Firstly, what is B2B Commerce?
Think of it as companies using Amazon site (instead of consumers like you and I) to place bulk order for products - which are then routed to the company’s operating team to fulfill that order.
In its simplicity, it combines Experience cloud with Order Management system.
That said here are the lessons I learned by implementing this solution to a client:
1. The data model is just beautiful
Whoever designed the data model kudos to them as the design is elegant and highly scalable. With 2 important objects of Entitlement Policy and Buyer Group, it is possible to offer different combinations of products and prices to different customers. It works amazing when accommodating various pricing structures and product choices for customer segments. Hence, it is important to spend time in understanding the model.
2. Build fast, ship fast and demo fast
Unlike other projects where one demo the solution mostly at the end of Sprint (after 2 weeks), B2B commerce requires frequent demos (I would say every day). Why? Because clients expect an Amazon-like experience and will offer a lot of feedback along the way. It is invaluable to understand that early-on which will result in repeated UI changes. I learned it the hard way.
3. Start order integration as soon as possible
Teams at ERP system are notoriously slow with their technical implementation. Sometimes rightfully so, as they are the backbone of entire company’s operations. Hence, it is crucial to start integration analysis and development early. Prepare a draft data mapping sheet to outline data flow between Salesforce and ERP system, such as SAP, both inbound and outbound. Use that to drive the conversation with ERP team.
4. Data, Data – look at client’s data
Don’t just take clients word for data being clean and complete – especially around Accounts, Contacts, Products. It is necessary to conduct data analysis to identify potential duplicates, data completeness, update frequency from Master Data source and any missing data points that might impact order integration.
5. Client management is the key
Let’s face it, in contrast to the seamless experiences provided by sites like Amazon, Shopify, the out-of-the-box Experience Cloud is highly limited. Naturally clients will be dissatisfied and demand changes. You will have to walk a fine line to balance UI customization – so the site looks beautiful – and at the same time adhere to project timeline. This becomes the crucial role of consultants - dealing with clients, providing guidance, and negotiating to determine immediate priorities vs. completing in future phases (More than ever so with B2B Commerce as it’s heavily UI driven).
All the best if you are implementing B2B commerce solution!