Fundamental Truths: How B2B winners go to market
5
This infographic based on our ninth annual B2B Pulse Survey reveals five truths about how successful B2B companies go to market.
mid economic uncertainty, the B2B landscape is evolving rapidly due to digital innovation,
shifting customer behaviors, and higher expectations for sophisticated buying experiences. To navigate this complex environment, sellers are balancing digital self-service channels with human interactions. Insights from our 2024 B2B Pulse Survey came from nearly 4,000 B2B decision makers across 34 sectors in eight major industries from 13 different countries.
A
1
The “Rule of thirds” rules all
B2B customer interactions with suppliers are evenly divided in thirds across in-person interactions, remote human interactions, and digital self-service channels.
In-person interactions
Remote human interactions
Digital self-service channels
2
Seamless omnichannel is gold
Seamless omnichannel execution is the gold standard for most decision makers.
B2B customers use an average of 10 interaction channels in their buying journey, up from five in 2016.
2016
2024
And more than
50%
say they are likely to switch if they don’t have a smooth experience across channels
3
E-commerce is indispensable
Those in B2B sales who think it’s optional to invest more in e-commerce are mistaken. It’s become the leading sales channel in revenue generation, usage, effectiveness, and investment.
E-commerce is now the top revenue generator (for those that offer e-commerce), with
34%
of sales now coming from this channel
4
Hybrid work works
Companies where employees work in multiple locations (hybrid) are more likely to experience 10 percent–plus revenue growth compared to non-hybrid counterparts.
in YoY sales effectiveness
+5p.p.
Hybrid B2Bs see
of hybrid companies report >10% YoY growth vs 28% of single location companies
35%
and
5
Gen AI’s got game
Companies that have adopted Gen AI offer a more personalized customer experience and are more likely to grow their market share.
19%
of B2B sales forces are already implementing gen AI use cases and finding success
