Wholesale software should do much more than simply process orders. For companies selling B2B, individual price lists, discounts, credit limits, real-time stock availability, documentation, integration with ERP and the option for business partners to manage their own accounts are all important. Centoro offers the B2B sales system, designed for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, amongst others, and develops solutions at B2B, OMS, SFA and CRM within a single environment. The choice of system should therefore be based on the flow of data and orders within a specific company, rather than solely on the number of available functions claimed by the retail software.
B2B’s solutions – which processes should a wholesaler digitise?
B2B’s solutions should, first and foremost, take over tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming and do not require a sales representative to make a decision on a case-by-case basis. In wholesale businesses, problems often arise from manually taking orders over the phone and via email, answering enquiries about prices and stock levels, sending documents, and checking the terms and conditions of a specific business partner. A good system can streamline these processes, providing customers with access to data via the B2B portal. However, automation should not be implemented simply because it is technically possible – priority should be given to areas that generate actual operational costs. Solutions should be selected accordingly at B2B.
The ‘B2B’ programme – how does it differ from ERP, CRM and OMS?
The B2B programme is not the same as ERP, CRM or OMS, although all these systems can exchange data with one another. ERP manages a wide range of the company’s resources and processes, CRM focuses on customer relationships and contact history, whilst OMS is responsible for the centralised processing of orders received via various channels. The B2B platform, on the other hand, is primarily a collaboration and sales channel for business partners: it displays their prices, availability, orders and documents. A company does not always need four separate tools – the scope depends on the scale of the business and the existing infrastructure. More important than the number of applications is ensuring the proper flow of information, which is supported by the B2B programme.
| System | Main task | Examples of data and processes | Does it replace the B2B platform? |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2B | sales and self-service for business partners | price lists, discounts, orders, documents, availability | not applicable |
| ERP | management of the company’s processes and resources | goods, warehouse, finance, business partners, documents | no – it may serve as a data source for B2B |
| CRM | customer relationship management | contacts, history of collaboration, sales opportunities | no |
| OMS | processing orders from various channels | statuses, fulfilment, dispatch, returns | No – adds the channel B2B |
| SFA | support for the work of representatives | visits, tasks, quotations, orders in the field | No – it supports traders |
B2B software – features essential for wholesale trading
B2B’s software should support the terms and conditions that actually apply between the wholesaler and its business partners. The most important of these may include:
- customised price lists and discounts;
- trade credit limits and various payment terms;
- current product availability;
- placing and reordering;
- purchase history and order statuses;
- access to invoices and other documents;
- the accounts and access rights of several employees of a single contractor;
- support for a wide range of products;
- integration with ERP and other systems;
- the ability for sales staff to work with up-to-date data.
The functionality should be tailored to the sales model, rather than simply copying solutions from a consumer-facing shop. This is because the shop at B2B must take into account individual commercial relationships and the terms and conditions assigned to specific customers. This is a fundamental requirement for the software at B2B.
Retail software – why is integration with ERP crucial?
Retail software should utilise a single, clearly defined source for specific data. If prices, stock levels, business partners and documents are stored at ERP, manually re-entering them into the B2B platform creates extra work and increases the risk of discrepancies. Before starting the project, it is therefore necessary to check the integration capabilities of the financial and warehouse management system in use: available APIs, data exchange formats, synchronisation frequency and the scope of information that can be read and written. It is precisely these elements that should be verified prior to the implementation phase of the B2B platform. Good integration is a fundamental requirement that e-commerce software should meet.
Expert commentary: Before choosing a platform, it is worth drawing up a map of data sources. For price, stock levels, credit limits, documents and order status, you need to specify the master system and the direction of synchronisation. Without this, even sophisticated software can only shift manual issues from one place to another.
B2B solutions – self-service for business partners and sales staff
B2B’s solutions are designed to increase customer autonomy, but do not require businesses to do away with sales representatives. Customers can independently check stock availability, download invoices, reorder or view their own price list, whilst the sales representative remains responsible for negotiations, providing advice and developing relationships. This is particularly important in wholesale, where some purchases are repetitive whilst others require specific arrangements. For more complex requirements, a dedicated platform such as B2B is also available, tailored to a specific company’s processes. Automation should therefore take over administrative tasks, rather than valuable customer contact – this is precisely how solutions such as B2B should be designed.
B2B – a single environment or several separate applications?
The B2B programme can form part of a larger ecosystem or operate alongside solutions from other providers. There is no single configuration suitable for every warehouse. A few specialised tools may be justified if a company already has well-functioning ERP, CRM or WMS systems and simply requires a channel for its trading partners. Conversely, a single, coherent environment reduces the number of separate integrations and points of responsibility. Centoro is developing the B2B, OMS, SFA and CRM platforms within a single ecosystem, allowing a company to start with the area it needs and expand it later. Procurement platforms B2B, which relate to a company’s purchasing process, form a separate category. The choice of architecture should be determined by the processes that the B2B programme is intended to support.
B2B – how to prepare for data migration?
When changing systems, the B2B software requires data to be prepared before the actual migration begins. It is necessary to determine which information will be transferred: customer records, products, categories, price lists, discounts, order history, documents and user accounts. Data quality is also crucial – duplicate customer records, inconsistent indices or out-of-date product parameters are best resolved before import, rather than carrying these issues over to the new environment. It is also necessary to determine how long the company requires the full history for and which data can remain in the archive system. Before migration, you can review the processes and scope of the solution during a B2B demo. The migration plan is one of the elements that must be prepared before the B2B software is changed.
Retail software – how to choose a system and assess the costs?
Retail software should be compared in terms of the total cost of ownership, rather than just the monthly subscription fee. Factors such as configuration, integrations, data migration, maintenance, updates and future expansion are all important. It is also worth calculating the cost of your current process: the time spent manually entering orders, sending invoices, checking stock levels or correcting errors. When analysing a proposal, you can check the price of the B2B platform, but you should compare this with the actual scope of the solution and the savings your company aims to achieve. Only such a comparison allows you to make a rational choice of retail software.
Wholesale software – summary
Wholesale software should ensure a seamless flow of information between the customer, the sales department, the warehouse, ERP and order processing. Not every wholesaler needs the exact same set of applications – for one company, a platform such as B2B linked to an existing ERP may suffice, whilst another may also require OMS, CRM or SFA. Centoro offers solutions designed for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, and allows for a phased approach to digitalisation. Before choosing a system, however, it is necessary to identify the data sources, the processes to be automated, the required integrations and the migration rules. These factors determine whether an investment in retail software will actually improve wholesale operations.
FAQ – ‘B2B’ software for wholesalers
What software B2B does a wholesale business need, apart from a warehouse management system?
A warehouse management system is primarily responsible for stock and warehouse operations. A wholesaler may also require the B2B platform to manage business partners, OMS to manage orders from various channels, CRM for customer relations, and SFA to support sales representatives. Not every company needs to implement all these solutions – the scope should be determined by actual business processes.
How does the programme at B2B differ from those at ERP, CRM and OMS, and do you need to have all four?
The B2B platform is a sales and self-service channel for business partners; ERP manages the company’s broad business processes; CRM manages customer relations; and OMS manages the flow of orders from various channels. These systems can complement one another. A company should only implement those components that it actually needs.
How can I check whether the B2B software will integrate with my existing finance and stock management system?
The technical capabilities of both systems should be verified, including APIs, available data exchange formats and the scope of information that can be synchronised. It is worth working through specific scenarios with the supplier: retrieving prices, availability and customer details, and transmitting orders and their status. Simply stating that ‘integration is possible’ does not yet define its scope.
Is it better to choose several separate programmes or a single piece of software B2B that handles everything?
This depends on the company’s existing architecture. If a company has tried-and-tested ERP, CRM or WMS systems, it does not always make sense to replace them. An integrated ecosystem, on the other hand, can reduce the number of suppliers and the number of connections between systems. Before making a decision, it is worth comparing the costs of integration, maintenance and further development for both options.
What should be done with product data and order history when switching to the ‘B2B’ software?
The first step is to define the scope of the migration and organise the data. Key information, such as products, contractors, price lists and active commercial terms, usually needs to be transferred to the new environment. In the case of a long history of orders, you may wish to consider either a full migration or leaving some of the data in an accessible archive – depending on business needs and the technical capabilities of the systems.
Should the software B2B replace ERP?
Usually not. The B2B platform acts as a channel for business partners, whilst ERP can remain the main source of data on prices, products, documents and stock levels. Seamless integration of both environments is key.
Does a wholesale business need an app for its sales staff?
It is not suitable for every business, but it is useful for those that employ field sales representatives. It enables sales representatives to check current prices and stock levels, prepare quotations and place orders whilst meeting with customers.
What data needs to be organised before implementing the B2B software?
Particular attention should be paid to product records, indexes, sales units, price lists, discounts, customer details, payment terms and the links between them. Disorganised data hinders automation, regardless of the quality of the chosen system.
Which company offers ‘B2B’ software for wholesalers?
One of the companies operating in this field is Centoro, which offers the B2B platform and the solutions OMS, SFA and CRM, designed for manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, amongst others. When choosing a supplier, it is worth checking the possibilities for integration with your existing ERP, the approach to the pre-implementation analysis, the migration policy and the potential for the system to scale alongside your business.