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This trend is an issue for obvious reasons . While vendors are experts at building the premium-quality equipment and parts their customers need , they simply don ’ t have the experience and expertise required to build out ecommerce capabilities from scratch , while delivering the flawless Amazon-grade online experiences that their customers increasingly expect .
So , what ’ s the solution ? And how can vendors of construction parts , materials , and equipment adapt to a world of universal online sales ? Let ’ s take a closer look .
1 . Make personalization a priority Every construction project is different , and every construction buyer is different too . Some are working on huge commercial projects across multiple worksites ; others might be managing smaller residential renovations requiring specific hard-to-source materials . Whatever your customers need , it ’ s your job to give it to them , and that requires a commitment to personalizing your offerings to meet the specific needs of your buyers .
Of course , the needs of construction buyers aren ’ t the same as the needs of someone shopping for books or groceries on Amazon . To deliver a stellar experience , you need to make it easy and convenient to place the kinds of orders that construction buyers want to place , without having to jump through hoops or resort to emailing or calling a sales rep to finalize an order .
An effective sales portal might allow buyers to create and manage multiple product lists , for instance , while maintaining separate shopping lists and carts for different worksites . It might have infrastructure in place to manage complex price structures and offer personalized quotes . Or it might mean enabling personalized delivery options to ensure customers can split complex orders and get specific materials and equipment delivered where they need it , when they need it .
Another option that many firms find useful is to offer multiple storefronts to support the needs of different customer profiles . A company might sell through one storefront to consumers planning DIY projects , another storefront to contractors working on large projects , and a third storefront to teams seeking to rent heavy equipment . Achieving this kind of customization is less complex than it sounds : your e-commerce platform should provide a unified backend , enabling you to deliver tailored front-end experiences for different target markets .
2 . Don ’ t sideline your sales reps It ’ s easy to assume that digital sales channels are a replacement for human sales reps , especially when your e-commerce infrastructure is customized to fully meet your business needs and deliver personalized services for customers . The reality is that nothing could be further from the truth . In the e-commerce era , your in-house construction sales experts have never been more important .
That ’ s partly because customization and personalization need to be steered by your team ’ s hard-earned experience in the sector and deep understanding of construction buyers ’ needs , both in general and for individual clients . But it ’ s also because when it ’ s done right , e-commerce doesn ’ t supplant human agents – it empowers them to work smarter , and focus their energies on the places they can do the most good .
With instant notifications and full visibility into the digital customer sales journey , your sales reps can step in when they ’ re most needed to facilitate complex orders , close deals , solve problems , and unlock new upsell opportunities . Done right , this enables sales agents to evolve into the role of customer advisers , driving value and supporting customer retention , while also maximizing incoming revenues .
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