The web design process is essentially the same regardless of your business type. But some key differences need to be considered regarding B2C and B2B portal design.
There are new issues to consider when creating a site for your business
It’s one thing to make a consumer-facing website. But if you’re delving into the B2B portal design world, your site should be practical and informative without being too flashy or self-promoting.
In a B2B portal, you’ll want to focus the design on practicality. Your customers are looking for solutions to help them run their businesses more efficiently and profitably. Although this doesn’t mean your site should lack in personality or visual appeal, it does mean that you need to make sure it’s easy for customers to find what they’re looking for and get answers quickly.
Some important features
Here are some features you should consider adding:
- Order management tools allow your customers to track orders, manage customer accounts and control inventory.
- Chat features—Chatbots can answer basic customer questions about pricing and shipping times and provide more detailed answers from human support staff if needed (but only after hours).
- Resources related to industry news/events/trends—These resources help keep businesses up-to-date with relevant information that could impact their bottom line.
It should be cross-functional
You should also consider offering some form of collaboration between salespeople and customers through live chat or video calls to improve communication during this process.
When creating a site for a business-to-business (B2B) company, you want to get the most out of your site’s content. You can provide helpful resources relevant to your customers, such as white papers and downloadable guides. Case studies and informational blog posts also help strengthen your credibility as a resource that provides valuable information on topics like trends in your industry or how your products have helped past clients succeed.
Chatbots can be used to answer FAQs, such as “What is your phone number?” and “How do I set up my account?” but they can also answer more complex questions like, “I need help setting up my server on Monday at 2:00 p.m. This level of personalisation sets chatbots apart from FAQs; instead of providing automated responses based on a keyword search (which may or may not be relevant), chatbots respond based on the context of the conversation itself.
Adding a feedback button or email address
If you are using a software platform such as WordPress, there are plugins available that will help you manage the feedback. If not, your web designer can add these features through custom development. Remember that user experience is essential in all aspects of your website design — not just the layout but also how you interact with customers on social media and other channels.
Conclusion
So, what’s the takeaway here? When it comes to B2B and B2C design, there are many similarities. But it’s the differences that make all the difference!
Whether working on a consumer-facing or business-to-business site, you must consider your audience first and foremost. While both types of areas need to be accessible, informative and engaging—with an eye toward conversions—the needs of each client vary widely depending on whether they’re looking for information on a product or service (like an ecommerce site) or whether they’re seeking guidance from an expert to make better decisions about how their business operates (like with a consultant). So keep these things in mind when designing your following website: You’ll want both visitors’ interests at heart while keeping one eye on their expectations.
