UX Strategy: How the Modern B2B Buyer Journey Has Changed

Today’s digital-first climate is highly competitive and changes rapidly. A company’s success largely depends on its ability to adapt to evolving consumer needs effectively. This applies as much to the B2B sector as it does to direct-to-consumer sales. It also calls for a strategy built on user experience (UX).

In our Results by Design podcast, Craig Nishizaki, Head of Business at UpTop, unravels how the B2B buyer journey has changed over the past few years. With his guests Michael Woo and Deborah Roberts, Craig offers key insights on how you can adapt your UX strategy to optimize the B2B sales process and drive results. The following summary shares best practices and tips to gain a competitive advantage for your business.

The Modern B2B Buyer Journey: What Has Changed?

In the past, the B2B buying process was primarily conducted through face-to-face interactions. Salespeople would physically meet with potential clients to present products, negotiate terms, and close deals. Buyers relied on in-person sales calls and industry events to communicate and gather information.

However, this process has significantly changed with technological advancements, increasing market globalization, and remote operations. According to research by Gartner, TrustRadius, and G2, the following are key characteristics of the modern B2B buyer journey:

• The buying group has grown more prominent, with a median of 10 stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Buyers now spend 45% of their time researching independently online.
• The buying process has six distinct “jobs”: to identify a problem, explore solutions, build requirements, select a supplier, validate the choice, and create consensus.
• Buyers think of the purchase in terms of discrete tasks rather than a linear journey. The process is often unpredictable and inconsistent.
• Buyers also demand complete control of the process. They rely on trusted sources and expect self-service options, product trials, transparent pricing, and virtual collaboration.
• About 77% of buyers start with independent research, and 87% want to self-serve all or part of the buying journey.
• Buyers will delay or abandon a purchase if pricing isn’t easily accessible.

Elements of an Effective B2B Web Strategy

In this episode, hosts Craig Nishizaki and Michael Woo discuss the essential elements of a successful B2B web strategy and how to ground the strategy with clear business goals, defined personas, and casting a visionary UX strategy.

Modern B2B Buyer Trends and Patterns to Inform Your UX Strategy

An effective UX strategy must meet the evolving needs of modern B2B buyers. So, it’s critical to understand the key trends and patterns that shape their purchase behaviors and journeys. For instance:

1. Buyers are increasingly inclined toward self-service and online exploration

B2B buyers spend more time researching products, services, pricing, and vendor reputation online before initiating direct communication. This means your UX strategy needs to prioritize easy access to product information, demos, free trials, and transparent pricing.

2. Buyers want clear, accessible information

B2B buyers are frustrated by the use of internal or complex language on vendor websites. Instead, your UX strategy should focus on clear, straightforward explanations. It helps buyers quickly understand whether a solution can solve their problem, fit their budget, and work with their systems.

3. Implementation and post-sale experience matter

Many B2B buyers experience issues with solution implementation, which can impact their overall perception of the vendor and the buying process. Your UX strategy should consider the entire buyer journey. This includes both the implementation and post-sale experiences.

4. Internal teams struggle with siloed efforts

Internal teams often don’t communicate well despite sharing common goals. Your UX strategy should aim to bring these teams together through workshops and a holistic approach to understanding and addressing customer needs.

Outdated and Ineffective UX Strategies for B2B Websites

With a deeper understanding of modern B2B buyer behaviors and expectations, it’s clear that many traditional website UX strategies have become obsolete or ineffective. The following are key areas where B2B companies need to evolve their approach to stay competitive:

• Brochure-style websites with limited content. Buyers today expect more than just a static presentation. They want interactive elements, videos, graphics, and content guiding them through decision-making.
• Lack of personalization. As with individual consumers, B2B buyers now expect personalized experiences and tailored content. They also want recommendations based on user preferences, industry, or past interactions.
• Excessive content gating. Because buyers conduct more independent research, restricting access to essential content can deter potential customers who aren’t ready to engage with sales.
• Reliance on live demos/sales reps. Buyers want the ability to explore product offerings independently through virtual demos, free trials, and self-service options.
• Siloed internal teams and processes. A lack of cross-functional collaboration and communication can result in a disjointed customer experience that fails to meet buyer needs.
• Overemphasis on data or single stages of the buyer’s journey. Effective UX strategies should consider the entire buyer journey, key personas, and their evolving needs, goals, and pain points.

Priority Areas To Fix an Outdated B2B UX Strategy

Once you’ve identified outdated UX methods, the next step is to determine the key priority areas for improvement. When you focus on these critical areas, you can develop a more effective, customer-centric UX strategy that positions your business for long-term success.

1. Improve website navigation and self-service capabilities. Ensure buyers can easily find the information they need. Let them explore products and services independently without excessive friction or sales pressure.
2. Enhance transparency and personalization. Provide clear, accessible pricing information and personalized content or recommendations based on user data and behaviors.
3. Conduct comprehensive buyer research. Invest in both qualitative and quantitative research to deeply understand key personas, their journeys, pain points, and needs.
4. Foster cross-functional collaboration. Break down internal silos and bring together teams, such as marketing, sales, customer service, and accounts, to align on a cohesive, customer-centric UX strategy.
5. Continually optimize the buyer experience. Regularly benchmark against competitors. Also, gather customer feedback and iterate on the website and buyer journey to stay ahead of changing expectations.

Putting It All Together: Optimizing Your UX Strategy for B2B Success

UX design is a critical component of any successful digital strategy. When you put the user first and create experiences that delight and engage, you can build a loyal customer base. Whether you serve enterprise-level B2B clients or individual B2C consumers, an experienced UX design team will keep you laser-focused on the user experience to fuel sustainable growth and profitability.

UpTop’s expertise in UI/UX design best practices can help you create an application or platform that resonates with your target market and stands out from competitors. Our team of UX strategists, product designers, and software developers work closely with you to develop innovative approaches to enhance your products and services. As a result, you’ll optimize customer interactions and drive success for your organization. Let’s connect.