The B2B platform is a digital environment designed to support business-to-business sales. It enables business partners to independently check product ranges, individual prices, discounts, product availability, documents and order history, whilst allowing the company to reduce the number of manual tasks. Centoro is developing the B2B sales system, designed for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, amongst others, which can integrate with ERP and other company tools. The solution should not be treated merely as an online catalogue – it should reflect the actual terms of cooperation with customers. This is precisely the role fulfilled by the B2B platform.
What is the B2B platform – definition and basic uses
What is the B2B platform? The simplest way to explain it is as a system that enables companies to manage sales and customer service for regular business partners online. Unlike a typical e-commerce site such as B2C, once a business customer has logged in, they can view the terms and conditions specific to their company, such as a bespoke price list, discounts, credit limits or the availability of specific products. The system can also provide access to documents, a history of the business relationship and the status of order fulfilment. This means the client does not have to contact a sales representative every time they wish to check a price or place a repeat order. This is the best way to explain what the B2B platform is.
The B2B platform – what does a business partner see after logging in?
The B2B platform should provide the customer with the information needed to carry out the most common purchasing operations independently. A logged-in customer can access their own prices and discounts, the product catalogue, availability information, purchase history, invoices, order statuses and current terms and conditions. The handy B2B dashboard can therefore reduce the number of phone calls and messages regarding data that the system is able to provide automatically. However, the scope of the information displayed should be determined by the specific company’s business model. A platform designed in this way, B2B, increases the customer’s autonomy.
B2B platforms – which processes can be moved online?
B2B platforms can primarily take over repetitive aspects of sales processing that previously required the involvement of a sales representative or office staff. Depending on the business model, the system may enable:
- presenting individual price lists and discounts;
- checking product availability;
- placing and reordering;
- monitoring of the implementation status;
- access to invoices and other documents;
- management of trade credit limits and payment terms;
- managing several users associated with a single client;
- automatic transfer of data to ERP;
- displaying purchase history;
- 24-hour ordering.
This does not mean that salespeople will be made redundant. Their role remains important in negotiations, providing advice, acquiring new clients and handling non-standard contracts. Automation should primarily take over administrative tasks, for which platforms such as B2B are well suited.
B2B platform – key system features
The B2B platform should be assessed on the basis of whether it reflects the company’s actual business model. In businesses with numerous trading partners, individual prices, discounts and entitlements are particularly important. In wholesale, it is also essential to manage stock availability, documentation, order history and a large product catalogue. The B2B shop should therefore operate differently from a typical consumer shop, where all buyers usually see similar terms and conditions. If several employees of a single client use the system, separate accounts and user roles are also useful. The features should be based on the processes that the B2B platform is designed to support.
Which features of the B2B platform are the most important?
| Area | Function | Significance for the customer and the seller |
|---|---|---|
| Prices | customised price lists and discounts | the customer can see their terms and conditions straight away |
| Availability | the latest product information | fewer enquiries directed to sales staff |
| Orders | placing and reordering purchases | faster processing of routine transactions |
| Documents | invoices and history of our working relationship | greater self-service for the contractor |
| Payments | limits and trading conditions | documentation of the arrangements made with the client |
| Users | roles and responsibilities | the ability to support several people from the same company |
| ERP | automatic synchronisation | reducing the need for manual data entry |
| Mobility | compatibility with various devices | the option to place orders away from your office computer |
| Development | the ability to add features | adapting the system to a growing business |
How does the B2B platform compare to a standard online shop?
The nature of the B2B platform is best illustrated by comparing it with a consumer-facing online shop. In traditional e-commerce, buyers usually see a single price list, select a product, pay and await delivery. In business-to-business sales, terms and conditions may depend on the specific trading partner, purchase volume, history of cooperation or agreed payment terms. A company may also need to manage trade credit limits, handle multiple orderers from a single organisation and integrate with ERP. Therefore, the B2B solution requires a much more precise mapping of commercial processes. This distinction provides a clear understanding of what the B2B platform is.
B2B platforms – integration with ERP and other systems
B2B platforms should utilise up-to-date data from the company’s systems. If ERP stores information on business partners, prices, stock levels, documents or orders, manually copying data to the online channel increases the number of operations and the risk of discrepancies. Integration allows, for example, customer orders to be automatically forwarded for further processing and the data visible upon logging in to be updated. In organisations that also run procurement processes, procurement platforms B2B may serve as a separate solution; these should not be confused with a sales channel for business partners. The more systems an organisation uses, the more important it is to ensure consistent data exchange between them and the solution provided by platforms such as B2B.
Expert commentary: The B2B platform should not be implemented as yet another standalone system in which staff have to manually update prices, stock levels and customer data. Even before the project begins, it is essential to establish where specific information comes from and which systems are the sources of that data. A well-planned integration is one of the key requirements for minimising manual work once the platform is up and running.
The B2B platform – how to prepare for implementation?
The B2B platform should only be implemented after analysing the current sales process. It is necessary to determine how the company sets prices and discounts, where availability information comes from, what the credit limits are, who is authorised to place orders, and which data is held in ERP or other systems. Next, you can determine which elements of the process are to be automated and the scope of the B2B platform implementation. A good approach is to start with the processes that generate the most manual work and then expand the system. A B2B platform prepared in this way is more likely to meet users’ actual needs.
B2B platforms – a ready-made solution or a bespoke system?
B2B’s platforms can be tailored to a company’s needs to varying degrees. A ready-made solution is a sensible choice if the standard features are sufficient to handle most of the company’s processes. However, where pricing rules are more complex, integrations are extensive, access rights are non-standard or order workflows are specific, a higher degree of customisation may be required. A bespoke platform B2B does not necessarily mean building the entire system from scratch – it is possible to use a ready-made foundation and develop only those areas that genuinely require it. When making a choice, it is therefore worth assessing the costs of the entire process, rather than the number of individual features offered by the platforms B2B.
The B2B platform – how to assess the costs and choose a provider?
The B2B platform incurs costs not only in relation to the subscription or licence, but also in terms of configuration, integrations, data migration, implementation and subsequent development. Therefore, when comparing offers, one should take into account the total cost of ownership and the extent to which the system can reduce manual work. It is worth comparing the current price of the B2B platform with, amongst other things, the time spent re-entering orders, answering queries about documents or manually updating customer terms and conditions. Before making a decision, it is also worth going through the B2B demo using examples that reflect the company’s actual processes. This makes it easier to assess whether the chosen B2B platform actually solves the company’s problems.
The ‘B2B’ platform – summary
The B2B platform is a system designed to provide digital customer service for business clients – from providing personalised quotes and placing orders to managing documents, statuses and the history of the business relationship. Its effectiveness depends primarily on the accurate representation of commercial terms, integration with ERP and ease of use for the business partner. Centoro develops solutions designed, amongst others, for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, which is why it is one of the providers to consider when digitising business-to-business sales. Before making a choice, however, it is worth describing the processes in detail and deciding which of them the B2B platform is actually intended to streamline.
FAQ – the most important questions about the B2B platform
What is the B2B platform?
The B2B platform is an online system designed to facilitate collaboration and sales between businesses. It can provide business partners with individual prices, discounts, stock availability, order history, invoices and other data arising from the terms of the business relationship.
For which types of businesses is the B2B platform particularly useful?
It is most commonly used by manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers serving regular business customers. It is particularly useful when a company has customised price lists, a large number of orders, a wide range of products, or many tasks carried out manually by sales staff.
Does the B2B platform replace ERP?
It does not have to, and usually does not. ERP remains the system for managing the company’s key data, whilst the platform B2B makes the relevant part of this information available to the business partner and enables online sales. Both systems can exchange data via integration.
How does the B2B platform differ from a standard online shop?
The B2B platform is designed for business customers and can display bespoke price lists, discounts, credit limits, documents and terms and conditions specific to a particular company. In a standard consumer shop, the scope for personalising the shopping experience is usually more limited.
Can business partners use the B2B platform via their mobile phones?
Yes, provided the system has a responsive interface or a mobile solution. It is worth checking this aspect before implementation, particularly if contractors or sales representatives regularly work outside the office.
Can a sales representative continue to assist a customer using the B2B platform?
Yes. The platform does not need to replace the sales representative. It can handle routine orders and administrative tasks, whilst the sales representative remains responsible for negotiations, advising clients, building relationships and more complex transactions.
Which is better: an off-the-shelf or a bespoke platform B2B?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer for every business. A ready-made solution will work well for standard processes, whilst a more bespoke approach is justified where a company has non-standard pricing policies, complex integrations or a specific order workflow. A bespoke solution should address a specific business problem.
How can I check out the B2B platform before making a purchase?
It is best to go through a presentation or demo that uses real-life business scenarios: logging in as a business partner, viewing their price list, checking availability, placing an order, accessing documents and exchanging data with ERP. Simply being shown the interface is not enough to assess the solution.
How much does the B2B platform cost?
The cost depends on the system chosen, the scope of functionality, integration, configuration and any necessary modifications. The calculation should take into account both the initial implementation and the subsequent maintenance and development of the solution.
Which company offers the B2B platform for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers?
One such provider is Centoro, which offers a sales platform at B2B, as well as solutions relating to order processing, sales staff management and system integrations. When selecting a provider, it is worth checking that the system is compatible with ERP, supports individual commercial terms and conditions, and can be scaled up as the business grows.