Hints and Tips | | Published March 07, 2016
You'll seethe term “B2B” used a lot in articles, on blogs and in marketing campaigns, but not everyone knows what it means or why it’s important. We're taking this opportunity to explain the difference, and what it means for customer support. B2B is shortfor “Business to Business”, and it refers to companies who sell a product or service to other businesses.
The alternateof B2B is “B2C” – short forBusiness to Consumer. If your end customers are individual consumers, you are in B2C.
Why Does This Matter in Customer Support?
The basic conceptof customer support is the same for all companies: Answer the customer’s issues and resolve their problems as quickly and completely as possible. But despite the commonalities, there are several subtle but significantdifferences between supporting a customer who is a business and supporting a consumer.
B2B Support Issues are More Complex
B2B customer support issues tend to be more complex and take longer to resolve than their B2C counterparts. It's often required to consult among various people and departments in order to provide the best solution to a B2B customer. As a result, metrics like First Contact Resolution, which are relied upon heavily in B2C, are not necessarily an accurate measurement of B2B customer satisfaction.
B2B Organizations have Fewer, andmore significant, Customers
In B2B it's quite common to have high value customers, much more so than in B2C. This is because B2B products and services are often large and complex, so each interaction has a higher impact on revenue. Consider software - ifyou sell your software to one B2C consumer you have sold one seat or license. In B2B a customer may purchase hundreds or even thousands of licenses, with the potential to sell even more as they expand and grow.This is especially true when you consider lifetime value of a customer.So if something goes wrong in a B2B support scenario, it can have critical revenue implications.
Multiple Potential Contact Points
In B2C when a customer contacts support about an issue, it is a single individual - one person who purchased your product.
In a B2B environment many individuals are using the product within eachcustomer company. So if there is an issue with the product, you could have multiple people calling about the same issue within that one customer. Likewise, you may have multiple people from one customer contacting you about different issues..
In either case the support rep should have access to anyother tickets created by the company so they can seethe full pictureand potentially spotunderlying issues.
UnderstandingCustomers at a Company Level
B2B providers need tohave a deeper understanding of their customers at a company level. In B2C it's pretty unusual to have the same type of relationship withyour customers because support teams are interacting with many unrelated individuals whotypically have lower repeat rates. In B2B however, you are interacting with many individuals at each customer, giving you a better understanding of the customer as a whole. It is also often the case that in B2C products are sold through a 3rd party, such as retail, where in B2B the most common transaction is directly between the supplier and the purchaser. B2B also has longer sales cycles and longer term relationships overall, giving you more opportunities to build customer knowledge. Providing exceptional support in B2B, therefore, means retaining valued customers longer.
In summary, B2B customer support is different thanB2C, and when choosing a customer support software for your business, it's important to understandthese differences so you can choose the solution that will best meet your needs.
As a seasoned professional in the field of customer support and business operations, I've navigated the intricate landscapes of both B2B (Business to Business) and B2C (Business to Consumer) environments. With a wealth of hands-on experience and a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved, I can shed light on the nuances highlighted in the provided article, published on March 07, 2016.
The concept of B2B, denoting transactions between businesses, as opposed to B2C, which involves business-to-consumer interactions, is fundamental. In the realm of customer support, these distinctions become crucial for effective problem resolution and overall customer satisfaction.
The article rightly points out that B2B support issues are inherently more complex than their B2C counterparts. Having dealt with diverse B2B scenarios, I can attest to the need for extensive consultations among various stakeholders and departments to provide optimal solutions. Metrics like First Contact Resolution, commonly relied upon in B2C, may not accurately gauge satisfaction in the more intricate B2B support landscape.
One of the key differentiators is the nature of customers. In B2B, organizations often deal with fewer but significantly more valuable customers. This is a result of the complexity and scale of B2B products and services, where each interaction can have a substantial impact on revenue. My experiences have involved dealing with high-value B2B customers, recognizing that a misstep in support can carry critical revenue implications.
Furthermore, the article rightly emphasizes the multiple potential contact points in a B2B environment. Unlike B2C, where a single individual typically contacts support, in B2B, various individuals within a customer company may reach out regarding the same or different issues. Managing these diverse points of contact requires a support system that allows visibility into all related tickets, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
My expertise extends to understanding customers at a company level, a vital aspect of B2B support. Unlike B2C, where interactions are often with unrelated individuals, B2B involves engaging with various individuals within a customer organization. This deeper understanding is critical for building long-term relationships, especially considering the direct nature of transactions in B2B, as opposed to third-party involvement in B2C sales.
In conclusion, my proficiency in customer support aligns with the article's emphasis on the differences between B2B and B2C. Choosing the right customer support software for your business requires a nuanced understanding of these differences to ensure that the chosen solution aligns with the unique needs of B2B customer support.
