4 Things Modern Chemical Buyers Expect from Suppliers Today

Chemical businesses risk losing current and future customers if they don’t upgrade their digital experiences. But there’s also good news: businesses with a good digital experience are 2x more likely to be named a preferred supplier. However, the chemical industry is unique - and has unique regulations and processes to follow - so it’s not enough to buy an ecommerce system that other companies use to sell t-shirts. Based on a survey of 200 chemical buyers (both big and small), here are four things modern chemical buyers expect from suppliers - and why you need a purpose-built digital commerce solution to deliver them. 

1. A better customer experience 

Chemical buyers cite easy access to product information and a single point of ordering as the most important parts of digital experience, according to Accenture. On the flip side, transactional items like product sampling and custom payment terms are far less important than many sellers think. If you want to deliver the experiences that today’s chemical buyers actually want, you need a purpose-built digital commerce platform that understands the chemical buying process.

Image source: https://www.accenture.com/ca-en/insights/chemicals/sales-chemical-buyer-values-study 

2. High-quality data

When a customer reaches out or wants to reorder, they expect suppliers to have all their information at the ready. So chemical companies need to build a digital experience that isn’t just about a pretty website but is capable of bringing all customer data - sales, marketing, and distributor relationships - under one roof. 

3. Faster implementation time

Customers want better digital experiences - and they want them now. A large commerce cloud platform could take 12-18 months to properly implement, all the while your IT team is stressed out and the platform can’t be used. With a modern SaaS commerce platform built for the chemical industry, you can go from start to launch in a matter of weeks.

When BASF implemented Agilis’ integrated digital commerce platform, the company went from making a decision to launching their new platform in under two months. In a Digital in Chemicals webinar episode, BASF Business Director Marius Vaarkamp explained how the process went - and how working with Agilis’ integrated digital marketing solutions helped them increase revenue by 50% from existing customers alone.

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4. Human connections

For large buyers, chemical sales will likely always require a human element. However, this isn’t the case in all ecommerce industries, so generic commerce platforms often make the digital-to-human process very difficult, if they power it at all. That’s why it’s so critical to have a purpose-built SaaS system that uses digital touchpoints to enhance your current capabilities with respect to customer experience, then makes it easy to connect with a human when someone has a complex question or needs assistance. 

Get a system that works for your team and your customers

For chemical companies looking to grow with digital, a purpose-built solution is the best way forward. It’s faster, more efficient, and makes things easier both for customers and for internal teams. Given the importance of digital commerce in our world - both during the COVID-19 pandemic and after - the longer you wait on digital commerce, the more growth opportunities you miss out on. 

Build your digital commerce solution easily with Agilis. Book a free demo now.