Over recent years customer expectations in the B2B space have changed, with 89 percent of users researching online before they make a purchase and 67 percent of purchases influenced in some way by the digital buying experience. With the rise of marketplaces and in an extremely competitive digital market, distributors must proactively take back market share from these emerging competitors and maintain their role as manufacturers' primary go-to-market partners.
Tailored digital program
To support our distributors on the digital front, ABB has developed its Distribution Online Acceleration Program (DOAP), a multi-level initiative that offers a comprehensive set of tools to enhance their online presence and maximize sales. The program can be tailored to the size and budget of the distributor, with our local team advising on the most suitable initiatives for their business.
As the program continues to develop, we are excited to see our members’ engagement and online sales figures grow even more.
As part of the program, we offer access to ABB’s eFinder, an online search engine, which is designed to help customers find out where to buy ABB Electrification products from authorized distributors in their region. Through DOAP, distributors can also advertise their stock availability and directly link to their web shops, facilitating the buying process and customer journey.
In parallel to developing technical solutions, we are also proposing enriched digital content, configurator, and advanced e-cart capabilities.
Increased engagement and online sales
Since we launched DOAP, we have seen the strongest uptake from members of IMELCO, the world’s largest cooperation of independent electrical wholesalers, who are already experiencing significant boosts to their online sales.
Elena Bruns, Managing Director at IMELCO, says members of the consortium particularly appreciate the personalized support ABB offers distributors at all phases of their digital journey. “No matter what stage they are at in their digital development, they are seeing benefits from DOAP,” she says. “As the program continues to develop, we are excited to see our members’ engagement and online sales figures grow even more.”
In the coming months, we will focus on continuing to support our distributors with data and enhanced content to improve engagement on their digital platforms, as well as exploring other opportunities for closer collaboration to promote their solutions online.
