Simplifying Business Discovery with Technology

BORDERLESS, TIMELESS, AND LANGUAGE-LESS - that is how India’s B2B ecommerce story is unfolding. Technology has not only made doing business easier but also opened up newer revenue streams for businesses. Today, Rajinder Aggarwal from Noida can source raw materials for his business, from anywhere in the country. Similarly, Brijesh Vaishnav from Jaipur can sell systems to buyers residing in any state. 

Discovering B2B the ‘tech’ way:

Today, in a matter of a few clicks, scrolls, and swipes, a buyer can get multiple sellers, compare prices, and choose the seller best suited for his/her requirements. Especially in the unorganised world of B2B, where finding trusted sellers, getting price comparisons, and quantity fulfilment were crippling issues, the emergence of online marketplaces has provided the luxury of finding relevant sellers in a fraction of a second. Today, Bandhni sarees or Udaipuri Green Marble are now available to buyers across the world, without them having to physically visit the city. 

Not just buyers, but sellers are benefitting too. From pins to planes, buttons to bulldozers, tools to tractors, and chips to choppers, the two-sided marketplace is helping sellers to showcase their wide variety of products, tap into a wider buyer pool, and maintain a strong social media presence. 

Simpler, transparent and trustworthy: 

As technology makes the buyer-seller discovery easier, introduction of multiple features have made it simpler and transparent too, engaging both parties in secure, trustworthy transactions. Search filters, the addition of preferred locations has narrowed down the entire process for the buyers and sellers. Buyers can search in preferred languages (Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi, Gujarati etc), misspelled researches and even a mix of Hindi and English (Hinglish) to locate the product or seller they are looking for. Voice and photo search has enabled buyers with varied literacy levels to experience a simple, tech powered journey. 

Availability of verification badges of sellers, ratings, reviews, and response rates in the past adds to the trust factor and credibility of the seller, only possible via digital means. Specifically, for the B2B sector, GST number, MSME Certification, number of years spent selling online/seller since, response rate, and overall catalog scores provide sufficient data to select the relevant seller. 

Beyond business discovery: 

With tech, the seller-buyer matchmaking is easier and so are internal processes. Close to 73% of sellers saw a positive uptick in their businesses, when they started integrating digital tools within their business. Here’s how: 

• CRM (customer relationship management): Tech integration, within internal processes, is helping in better CRM, with all conversations in one place, reducing the chance of missing out on any potential buyer. With AI tools, CRM processes are enabled with automated replies, follow-up reminders, personalized recommendations, catalog and invoice sharing, and much more. Faster conversations and faster conversions! 

• Easy accounting: The ERP and digital accounting are now a one-stop platform for all GST-related needs (billing to filing), payroll management,  purchase quotations, PO processing, invoicing, TDS reports and much more. No need for a separate accounting team or person, just technology making the business doing simpler on-the-go

• Level playing field: The tech intervention has helped reduce the entry barriers for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs, and create a level playing field for all the players. The tech solutions have democratised the way we do business. From Moradabaad to Matheran and Pune to Pilani, buyers and sellers can purchase, sell, enquire, engage and finalise in a matter of seconds. With AI in play, the process has become even faster. Recognising high-intent buyers, generating one-click actions to share payment reminders, catalogue sharing, or responding to buyers with pre-set templates helps sellers focus on their business, letting AI do the rest of the work for them.

Making the future accessible:

When businesses can find each other quickly, trust each other easily, and transact smoothly, the entire ecosystem benefits. With the evolution of tech, user expectations have evolved from wanting just a good online experience to an intuitive, personalized interface that anticipates their needs and guides them seamlessly to the right products and sellers.