Salesforce B2B Commerce Powers Self-Service and Subscriptions

Customer expectations have increased due to digital transformation’s rapid advancement. Businesses now focus more on offering self-service capabilities in real-time through personalized experiences to keep up with the tech-savvy generations. Furthermore, since B2B customers shop online just like B2C customers do, they expect a linked commerce experience. Before we delve into a success story of how a large global accounting software vendor introduced robust self-service capabilities with Salesforce B2B Commerce to empower their customers, let’s review the main benefits B2B Commerce can bring to the table.

Approaches to Enhance Business Experience with B2B Commerce 

Strengthening business operations with Salesforce B2B Commerce can bring numerous benefits, enabling any business with three main functionalities. 

Digitalization

Businesses need to embrace digitalization to succeed in B2B Commerce. This means adopting digital tools and technologies to streamline operations, improve communication, and increase efficiency. In addition, it offers on-demand, real-time, and mobile access to customers.  

Personalization

B2B customers expect the same personalization and convenience they experience with Salesforce B2C Commerce. In addition, it can deliver predictive, intelligent messages to its targeted audience. 

Seamless Operation

Ensuring the purchasing process is seamless and easy to navigate is essential. It provides customers with clear product descriptions and specifications and works on data-driven, integrated, and up-to-date software. Businesses should also focus on offering fast, reliable delivery options and flexible payment and financing options. 

Businesses can create a successful and profitable B2B Commerce experience by focusing on these critical areas. B2B companies can offer B2C-like experiences using connected CRM data, account hierarchies, negotiated pricing, custom catalogs, and dispersed order management for split shipments to reach the capabilities above. With the right tools, technologies, and strategies, companies can continue to grow and stay ahead of the competition and thrive in the ever-changing digital landscape.  

Now, let’s dive deeper into a case study of how our client powered subscriptions and self-service by adopting Salesforce B2B Commerce. 

Challenges in Offering Comprehensive Multi-Cloud Self–Subscriptions  

Our above mentioned global accounting software vendor client is the market leader in payroll, integrating accounts, people, and payment systems services. They currently serve 3 million business customers worldwide, with an ecosystem of over 40,000 partners and accountants. Their revenue was $2.4 billion during the fiscal year 2017. To deliver a refined customer experience, our client aimed to offer a self-service platform for frictionless sign-up, sales, and upsell/cross-sell across all their subscription service channels. 

A multi-cloud self-service offering can be challenging due to several factors. Our client’s team met significant obstacles when aiming to implement self-service capabilities as customer demand for this ability was growing. The biggest challenges they encountered were in achieving these goals. 

Goal #1: Transform digital into the primary channel for B2B and B2C Commerce subscription sales. 

Digital channels have become increasingly crucial for subscription sales across both B2B and B2C Commerce. By making digital the primary channel for subscription sales, businesses can enjoy many benefits, such as increased customer convenience, higher sales, lower costs, and enhanced customer insights. 

Goal #2: Provide smooth customer experience in real-time on our client’s website. 

This involves using real-time data to proactively predict and address customer needs, offer fast and convenient checkout processes, and continuously perfect the customer journey while removing friction points. Ultimately, the goal is to deliver a consistent and personalized experience that exceeds customer expectations and meets their unique needs in real-time. 

Goal #3: Boost the speed at which new products embrace software solutions.

Integrating automation platforms can enhance the speed and accuracy of customer support, enabling a smoother and more efficient experience for the customer. Prioritizing customer satisfaction and offering real-time help can foster a positive and lasting relationship between our client’s website and their customers. 

Goal #4: Utilize existing media to create digital-first customer commerce channels.

Businesses can use existing media platforms such as social media, e-commerce marketplaces, and messaging apps. By using these existing digital outlets, companies can reach a wider audience and offer a seamless shopping experience for their customers, meeting them where they are. 

Multi-Cloud Solution Delivery via RafterOne 

Implementing contemporary commerce solutions can be challenging and intimidating. At RafterOne, we establish the customer journey beyond the moment of purchase with a prioritized pricing strategy and extensive Salesforce B2B subscription offerings. The ability to purchase without leaving our client’s website was achieved via an API-led method, ensuring everyone, even the inside sales and service employees, can use self-service. These modifications are visible on the web and mobile editions for in-product sales and services. 

Salesforce Technical Implementation 

To address their challenges, RafterOne supported the technical Implementation including: 

• Our client was migrated to the Salesforce B2B Commerce platform which handles products and pricing including cart management, centralized subscription management, promotion and discounts.
• Integrated Tax Engine, Address Lookup, and Provisioning/Entitlement solutions also came as part of the B2B Commerce bundle.
• Zoura Billing was integrated with B2B Commerce to provide a seamless self-service billing solution for orders, amendments, invoices, recurring billing, and electronic payments.
• SiteCore’s Content Management System (CMS) achieved a self-service digital storefront for customers.
• MuleSoft added an additional Application Programming Interface (API) layer to support the omni-channel commerce experience as well as all integrations for the project implementation.
• Eloqua created opportunities to fill the marketing funnel through automated marketing campaigns.

The Outcome for the Global Accounting Software Vendor

Now that our client has adopted the Salesforce B2B Commerce platform, they can access advanced tools and features like Product Catalogue, Manage Pricing, Manage Promotions, Manage Orders, and Subscription Lifecycle.  

As a result, the customers who visit their website to stimulate business purchases now have a new self-service customer journey.  

• Users can now access the site from anywhere and try, buy, upgrade, or manage their accounts. 
• In the Salesforce Commerce platform, there is a single catalogue and price. 
• Complete 360-degree pipeline visibility via Sales Cloud now exists. 
• The marketing department smoothly manages B2B offerings and promotions. 
• Accessibility of cross-platform performance reporting has been achieved. 
• CMS/Web platform optimization of the client journey is available. 

Milestones Achieved After Solution Implementation 

Some exiting milestones have come as a result of the implementation process. Here are a few highlights: 

• In Phase 1 of implementation, three products were launched in two markets. 
• Over 15,000 new businesses signed up on the website in the United Kingdom. 
• The sales team now has access to a referral feature, embedded in a real-time operating model. 
• Time for GTM products reduced from months to a few weeks. 
• Multilingual and multi-currency are supported.  
• Flexible Subscription options are offered. 
• Multiple discounting models exist.  
• Analytics (tagging) supports data capture and data-driven decision opportunities. 

Get Inspired By Our Client’s Success

To learn more about our global accounting software vendor client’s transformation through B2B Commerce, watch the complete webinar hosted by Salesforce and featuring Vikram Datla.

If you are ready to implement efficient strategies to take your business operations and digital customer experience to the next level, RafterOne provides end-to-end solutions to meet the unique needs of your technology business.