When a crisis hits, cutting costs becomes critical for any business — and that means, above all, automating transactional processes. In B2B this is never simple. Here is the story of Autoboss, an operator in the auto parts market, for whom we built a partner platform for selling auto glass and related goods.
Why manufacturers look for new tools
Every manufacturer wants not just to hold on to sales, but to grow them. That means constantly looking for new solutions and keeping the balance between costs and profit. Classic marketing does not always deliver here, so companies have to turn to their internal processes. One such tool is the use of B2B systems.
What a B2B platform is
B2B, or «business to business», refers to partner platforms that connect companies with one another, usually acting as intermediaries between the suppliers of a given product and their counterparties.
E-commerce within a B2B system has proven to be the more profitable model — especially when working with small suppliers and buyers. For example: in the USA, the share of such companies in GDP reaches 50%.
This is a vast and promising layer of business, and it calls for a particular approach. B2B is precisely the kind of system that allows small and medium-sized companies to compete with large ones. Building a single portal that brings together offers for both buyers and suppliers is one of the directions worth pursuing for anyone who wants to adapt to new market trends.
What makes a B2B project work
- availability;
- a reliable platform that renders correctly across devices;
- the ability to edit information simply and quickly;
- security;
- careful work with analytics;
- additional services.
What the developer of such a platform should be like
Building a platform like this is a fairly complex task, so the choice of developers deserves a responsible approach. Among the qualities a developer should have, these stand out.
Experience
Real hands-on experience in building B2B platforms, not only classic online stores.
Flexibility
A flexible approach to delivery: in B2B, requirements change along with the client's business model.
Client focus
A willingness to work from the client's task rather than from the technical solution that is convenient for the team.
Process understanding
An understanding of the company's business processes — from stock accounting to how a manager handles an order.
Autoboss: a textbook example of a complex B2B project
Let us look at how such a platform works using the example of Autoboss, an operator in the auto parts market. This is a textbook B2B project, built for the purchase of auto glass and related goods. The company has been on the Ukrainian market for more than 5 years. As it scaled, it faced a pressing question: how to set up the most effective possible interaction with both retail and wholesale buyers.
Given the particular importance of the project and the risks involved in delivering it, the task went to the developers at ANIART — a team that specialises in complex technology solutions in Ukraine.
Stock accounting and search for people who know exactly what they want
One of the core tasks, and a particularly important one for automation, is setting up the stock accounting system and building search for those clients who know in detail what they are looking for. In this case, half the success depends on precise work with data covering models and their availability.
The users of the system are professional procurement buyers who know the available range well. For them the interface is not a storefront but a working tool — one a person spends the whole day in.
Ukrainian B2B may be young, but it is in fact highly technological.Maya Sokolska / project director at ANIART
Automation: the manager guides the order instead of chasing details
Another key point is getting the automation right. A manager should be guiding the order, not spending endless time clarifying details. That is why up-to-date information on the product range and prices, combined with transparent control, becomes a decisive factor.
- Current data. The product range and prices are updated in the accounting system, so the manager and the buyer see the same thing.
- Clear selection. Search is built for the professional buyer who knows the models and part numbers.
- Transparent checkout. The cart and the order form keep control at every stage — with no manual cross-checking.
- Guidance, not routine. The manager steps in where a decision is needed, not where correct data is enough.
Catalogue, visualisation and related goods
The catalogue visually separates items that are in stock from those that are not. From the catalogue you can go through to an individual product page, and the «universal goods» section helps to find a related group of items.
- the ability to visualise a product directly in the catalogue;
- a visual split between items in stock and out of stock;
- a route from the catalogue to an individual product page;
- a «universal goods» section for finding a related group;
- selling add-on items as part of the main order;
- control at every stage of placing an order;
- promotions for B2B buyers.
The result
A broad product range, a discount system, smart automation — all of this helps Autoboss stay competitive in today's business reality. How quickly Ukrainian companies grasp the convenience of a B2B system will shape the growth of every kind of business.
ANIART is a leader in developing large e-commerce projects. We specialise in designing and building high-technology internet projects in e-commerce and ENTERPRISE solutions.Maya Sokolska / project director at ANIART
