A version of this article has been published in Manufacturing Outlook, contributed by Yoav Kutner, CEO, and Co-Founder of Oro Inc.
One of the key M&A challenges that come with acquiring companies’ B2B supply chain distribution process is how you keep the customer experience seamless.
When blending two companies together, you need to unify the buying experience of the two. After all, “the customer is less interested in the acquisition than the ease and familiarity with which orders may be processed”, says Yoav Kutner, co-founder of OroCommerce.
In this regard, technology becomes crucial as it allows you to create an interface to merge all pricing, purchasing, and delivery data without ruining the customer experience.
Here are 5 steps for efficient M&A B2B eCommerce integration
- Review legacy technology.
- Find the source of truth for product data, customer data, and pricing data.
- Find the system robust and flexible enough to consolidate and sync all information.
- Integrate through middleware to minimize future spending.
- Proceed with acquiring more companies and connecting them to this system.
While this may seem like a straightforward process, the challenges can start at step # 3. Very few technologies can successfully support M&A growth. Some fundamental things are usually lacking, for example, having both customers, pricing, and product data all in one system.
All in all, if your growth strategy involves M&A, you’ll need to find a way to consolidate systems without disrupting the customer experiences, while keeping it cost-efficient. That’s why companies need to approach their B2B eCommerce platform selection process carefully.
A good platform will offer more than just the ability to place orders online. It will cover the complexities of integrations, pricing, and data management. It will create a unified eCommerce system that can support not just short-term consolidation, but also long-term growth.
