1. Introduction

In today’s competitive B2B landscape, customer experience (CX) is no longer a differentiator, it’s a necessity. Statistics show that both B2C and B2B companies that continuously invest in CX are three times more likely to meet their business goals (McKinsey & Company). Happy customers lead to increased loyalty, reduced churn, and even higher win rates – some studies report a 10-15% decrease in churn and a nearly 40% increase in win rates with strong CX strategies.

This reality was echoed by Matthew McClelland from Dotdigital in our recent webinar, “Global B2B Evolution: Expanding Your Business Reach With Shopify Plus“, Matthew outlined a powerful framework – the “5 Pillars of the B2B Lifecycle” – designed to optimize the B2B customer journey.

But how do you translate these insights into actionable steps for your B2B business on Shopify Plus? Look no further! This blog post equips you with a practical guide to building an exceptional B2B customer experience strategy on Shopify Plus. We’ll delve into the 5 Pillars of the B2B Lifecycle and explore how Shopify Plus empowers you to implement them effectively.

2. Understanding B2B Customer Experience on Shopify Plus

2.1. Exploring B2B Customer Experience and Its Significance

In a B2B e-commerce world, customer experience encompasses all aspects of the relationship between a business and its customers. Unlike B2C interactions, where the “customer” is typically a single person, a B2B customer is an account – usually a network of decision-makers and stakeholders with different needs and expectations. B2B customers often require complex approval processes, customized pricing, and a thorough understanding of your products to make informed purchasing decisions.

Here’s why it’s important to invest in B2B CX:

  • Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty: Happy customers become repeat customers and recommend your brand, increasing revenue and market share.
  • Reduced churn: A positive customer experience retains customers, allowing you to focus on strengthening existing relationships and growing your business without constantly seeking new clients.
  • Enhanced brand reputation: Exceptional CX generates positive word of mouth and reinforces your brand’s image in the B2B community. This can attract new customers and reinforce trust among current clients.

View now: Top Successful Shopify Plus Stores That You Can Learn From

2.2. Unique Challenges to B2B Customer Experience vs. B2C

One of the unique challenges of B2B e-commerce is dealing with these complexities. B2B transactions often involve agreeing on large orders, fixed prices, and detailed business plans, which require a robust and flexible platform. Additionally, a growing percentage of millennials among B2B buyers are looking for a seamless, B2C-like experience.

Despite the growing importance of CX in the B2B world, many B2B companies are still in the early stages of CX maturity. Research shows that 80% of B2B organizations fall into two of the top five CX maturity stages all the same. This means there is a significant opportunity for growth and differentiation through enhanced customer experience.


This is where Shopify Plus comes in. Recognizing the unique needs of B2B eCommerce, Shopify Plus offers robust features specifically designed to enhance the B2B customer experience.
Ready to Build a B2B Customer Experience Powerhouse? Contact BSS Commerce Shopify Today!

3. 5 Pillars of Exceptional B2B Customer Experience with Shopify Plus

3.1. Pillar 1: Capture Valuable Data

Understanding your customers is essential for success in the modern-day aggressive B2B e-commerce world. If you have insights into their needs, preferences, and buying journeys, you can create tailored experiences, personalize communication, and build stronger customer relationships, ultimately driving revenue growth.

Data is the key to unlocking a remarkable B2B customer revel in. Collecting valuable data at every touchpoint gives you a deeper understanding of your B2B audience. Unlike B2C interactions, which involve individual customers, B2B purchases generally involve more than one selection-maker inside a business enterprise. Here’s where data becomes particularly valuable.

Discover now: B2B Ecommerce Trends: Chance To Increase Your Revenue

We can use the sign-up process as an example. This initial interaction is a great opportunity to acquire crucial data to tell your future engagements. By collecting information such as email addresses, names, and role descriptions, you begin to build a profile of your customer. This early information series units the level for deeper insights and more personalized communication.

Another example is Staples, a US brand catering to both B2C and B2B customers. They understand that B2B marketing requires a specific approach compared to B2C.  By capturing statistics throughout the signup process, such as email address, first name, and customer type (e.g., office manager, IT department), Staples can learn about their clients and tailor their messaging to be more relevant and effective for each segment.

Shopify Plus empowers you to store valuable data with ease. Its robust feature set includes creating detailed customer profiles. Customer profiles on Shopify Plus provide a comprehensive view of each customer, tracking their purchase history, preferences, and behaviors. This platform also supports advanced data collection methods, such as custom forms and integration with CRM systems, to ensure you capture all the important information. Using these tools, you can gain deep insights into your customer base to create personalized experiences and better engage.

3.2. Pillar 2: Personalize Your Content

Personalization in the B2B customer experience (CX) is a powerful tool that can significantly strengthen relationships and drive engagement. When B2B businesses leverage personalization, they create tailored experiences that resonate with individual customers’ needs and preferences. However, many B2B companies struggle to utilize their data effectively. The challenge lies in connecting data points and transforming them into actionable insights. “We’ve got lots of data, but it’s not connected, and we don’t know what to do with it.”

The value of personalization lies in its ability to make interactions feel relevant and bespoke. In B2B e-commerce, where decisions involve multiple stakeholders and longer sales cycles, delivering personalized content can differentiate your brand and build trust. Businesses can create meaningful interactions that address specific customer needs by utilizing the data collected from various touchpoints—whether it’s browsing behavior, purchase history, or information from CRM systems.

For example, if a customer frequently views a particular product, a personalized message offering support or additional information can significantly enhance their experience and move them closer to a purchasing decision.

Shopify Plus empowers B2B stores to optimize this personalization process effectively. The platform integrates seamlessly with many data sources, allowing companies to leverage customer data to deliver customized offers. Customer profiles in Shopify Plus provide a comprehensive view of each customer, enabling businesses to track and analyze their interactions. This data can be used to optimize marketing messages, product recommendations, and promotions.

For example, SwagUp, a Shopify merchant provider of business swag, uses personalization to streamline the buying process. By dividing products into categories such as “road warrior” and “outdoor enthusiast,” SwagUp simplifies the decision-making process for its customers. They also use Shopify Plus to set minimum order quantities and allow brands to put their own brand logos on products. This personalized approach not only meets the unique needs of their customers but sets SwagUp apart from competitors by making the shopping experience more efficient and convenient.

Discover now: B2B Ecommerce Trends: Chance To Increase Your Revenue

3.3. Pillar 3: Drive Relevant Messages

Tailoring messages to meet customers’ individual needs is essential to increasing campaign performance in B2B e-commerce. Personalized communication not only increases engagement but also strengthens relationships and generates revenue. When companies publish content, it is important to continuously evaluate their effectiveness. Does it speak to your audience? What drives customer engagement and achieves desired outcomes? These questions are critical to setting up your messaging strategy.

Grammar, for example, excels at this by making its messaging appealing, giving users a sense of accomplishment with statements such as “91% of Grammar users are efficient.” Such messages use existing data to create relevant and persuasive communication, which in turn builds stronger relationships with customers.

Special occasions throughout the year—such as membership renewals or holiday seasons—provide excellent opportunities to send targeted messages that can significantly impact customer engagement. By aligning your communications with these special times, you can ensure that your messaging is not only timely but also highly relevant, enhancing the customer experience.

Shopify Plus seamlessly integrates with marketing automation tools and makes it easier for businesses to deliver targeted messaging based on customer segments and behaviors. This integration allows you to streamline and optimize your marketing efforts. With Shopify Plus, you can segment your customers based on a variety of factors including purchase history, browsing habits and engagement levels. This helps tailor messages to the specific needs and preferences of each group.

For instance, with data from Shopify Plus, you can identify customers who regularly buy a specific product and send them tailored recommendations or special offers. This helps to showcase products that are more relevant to them, making them more likely to buy again. Moreover, during special events like renewals or holidays, you can create customized messages that remind customers of your value and encourage continued engagement.

3.4. Pillar 4: Amplify Your Reach

In today’s B2B environment, a successful eCommerce strategy goes beyond your online store.  Today, consumers expect a seamless omnichannel experience, interacting with your brand across a variety of touchpoints. By reaching out in many ways, you can connect with them wherever they are.

The key to increasing your strategy is to understand the channels and behaviors your audience wants. Email marketing, for example, is central to B2B communication, providing a reliable way to share details and updates. However, social media platforms like LinkedIn provide valuable opportunities for professional networking and thought leadership. Targeted ads, however, can deliver tailored messages for specific consumer segments, increasing the relevance and impact of your campaigns.

By utilizing Shopify Plus, businesses can seamlessly integrate multiple marketing channels, ensuring consistent and cohesive messaging across all touchpoints. Shopify Plus offers advanced features for managing multi-channel campaigns, allowing businesses to at key moments and trigger specific messages based on customer actions or milestones.

For example, businesses can use email campaigns to remind customers of upcoming renewals or special occasions, such as their first purchase anniversary. Some social media platforms, like LinkedIn, can be leveraged to share product updates, success stories, key market insights…, fostering a sense of community and engagement. Additionally, communication tools like WhatsApp or Slack can be used for more immediate and personalized interactions, meeting the expectations of customers who require quick responses.

Additionally, feedback mechanisms such as surveys and progressive profiling can help you gather valuable insights from customers, enabling you to refine your strategies and continuously improve your offering. By analyzing this feedback and customer data, you can tailor your messages to be more relevant and impactful, further enhancing your reach and engagement.

BSS Commerce understands the nuances of B2B communication across industries.  By building your B2B store on Shopify Plus with BSS Commerce, you can access our expertise in omnichannel marketing channels.  We’ll help you develop a customized strategy that uses the most effective methods to reach your target audience and build meaningful relationships.

3.5. Pillar 5: Refine and Go Again

Creating exceptional B2B customer experiences is an ongoing journey, not a one-time destination. The key is to constantly analyze the data, iterate your strategies, and adjust your approach based on customer behavior.

A key aspect of this continuous optimization is the willingness to test various strategies and tactics. For example, businesses should test various promotions to better understand customer preferences and attract them more effectively. These programs may include discounts, free products, or special offers for repeat purchases. Applying these diverse tactics will help businesses significantly boost engagement and build stronger customer relationships.

Another approach to testing is to determine the type of interaction your customers prefer. For example, Dermalogica offers Dermalogica Pro for professionals using their products in salons and other institutions. They provide workshops, webinars, and learning hubs to help these business customers maximize the benefits of their products. The goal is to make customers feel like experts, endorse the products, and feel confident in buying, using, and recommending them. Regardless of what you sell, making it easier for people to feel comfortable with your product is crucial for building a loyal base of advocates.

Shopify Plus provides robust analytics tools to support this continuous optimization process. With Shopify Plus, businesses can monitor and measure customer behavior on their B2B store through comprehensive analytics and reporting features. These tools allow you to track key metrics such as conversion rates, average order value, and customer lifetime value. By analyzing this data, you can identify trends, understand customer preferences, and pinpoint areas for improvement.

For instance, Shopify Plus’s analytics can help you determine which promotions are most effective or which products are frequently viewed but rarely purchased. This insight enables you to adjust your strategies accordingly, whether it involves tweaking your marketing messages, adjusting pricing strategies, or enhancing product offerings. The goal is to use data-driven insights to continually refine your approach, ensuring that your customer experience remains dynamic and responsive to changing needs.

“It’s not about selling what you sell. It’s about how you can help that business to be back to business.” By focusing on customer success and leveraging data-driven insights, you can refine your strategy, optimize your B2B store, and ultimately, empower your customers to thrive. This ongoing cycle of improvement will lay the foundation for long-lasting customer relationships and sustainable B2B eCommerce growth.

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4. Case Study

Coral Anonymous, a B2B online store specializing in high-quality corals and anemones sourced from around the world, faced a significant challenge in creating an exceptional customer experience for their wholesale customers. Understanding the importance of a data-driven approach, Coral Anonymous captured valuable data to gain deeper insights into their B2B audience and customize the buying experience accordingly.

From those insights, they needed advanced functionalities tailored to their specific needs, including:

  • Personalized Pricing: Ability to customize pricing for specific customers or groups, including loyalty customers and special occasions.
  • Tiered Pricing: Offer tiered discounts based on the volume of items purchased to encourage larger orders.
  • Purchase Limits: Implement purchase limits based on quantity or order amount to manage inventory effectively.
  • Customized Notifications: Display tailored notifications for wholesale customers during order placement to ensure a user-friendly experience.
  • Personalized Messages: Add custom banners to the cart page with personalized messages about potential discounts based on current cart value.

To address these challenges, Coral Anonymous partnered with BSS Commerce, a trusted Shopify Plus partner specializing in B2B development. BSS Commerce leveraged their expertise to implement several key solutions.

1. Custom Price: BSS Commerce introduced a personalized pricing feature, allowing Coral Anonymous to establish unique pricing structures for specific customers or groups. This enabled the brand to cater to loyal B2B customers and adjust prices for special occasions, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

2. Quantity/Amount Break: BSS Commerce implemented a Quantity/Amount Break feature, enabling Coral Anonymous to offer tiered pricing and volume discounts based on the quantity or amount of items purchased.

3. Order Limits: To control purchase actions, the Order Limit feature was implemented. This allowed Corals Anonymous to set restrictions based on quantity or order amount, ensuring a controlled and efficient wholesale purchasing process.

4. Personalized Banner: BSS Commerce added custom banners to the cart page, displaying personalized messages about potential discounts based on the customer’s current cart value. This not only served as a timely reminder but also significantly improved the user interface and customer engagement.

5. Technical Customizations: BSS Commerce provided continuous support and addressed specific customization requests, such as resolving font issues and improving page reloading times. These technical enhancements ensured a smooth and efficient user experience, further boosting customer satisfaction.

The implemented functionalities, including Custom Price, Quantity/Amount Break, and Order Limit, operated seamlessly, meeting the specific needs of Coral Anonymous’ wholesale customers. The personalized banners enhanced the user interface and shopping experience. Coral Anonymous expressed their satisfaction through a 5-star review, highlighting the efficacy of BSS Commerce’s B2B/Wholesale Solution and the responsiveness of their team.

“BSS Commerce team and service are great for all your custom needs. They are very responsive and can meet all your changes and demands regarding repairs or tweaks to the features and functions of the app. They can even create custom features that you need to add. Their team consists of highly capable developers and can execute your concept very well. Our company is very pleased with the BSS app and their amazing service! Highly recommend for others.”

By leveraging the expertise of BSS Commerce and focusing on data-driven customer experience strategies, Coral Anonymous successfully enhanced their customer experiences, significantly increased their sales, and established a robust, high-performing B2B store. This success story exemplifies how a well-executed B2B customer experience strategy can drive growth and customer satisfaction.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, building a data-driven B2B customer experience (CX) strategy is essential for driving growth and staying competitive in today’s market. By focusing on capturing valuable data, personalizing content, delivering relevant messages, amplifying your reach, and continuously refining your approach, you can create exceptional customer experiences that strengthen relationships and boost engagement on Shopify Plus.

BSS Commerce is a trusted Shopify Plus partner agency specializing in B2B development. With strong expertise in building robust and resilient B2B stores, we lay the foundation for seamless integration with other apps and functions to boost your B2B store’s performance. Our proven track record includes helping B2B businesses on Shopify double their sales and create exceptional customer experiences. Our diverse range of Shopify B2B apps, combined with a team of experts with deep industry knowledge, ensures your success.

Additionally, BSS Commerce has a wide partner ecosystem that leverages the best tools and services to help you build high-performing B2B stores, providing a seamless and omnichannel eCommerce experience.

Ready to transform your B2B customer experience and unlock the full potential of Shopify Plus? Contact BSS Commerce Shopify today to learn more about our services and start building a stronger, more engaging customer journey.