Effective B2B eCommerce scoping and implementation definition

In our previous article, we explored how to safeguard the value of strategic digitalization initiatives by applying a straightforward framework that defines objectives, scope, and vision, supported by a practical implementation plan involving a roadmap and architecture (more details here: https://hycom.digital/insights/prepare-a-company-to-digital-solutions). To address the specific needs of our clients in the Manufacturing & Distribution sector, we have customized this framework to facilitate the implementation of B2B e-commerce platforms. 

Launching a successful B2B e-commerce platform can seem like navigating uncharted waters, as it requires aligning digital strategies with the complex dynamics of B2B transactions and the existing IT landscape. The process involves identifying essential goals that will drive online success, thoroughly understanding your business clients' needs and behaviors, choosing a scalable platform, and integrating key functionalities tailored to B2B interactions. Each decision is critical and can significantly impact the success of the eCommerce project. 

To ensure a successful B2B eCommerce implementation, Hycom offers a structured 4-week "guided journey." This engagement includes a series of focused activities and workshops that help organizations define the appropriate scope, select the right technology, and strategically plan key steps. The engagement is organized into several stages:  

1. Prework,  

2. Setting goals, 

3. Customer understanding, 

4. Solution features,  

5. Roadmapping,  

6. Architecture, data and integration.  

 This structured approach helps streamline the process, ensuring that the B2B e-commerce platform is robust, scalable, and aligned with long-term business goals. 

To guarantee effectiveness and maintain stakeholder focus from the outset, a tailor-made survey is issued immediately after the project kickoff. This survey is designed to gather essential information to outline further activities and identify critical areas that may require additional attention over the subsequent four weeks to meet the project's goals. The responses are collected within a week and analyzed by Hycom consultants to prepare for the upcoming workshops. 

Establishing clear and measurable objectives is essential for the success of any B2B e-commerce project. These goals provide direction and serve as benchmarks for evaluating progress and performance, focusing on increasing sales, enhancing customer satisfaction, and streamlining operational efficiency.

During the initial workshop, key stakeholders from various levels of the organization, including C-level executives, departmental middle managers, and line employees who will use the B2B e-commerce platform, come together to define and agree upon these goals. Their active participation is crucial to developing a shared understanding of the business and customer objectives, which underpin the strategic and tactical aims of the project. The outcomes of this workshop guide further efforts and prioritize aspects such as customer segments, product lines, geographic markets, and key performance indicators that will measure the project's success. 

Understanding your target market is critical for the success of any B2B e-commerce venture, requiring a thorough analysis of your business customers' needs, preferences, and behaviors. This stage involves more than just identifying customers; it demands a deep dive into how they interact with your e-commerce platform, adopting a customer-centric approach. To facilitate this, a Service Blueprint outlining the B2B customer journey beyond the Order to Cash process is employed during workshops. Information from the prework and goal-setting phases helps consultants use time-boxed sessions to gather detailed insights into customer segments and their specific needs and pain points at various stages of the customer journey.

This includes acquisition, onboarding, product selection, quotation, order placement, management, fulfillment, and post-sales activities such as customer service and support. Identifying key business, organizational, and technological enablers and barriers helps tailor the e-commerce process to leverage unique selling propositions for an outstanding customer experience. Engagement with stakeholders across all teams, who contribute insights essential for digitizing the sales process, is crucial. Since the e-commerce platform's implementation affects employees' roles and workflows, understanding their perspectives is vital, as customer experience is deeply interconnected with employee experience. 

Identifying and defining the system features is crucial for the successful implementation of a B2B eCommerce platform as it ensures alignment with specific business needs and workflows. Clearly defined functionalities streamline the integration process with existing systems and enhance communication between trading partners. This clarity also sets expectations and minimizes risks of delays and scope creep during development. 

With goals, priorities, and customer needs in mind, the project team focuses on detailing the features of an ideal eCommerce platform. This effort builds on the defined customer journey, addressing specific functional and non-functional business requirements. Over a two-day session, more than 20 functional areas are examined, including product catalog design, pricing strategies, order management, and customer account structure tailored for large B2B clients.

Mock-ups serve as visual aids to facilitate understanding of the system's operation and help in making informed decisions about the implementation strategy. These discussions leverage established B2B eCommerce best practices to avoid redundancy and focus on integrating optimal solutions into a cohesive and distinctive customer experience. The use of visual aids not only engages stakeholders during workshops but also helps visualize the target state to be achieved, ensuring alignment among all project team members. 

A roadmap is essential for the successful implementation of a B2B e-commerce platform, outlining strategic planning, key milestones, and timelines to prioritize tasks and allocate resources effectively. It anticipates potential challenges, enabling proactive risk management and minimizing unexpected setbacks, while also keeping stakeholders aligned with the project's progress and future plans. This ensures the platform is robust, scalable, and aligned with the company's long-term vision, maintaining stakeholder engagement and support throughout the project. 

The roadmap serves as a strategic planning tool rather than a detailed project schedule, with its scope and detail varying depending on the company's size, number of legal entities, markets, product lines, and key business and technology dependencies, such as ongoing ERP implementations. It's used to confirm company priorities and drive value-focused implementation efforts. The roadmap's building blocks, termed Value Packages, represent activities within the implementation project defined by the value they add to the business or customers, clearly showing their contribution to overall objectives. 

Before workshops, Hycom consultants prepare an initial roadmap and break it down into Value Packages. During the workshops, stakeholders are led through a process to confirm the scope of the NOW/MVP phase and prioritize remaining phases (NEXT, LATER, FUTURE). If scaling the e-commerce system across different markets or product lines is part of the project, the roadmap includes a Product Expansion Program that outlines how Value Packages will be scaled and deployed over time. Both the roadmap and the expansion program are designed to be aligned and complement each other.

Selecting the right B2B e-commerce platform is critical, as it greatly impacts operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. It's crucial to assess key factors such as scalability, customization, and integration capabilities with existing systems to ensure that the platform supports business growth and aligns with organizational objectives. Automating data exchanges between e-commerce and other business applications can significantly enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and enable real-time inventory and order management. Moreover, choosing a platform adaptable enough to evolve with future market and technological shifts is essential to future-proofing your investment. 

This directive guides the final segment of our workshops, which focuses on technology and integrations. At this stage, we've already determined the necessary functional features and business non-functional requirements of the e-commerce platform. The next steps involve determining the optimal architecture and technology stack for the organization, and how the e-commerce platform should integrate with existing systems. While each company has its unique IT legacy, the focal point in the Manufacturing and Distribution sector often centers around the ERP system. Identifying and assessing its capabilities from an e-commerce implementation viewpoint and designing optimal integration patterns are crucial for achieving seamless, efficient, and cost-effective operations. 

Hycom architects contribute valuable insights from numerous implementation projects, facilitating discussions on the development of the e-commerce platform within the broader context of the company's strategic goals. This process allows for exploring possible e-commerce solutions and architectural patterns, supported and guided by a trusted advisor. The ultimate goal is to identify a suitable, scalable, and future-proof platform that not only delivers quick business results but is also well-aligned with the company’s IT landscape and enables future business growth and expansion.