The Importance of Customer Service in B2B

Providing customer service as a business to a business can be much more complex than the standard business-to-consumer model. A great starting point is to help the business your company is serving with their clients. Proving that you are an asset to those that work closely with you will help in establishing your business as indispensable.

Many B2B companies can deal with anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand clients, and every transaction can result in revenue gained or lost. With that said, losing a customer could affect these companies’ annual earnings, or worse. B2C companies on the other hand, can financially endure losing a few customers here and there. Customer service plays an enormous role in B2B aspects for that reason. Keeping your clients happy and loyal is very important.

Loyalty among businesses is much more likely to span a few years compared to that of consumers and the businesses they are purchasing from. Long-term relationships in this sense can lead to either business taking the other for granted. Being aware of every interaction between employees and the businesses that your company serves is vital in providing great customer service. Should any problems arise, you will want to solve them as quickly as possible for every client. This will help build your reputation as a truly accommodating company.

91% of B2B buyers are influenced by word-of-mouth when deciding who wish to work with, but these referrals almost always depend on whether or not they had a pleasant experience as a customer. As word spreads about great customer service from a B2B company, that company’s reputation improves tremendously. Today more than ever, buyers seek input from their peers before making upcoming purchases. As referrals grow, so does your clientele.

An important consideration when differentiating B2B and B2C is the fact that the product hardly ever changes among B2B, seeing as their main service is brand loyalty, the innovations of which often need just a few small changes here and there. Taking that into account, B2B’s compete through quality of service. Companies of similar products must prove to potential customers that they not only provide the better service, but that they truly care about those who they are serving.

The phrase "the customer is always right" carries much more weight in business-to-business customer service, despite the controversy that surrounds it. Losing customers on a larger scale can negatively affect B2B's much more than B2C's, proving the importance of how you serve your clients.