Case Study
Introduction
Our client is a well-established manufacturer and distributor of industrial tools and machinery, serving a wide network of B2B customers across North America. Their customer base includes resellers, regional dealers, procurement teams, and independent contractors. With decades of experience in the industrial supply chain, the company has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality equipment and maintaining long-standing business relationships with enterprise buyers.
Reason for Collaboration
The client approached us to implement Salesforce B2B Commerce Cloud after realizing their existing e-commerce infrastructure was fragmented and lacked key capabilities such as contract-based pricing, real-time inventory tracking, and personalized experiences for business buyers. They needed a trusted implementation partner who could not only handle the technical implementation but also understand their industry-specific needs and workflows.
Challenges
Outdated and Inflexible E-commerce Platform
Our client was facing the issue of managing orders through a legacy system that wasn’t scalable or user-friendly. Their customers often struggled with navigating the interface, and sales reps were burdened with manually handling basic inquiries. The lack of modern features like quick reordering or product recommendations made the platform inefficient and less competitive.
No Unified View of Organizational Risk
The client was struggling to offer tailored pricing and catalogs for different buyer accounts. Business customers had to contact sales teams for quotes and discounts, leading to longer sales cycles and inconsistent experiences. This became a major bottleneck as their client base grew across regions and industries.
Lack of Self-Service Capabilities for Reorders and Account Management
Buyers were frustrated with the inability to reorder previously purchased items, manage shipping addresses, or track orders themselves. Our client was facing frequent support requests for routine tasks, causing delays and inefficiencies in the purchasing process.
Manual Integration with ERP and Inventory Systems
Inventory availability and pricing updates were manually pushed into the e-commerce platform, leading to outdated product listings and order fulfillment delays. This disjointed process not only impacted order accuracy but also strained warehouse and support teams.
Implementing a Secure and Seamless Password less Login System for Order Confirmation
Setting up a smooth and secure password less login system was a challenge. It needed to redirect users to a new site through a secure access link on the Order Confirmation page while ensuring hassle-free email authentication and seamless integration with Salesforce’s standard password less login feature.
Solutions
We implemented a modern, responsive B2B storefront tailored to different user roles, enabling smooth actions like bulk ordering and invoice downloads. Buyer-specific pricing and personalized catalogs were set up to reflect contract terms automatically. A self-service portal empowered customers to manage orders, track deliveries, and handle their accounts independently. We also integrated the platform with the client’s ERP and inventory systems using MuleSoft, ensuring real-time updates and improving overall efficiency.
Modern B2B Storefront Setup with Role-Based Access
We implemented a fully responsive, intuitive storefront using Salesforce B2B Commerce Cloud, tailored specifically for B2B use cases. We complemented this with role-based access controls to allow different user types (buyers, approvers, procurement managers) to perform relevant actions, such as bulk ordering, approvals, and invoice downloads, all in a seamless interface.
Dynamic Pricing and Personalized Catalogs
We developed pricing rules and buyer-specific catalog configurations using native B2B Commerce capabilities. This allowed our client to assign unique price books and product visibility based on the customer's account or contract. Now, buyers automatically see their negotiated prices and products tailored to their agreement—no sales team intervention required.
Self-Service Buyer Portals for Account and Order Management
We have complemented the platform with a self-service portal where buyers can view order history, track deliveries, save repeat orders, and manage billing/shipping details. This dramatically reduced support calls and gave customers more autonomy, improving the overall customer experience.
ERP and Inventory Integration via MuleSoft and Custom APIs
We integrated the B2B Commerce Cloud with the client’s ERP and inventory systems using MuleSoft and REST APIs. Inventory availability and pricing data are now synced in real-time, ensuring buyers always see accurate stock and cost information. This improved operational efficiency and order fulfillment speed.
Benefits
- Customer support inquiries dropped significantly as buyers began using the self-service features for common tasks.
- The ordering process became noticeably faster with the introduction of contract-based pricing and personalized catalogs.
- Real-time inventory visibility helped streamline fulfillment and reduce common delays in shipping.
- Customer satisfaction improved across regions, with buyers appreciating the ease of use and transparency.
- Sales representatives are now able to focus more on strategic accounts rather than handling routine order-related queries.
