and service models. “Don’t sell us the solution, sell us the service,” one attendee advised. “We’ll pay you for uptime. Think about the Rolls-Royce engine model: ‘power by the hour’.” Traditionally, companies paid for a product and got the service for free. Now, value lies in reliability and partnership.

 

That shift demands new attitudes to outsourcing and risk. “Many ownership models still focus on cutting costs by outsourcing,” one speaker observed. “That’s the wrong approach if you care about the customer.”

 

AI and the next frontier

 

If digital transformation has rewritten the rules, then AI threatens to change the game altogether. Participants described a looming shift towards agentic commerce, where large language models (LLMs) act as intermediaries, finding and transacting on behalf of buyers. “LLMs are increasingly being used as search engines,” said Chappell. “How do you ensure your brand is represented there? People may never visit your website again.”

 

In sectors with perishable inventory, such as food and drink, where products can have a two-hour shelf life, AI is already critical for maximising sales windows. “AI is essential to make use of our time,” one participant said.

 

But enthusiasm was tempered by realism. Many organisations face top-down pressure to develop AI strategies yet worry about exposing sensitive data. “There’s a lot of AI FOMO,” one attendee noted. “Every board wants an AI strategy, but most projects are stuck as pilots, except in sales and marketing.”

 

Participants also highlighted the importance of structured outcomes and robust data. “Unstructured data is what drives real insight,” said one manufacturer. “But you still need data with outcomes. We’re planning to use generative AI to teach our machine-learning tools to improve, but we need clear success or failure signals.”

 

Others voiced concern that AI’s current limitations are often overlooked. “Although AI can help us, it won’t replace us,” said one engineer. “Determining how to deploy and implement a system is still an engineering task that AI can’t yet do.”

 

Wrapping up the conversation, Chappell said nobody could imagine what buyers’ expectations will be like in five years. He said: “The question is whether your technology is aligned to let you move quickly when things change.”

 

For most, the answer lies in building flexible business models, agile architectures and strong partnerships. “Legacy tech doesn’t help you to be agile,” Chappell concluded. “What matters are business outcomes, but technology is the enabler. You need a solid tech stack and partners who can help you build.”

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