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Written by Anna Korolekh
The frustration we all faced: you’re standing at the self-checkout with a bruised avocado and a rising sense of despair. The machine blurts out “unexpected item in the bagging area” for the third time, and the only employee nearby is buried in a display of discounted cereal, avoiding eye contact.
You leave, irritated and wrapped in gloomy thoughts about a world slowly taken over by soulless machines, longing for a good old-fashioned human interaction.
And then… your smart home unlocks itself, having already sensed your proximity. The lights dim to your favorite “evening unwind” setting. Smooth jazz starts playing. Your coffee’s been freshly brewed by your smart coffee machine, and the floors? Vacuumed by your loyal little robot just an hour ago.
You sink into the couch and think, “Alright, this is actually kind of nice.”
Sounds familiar? I’m sure many of us can relate.
We’re all torn. We complain about automation and crave the warmth of human connection, yet we want things fast, seamless, and 24/7. In B2B, this contradiction plays out like a constant tug-of-war. The failures are almost always digital. The “wow” moments? Turn out to be almost always human.
In this article, we’ll dig into the data and real B2B buyer feedback to break down the complex human–machine dynamic in modern commerce, and get closer to that sweet spot manufacturers and distributors need between efficiency and loyalty.
The Numbers Behind the Tug-of-War
The emotional back-and-forth when it comes to digitization isn’t just anecdotal — the data tells the same story.
- Back in a 2019 McKinsey survey, 86% of B2B buyers said they preferred reordering via self-service rather than speaking to a sales rep.
- In 2022, Gartner reported that 75% of B2B buyers now want a representative-free buying experience.
- Yet, in that same year, another study showed that 70% of B2B buyers still want to interact with a sales representative. 38% said it’s actually more productive than independent research.
It seems contradictory — until you remember the avocado.
Why That One Helpful Employee Still Matters
Gartner’s 2022 B2B Buyer Survey helps us reconcile these numbers. It found that when buyers used digital tools with support from a sales rep, they were 1.8x more likely to close a high-quality deal than those using tools on their own.
The message is clear: when tech and humans team up, the experience improves. If someone had helped you scan the avocado correctly, you wouldn’t have cursed the machine — you’d have left feeling supported, maybe even smarter. And you might’ve returned with a new purchase, eager to practice your newly acquired skill.
The Research: Where B2B “Wow” Moments Really Come From
To get even closer to the truth, let’s hear directly from B2B buyers themselves.
OroCommerce recently partnered with B2B Insights to conduct in-depth research into B2B buying behavior.
I encourage you to read the full report — it’s packed with insightful data. But for the purposes of this article, I’ll highlight just a few key stats to help set the stage.
- 67% of respondents are already doing over half their B2B purchases online.
- 83% expect online buying to increase even more in the next year.
- But 45% say the current digital experiences their suppliers provide are still disappointing.
And based off that, one open-ended question was especially revealing:
“Describe an experience one of your suppliers provided — something that stood out to you the most.”
Only 19% mentioned a specific tool or a digital feature, responding to this question. Yet a whopping 38% described a moment that involved a real person, often a thoughtful, proactive, or attentive account manager.
Stories That Stick
To dig deeper into what actually delights B2B buyers, I took the B2B Insights research a step further. Specifically, I analyzed and categorized the open-ended responses to the “describe something that stood out to you most” question.
The goal was to identify the patterns behind memorable interactions — the ones that made a real impression. After sorting the responses into thematic “buckets,” here’s what stood out:
Consultative & Collaborative Service (38%)
By far the most frequently mentioned theme. Buyers remember moments when a supplier went beyond the transaction, offering advice, spotting issues before they became problems, or proactively suggesting better options. These human-led efforts clearly have a lasting impact.
Some of the most representative quotes of this category:
“Suggesting a better [product] alternative after taking the time to understand our needs.”
“By following up with us after a shipment to see if we needed any additional support, our supplier made a great impression.”
Shipping & Logistics Enhancements (19%)
Speed, accuracy, and flexibility in delivery were often highlighted. A supplier that could adapt quickly to logistics challenges or offer creative shipping solutions earned praise.
Some of the most representative quotes of this category:
“Pre-labeled packaging was provided for our orders, making it easier for us to sort and use the products right away.”
“They were able to ease the pressure of a tight deadline by quickly shipping our order without additional charges.”
Digital Tools (19%)
While not the top “wow” factor, solid digital tools still made a strong showing. Buyers appreciated when portals, platforms, or interfaces made their lives easier, especially for things like reordering, tracking, or accessing relevant information quickly.
Some of the most representative quotes of this category:
“The ordering process was made easier by our supplier, they set up a customized online portal for us.”
“A supplier created a custom dashboard that included updates on order status and lead times. It helped us coordinate better and meet tight deadlines.”
Personalized Services (15%)
Responses in this category were closely related to those in “Consultative and Collaborative Service,” but went a step further, tailoring more complex, custom services beyond what’s typically on offer. These included deeply personalized solutions where customer needs were prioritized over the supplier’s operational convenience.
Some of the most representative quotes of this category:
“Our supplier adjusted their production schedule to meet our needs.”
“Customized formulations were developed that improved the durability of our final product without increasing costs.”
Cost-Saving Strategies (9%)
While less frequently cited, buyers certainly remembered when a supplier helped them reduce costs, whether through product recommendations, smarter packaging, or more favorable terms.
Some of the most representative quotes of this category:
“For one of the delayed product deliveries, the supplier extended a monetary compensation which stood out for us as a gesture.”
“Providing us with bulk order discounts helped us save a lot of money.”
As we’ve clearly seen from buyer responses, customers aren’t impressed by flashy tools or buzzword-heavy tech alone. What they truly care about is how that technology is used to deliver real value.
The Invisible Tech
So, is it worth investing in B2B tools and automation, if your buyers are not wowed by them?
Absolutely — but not because your buyers will rave about a sleek UI or the latest AI gimmick. They’ll rave because a person, empowered by that tech, solved their problem before it escalated. Because the service felt seamless. Because the business relationship felt human.
And that kind of experience is only possible when your systems are working in harmony behind the scenes — clean data, smart automation, conscious choice of well-integrated tools.
Still, according to Gartner, many B2B companies are far from this ideal. In their 2022 Chief Sales Officer Strategy Survey, 62% of CSOs admitted their customer data is scattered across siloed systems, limiting their ability to engage buyers meaningfully.
And that right there is the core of B2B eСommerce’s ROI and efficiency problem. Unlike in B2C, where front-end experience often takes center stage, B2B eСommerce success is built in the back office. It’s the processes you don’t see — the data flows, system integrations, and behind-the-scenes orchestration — that make or break the customer experience.
The truth is, not many B2B digital commerce vendors fully grasp this, and even fewer are built to support it. That’s exactly why Oro’s founders built OroCommerce around a powerful CRM backbone. Drawing on their deep eCommerce experience, they understood that scalable, successful B2B commerce starts with one… well, not thing, but human: the customer.
Conclusion: The Golden Ratio
Here’s the paradox: when digital tools work flawlessly, they fade into the background. But when they fail? They become the villain of the story.
Throughout this article, we’ve heard it straight from the source: “wow” moments rarely come from sleek interfaces or the latest AI-powered widget. They come from real people who are empowered by good tools, equipped with the right data, and able to act quickly and proactively.
And that’s the key. Not every tool needs to shine on the surface — in B2B, the real magic happens in the background.
Unlike in B2C, where the spotlight is often on the storefront, B2B success is rooted in operational excellence, in well-oiled systems that turn complexity into clarity and make personalized service not just possible, but scalable.
So, the future of B2B isn’t bots vs. humans. It’s bots with humans.
Let automation handle the 68% that should be invisible — and let your people shine in the 32% that creates loyalty, trust, and long-term relationships.
That’s the real Golden Ratio.
