The Power of Business Process Automation in B2B Ecommerce

Embracing automation: The case for Business Process Automation (BPA) in B2B ecommerce 

"Is it automated, or is it redundant?" – This provocatively phrased question captures the essence of today's digital transformation. Business Process Automation (BPA) has become a cornerstone for thriving companies. And with each technological advancement, innovations like machine learning and computer vision emerge, expanding BPA's horizons.

Ecommerce isn't immune to this wave of change – and it should suck in everything good about it. A study by the McKinsey Global Institute suggests that companies embracing process automation could slash operational costs by 20 to 35%. Furthermore, a Forrester survey highlights that nearly 60% of companies investing in automation technologies expedite their business processes substantially. On the profitability front, there's also encouraging news: Firms that automate over 70% of their operations can anticipate a profit surge of at least 15%, as pointed out by the global consultancy, Capgemini.

It's almost intuitive to recognize Business Process Automation’s pivotal role. The meteoric rise and optimistic projections in sectors, especially B2B ecommerce (as reflected by Forrester's $3 trillion US market volume prediction for 2027), would be unattainable without robust B2B process automation. Factor in the pronounced skilled labor shortage in many Western nations, which could potentially hamper B2B ecommerce productivity. Yet, the adverse impacts are currently offset by dedicated B2B automation solutions.

Interestingly, the concept of Business Process Automation isn't novel; its roots trace back to the first industrial revolution. Let's delve deeper into that, spotlight pivotal BPA applications within B2B ecommerce, showcase the transformative impact of BPA through the lens of the BIOMARIS case study, and introduce you to five standout third-party apps from the Shopware ecosystem, designed to turbocharge your B2B operations.

Table of Contents

1. The central role of Business Process Automation (BPA) in driving technological evolution

2. Leveraging B2B process automation: Key focus areas

3. BIOMARIS case study: Harnessing Business Process Automation in ecommerce

4. 5 third-party Shopware apps for B2B merchants to elevate your Business Process Automation game

5. Conclusion: Process automation becomes the secret weapon of B2B eommerce

The central role of Business Process Automation (BPA) in driving technological evolution

As underscored by earlier data, Business Process Automation (BPA) has emerged as a pivotal force in advancing digital business domains. But what defines BPA, and why is it so integral to technological evolution? At its essence, BPA harnesses technology to refine and automate routine business tasks. Within the B2B eccommerce sphere, this encompasses everything from streamlining invoicing to improving customer interactions and managing inventory. The ultimate aim? Curtail manual interventions, reduce errors, and amplify operational efficiency.

The concept of automation isn't a recent phenomenon. It harks back to the industrial revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries when innovations like the assembly line revolutionized manufacturing, replacing labor-intensive tasks and amplifying productivity.

The 20th century witnessed the marriage of electricity and emerging computer technologies, catalyzing the next epoch of automation. This era set the stage for the contemporary understanding of business process automation. By the 1950s, pioneers were already harnessing computers to refine business operations.

The 1960s and 1970s marked a significant inflection point with the birth of Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERP). These holistic systems were architected to seamlessly weave together diverse business strands, from supply chain logistics to finance and HR.

Fast forward to today, and Business Process Automation, supercharged by advancements like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, has become ubiquitous across sectors. From manufacturing to finance and beyond, BPA equips enterprises with the agility and precision to thrive in a fast-paced commercial landscape.

Ecommerce stands as a prime testament to BPA's transformative potential. With the digital shopping boom in the 1990s, the need arose for efficient mechanisms to handle surges in orders and transactions. BPA emerged as the answer. It empowers ecommerce platforms to deliver frictionless customer experiences while honing their internal mechanics. And as modern shop systems evolve, catering specifically to B2B requisites and integrating advanced B2B process automation, we're witnessing a reimagining of processes, even in traditionally face-to-face negotiation arenas.

Leveraging B2B process automation: Key focus areas

Modern B2B commerce emphasizes seamless customer experiences built upon streamlined business processes. The challenge? Balancing a top-tier, personalized sales journey with backend efficiencies, minimizing the need for human touchpoints. Here's a dive into areas ripe for B2B process automation:

Order management & fulfillment: Ecommerce automation shines in refining order workflows. Shopware's suite of tools, configured via the Rule Builder, facilitates automated order entries, swift invoicing, and real-time shipment tracking. The outcome? Speedier order processes, fewer errors, and heightened customer satisfaction.

Inventory management: Precise stock-keeping is paramount in a B2B landscape marked by bulk orders. Automation ensures real-time inventory updates, timely product reorders, and immediate stock-level alerts, guaranteeing businesses strike the right balance between demand and supply.

Customer relationship management (CRM): Building loyalty hinges on customer satisfaction. Through the automation of onboarding, bespoke marketing initiatives, and post-purchase support, businesses can foster enduring ties with their customers. Ecommerce platforms, equipped with CRM and online marketing capabilities, harness data to craft tailored offers and support, propelling revenue growth. Shopware's Flow Builder fine-tunes this automation, ensuring timely and relevant engagement for every customer.

Supplier & vendor relations: For B2B companies, forging strong ties with suppliers and vendors is crucial. Leveraging B2B process automation, businesses can seamlessly communicate, efficiently place orders, and process payments on schedule. This not only elevates supply chain agility but deepens mutual trust. With our Shopware B2B Components, we're innovating to seamlessly integrate negotiation processes into the shop system. Our goal? To introduce rule-based automations that render B2B purchasing and sales processes more transparent than ever.

Dynamic Pricing Strategies: In the ever-evolving ecommerce landscape, adaptability in pricing is paramount. Through Business Process Automation, businesses can deploy responsive pricing strategies, dynamically tailoring to factors like demand, stock availability, and customer demographics. This agility not only ensures competitiveness but also optimizes profit margins.

BIOMARIS case study: Harnessing Business Process Automation in ecommerce

BIOMARIS, a frontrunner in Germany's Thalasso cosmetics arena since 1937, specializes in products infused with marine elements like seawater, sea salt, and algae. While their primary market is direct consumers, BIOMARIS emphasizes the power of automation, particularly in marketing and product management, positioning itself as an exemplar for B2B retailers. Their diverse product portfolio spans 120 items across 15 skincare lines, with a global footprint covering areas such as Austria, the Netherlands, Greece, and Japan.

The adoption of Shopware 6 became a game-changer for BIOMARIS, serving as a nexus for integrating diverse systems and data streams. Key integrations included a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system, a fulfillment tool, and the business intelligence capabilities of MS Dynamics. This strategic move turbocharged their marketing, enabling intricate workflows for status assignments, tag management, and automated email campaigns, not to mention crafting and dispatching vouchers for special events like birthdays. The Shopware Rule Builder and Flow Builder were instrumental in this automation journey.

The dividends of deploying Shopware 6's Business Process Automation features were palpable: a 10% uptick in conversion rates for desktop users and a whopping 30% surge for mobile users. Post-automation, BIOMARIS celebrated double-digit sales growth and foresees considerable operational efficiencies for their online storefront. With aspirations to tap into the B2B sector, BIOMARIS is keen on capitalizing on its existing process automation infrastructure. Dive deeper into the BIOMARIS success story here.

5 third-party Shopware apps for B2B merchants to elevate your Business Process Automation game

Shopware 6, complemented by our B2B Suite and B2B Components, empowers merchants with a rich array of out-of-the-box B2B process automation tools. But our commitment doesn't stop there; our robust app ecosystem extends these capabilities. Allow us to spotlight five third-party apps designed to seamlessly streamline your B2B ecommerce operations.

1. Sendcloud: This tool stands out as a leading solution in the realm of shipping automation. Seamlessly link with the industry's top shipping providers and effortlessly generate picking lists, packing slips, barcodes, and beyond. Its smart shipping rules guarantee that each order, whether based on weight, size, quantity, or destination, is processed with utmost efficiency and consistency right from checkout.

2. Automatic Translation: Elevate your global reach with this app that auto-translates your product descriptions into multiple languages using the power of the DeepL API. And, for those aiming to revolutionize content creation, the Shopware AI Copilot stands ready to automate your product text generation.

3. Automatic Order Cancellation: This app seamlessly integrates orders and payments, enabling rule-based cancellation of orders with pending payments. Users can customize the time frame for cancellations, and upon order termination, Shopware status alerts are automatically activated.

4. magnalister: Elevate your ecommerce game with magnalister, a premier tool that bridges your Shopware store with major online marketplaces including Amazon, eBay, Otto, and METRO. Beyond product uploads, it streamlines operations by automating order imports and ensuring real-time price and inventory synchronization.

5. Payment automation with PayPal, mollie, Stripe, Adyen and more: B2B ecommerce demands a broad spectrum of payment options. Through the Shopware ecosystem, you can handpick the ideal payment gateway that resonates with your business needs. Leverage our seamless integrations for an effortless and automated payment experience.

Conclusion: Process automation becomes the secret weapon of B2B ecommerce

In the B2B ecommerce landscape, the benefits of Business Process Automation (BPA) stand tall: from amplified efficiency to streamlined processes and enriched customer engagement. As AI paves the way for future tech, its synergy with BPA promises to redefine industry standards.

Shopware isn't just observing; we're at the forefront. With pivotal tools like Flow Builder and Rule Builder, our platform is geared to embrace automation's full spectrum. Our B2B Suite and the adaptable "B2B Components" toolkit further our commitment, offering multi-layered B2B process automation.

For the inquisitive minds, dive deeper with our guide "How to: Automation in ecommerce," available on our Automation landing page.

[1] A FUTURE THAT WORKS: AUTOMATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND PRODUCTIVITY 

[2] The Results Are In: Insights From Forrester's 2023 Global Digital Process Automation Survey [3] https://www.capgemini.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Report1.pdf 

[4 ]US B2B E-Commerce Will Reach $3 Trillion By 2027