Processes are the heart of every successful B2B operation.
There are two kinds of B2B businesses that exist in the world. The first kind is the one that supplies to another business. These are cogs in the wheel. They are replaceable. Often their evaluation is only based on the price that they are offering. Take for instance the company that supplies packaging material to Frito Lays. Can be replaced in a heartbeat. There are a few businesses that are very high precision, making them hard to replace. But these are very few and don’t even apply to a large number of industries.
The other kinds are those which enable other businesses. They are the companies that make themselves an essential part of the process. They make it possible for other businesses to streamline their processes. This of a Payment Gateway company. They are deeply entrenched in the process of running the business. They make payments smooth and frictionless and scalable. Think of a CRM company or an ERP. They all make themselves a part of the process.
Think of some of the largest B2B businesses in the world. Most of them make things happen for businesses. If we leave aside large manufacturers who sell to other manufacturers, the names that would come to mind are SAP, Cisco, Microsoft, Salesforce. What is common amongst all of them is the fact that they are helping businesses build better processes.
The only way to grow any business is by implementing strong processes to guide the growth of the business. In the absence of processes, it any business is likely become quite unwieldy as more people from diverse backgrounds join the organisation.
So if you are trying to build a strong B2B business – Think Process.
