Loyalty programs in the B2B sector

Marketing experts often suggest that loyalty programs based on accumulating points and discounts are unlikely to work in the B2B sector and are mainly reserved for B2C. Customer loyalty in B2B isn't based as much on rewards and pricing - companies are more concerned with ensuring that their business customers don't move on to competitors who, for example, are trying to establish better relationships with decision-makers. What can a company do to keep existing customers with it, assuming it operates in the B2B sector?

A few transactions are not enough to speak of a stable partnership. Only basing the relationship of two companies on trust and mutual respect allows you to talk about something more. Such trust must not be betrayed - you simply have to play fair. The ideal situation is when you manage to convince your partner that our business goals coincide, that - to put it in a roundabout way - our interest is also his interest. It is important to be flexible and understand the needs of the other party. While in B2C the relationship is mainly based on the assumption that the seller wants to sell and attract customers to himself (assortment, prices, promotions, etc.), and the customer wants to buy the best products at the lowest price, in B2B you need to go a step further. Not only does the partner need to be induced to buy our service or product, but we also need to make the partner believe in our product and feel that the product brings them the right benefits.

For this purpose, the company can create a business ecosystem, providing for preferential terms of cooperation. A partner who cooperates with us in a B2B relationship is included (together with customers) in ready-made e-commerce processes. We provide ready-made forms of support - materials, assistance, training. Partners who deal with a specific section of e-commerce, such as preparing graphics for stores, can be sure that their client, will be well served and that the needs of their business will be met. Providing a single point of service is extremely important and allows you to run your business comfortably.

What should you not do in B2B? Are there any practices that work well in B2C but are not effective in B2B?

One must not surprise one's partners. It is important to remember that changes with us also have a long-term effect on partners, for which they must prepare. Flexibility and "small" favors implemented outside the standard procedure are welcome.

Do you conduct any activities to build B2B customer loyalty?

We create a kind of enclave for the e-commerce industry - we provide a full range of services to our partners' customers (our ecosystem). This allows partners to focus on the business that provides them with revenue. We also have a dedicated team for B2B cooperation, which directly translates into cooperation efficiency.

The material was created for: MyCompany Poland