We are talking about companies in the primary sector that deal with raw materials directly, or, for example, factories in the secondary sector that take these raw materials to later transform them into semi-finished products, or final products in the absence of distribution.
It is therefore common to find value chains with a large number of intermediate agents before the finished product reaches the final consumer. However, this reality is currently under scrutiny and at risk of extinction because value chains are tending to shorten over the years.
This is mainly due to the era of digitalisation, with the consequent technological and internet development, as it has facilitated the distance between producers and final consumers to become closer, causing many of these intermediate agents to disappear if they do not provide sufficient value to the chain.
Another reason why this is happening now and will continue in the future, putting all these intermediaries in check, is the increased competitiveness advertising phone number list experienced by all sectors thanks once again to digitalisation, causing margins to be reduced, which will not allow so many companies to coexist in the same chain in the medium term.
The question is this: within the current economic framework and the evolution that companies in the industrial sector are experiencing, these companies must ask themselves how they can be able to add value in this context clearly marked by digital advances and electronic commerce.
We are talking about B2B because these advances will have a great impact on those companies that, regardless of their sector, large and small, do not work with the end consumer but whose activity involves an elaborate distribution network, whether through retailers, wholesalers, large commercial surfaces, etc.
For all these reasons, companies operating under this business model need to come up with a solution that allows them to maintain their competitiveness and, therefore, not only increase profit margins, but also “earn the right” to continue belonging to this value chain.
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The future of B2B
It is clear that the solution seems to be aimed at targeting the final consumer directly. This would suddenly break several links in the value chain, which would limit them when it comes to operating in traditional marketing channels. This is a determining factor, and we must not forget that, despite the e-commerce revolution in B2C models, for B2B, traditional channels are their main source of income.
Given this phenomenon, it seems that the direction to take should be to imitate the actions of B2C businesses, which, over time, have evolved from physical stores to hybrid stores, and in many cases are dedicated exclusively to online sales.
Something is becoming increasingly clear: digitalisation is no longer an option if companies are looking not only to improve their competitiveness, but also to achieve their own stability and survival. Adapting to new digital trends has become an obligation.
In B2C models, we have experienced this through the increased importance of online stores , with it becoming essential for any store to have its own e-commerce integrated into the website (in addition to other aspects of digital marketing such as its positioning strategy on social networks, advertising, etc.).
However, the B2B business model seems to be lagging behind, and its companies seem to have fallen behind in terms of the changes brought about by the digital era. Obviously, this new situation is gaining great importance among B2B companies, but their adaptation is being slower and more difficult.
Most studies confirm the great evolution that is taking place and predict unstoppable growth in online sales. B2B businesses, of course, do not want to be left out, nor can they afford to evade the inevitable adaptation that all types of businesses require to compete in the midst of digitalisation.
For years, this industry has been seeing B2C companies go digital, adapting their offering to the new needs of consumers, whether through social networks, websites, online stores, etc., and now it is time for B2B companies to do the same to remain competitive, although with a great advantage: the path to follow has already been paved.
