The B2B online ordering process works – but not with every shop
Business to business purchasing without stress
We used the time in the home office to give you an even better configurator. With version 1.50.0 of the cloud software ARMARiO.de there are now new features that you will love.
Unusual times offer unusual opportunities
Do you know that, too? Especially now, in these times of limited personal contact, we are researching alternative offers more often on the internet. And – oh wonder, we are increasingly discovering new solutions that far surpass the old ones in terms of individuality and service quality. Maybe it's even a product that can only be available online because of the interactive design options. It's clear to you: That's what I want - exactly like that. None of the previous standard providers listed in the system can supply you with the product in this individual version. And suddenly you're standing at the same barrier again as you have so many times before. Your organization's standardized purchasing process does not allow for such a purchasing process. ARMARiO 1.50.0 now brings together standard ordering processes and online shopping.
The best of both worlds: individualized series production
Individualized products, produced in batch sizes of 1, are by far the more efficient and certainly ecological alternative to mass production and purchasing from stock - solutions that were definitely justified in the last century.
A solution to the dilemma between the cost savings of mass production and the advantages of individualized products is "mass customization". A combination of "Mass Production" and "Customization" (personalization). “Mass customization” is defined by science as the production of goods and services, taking into account the individual needs of each consumer. In contrast to pure individual production, the aim here is to offer the products on the market at a price similar to that of mass production due to the continued fixed cost degressive effects.
But how do we bring this individuality and the standards of an established company culture together?
Lengthy ordering processes are the death of effectiveness
Maybe you are the constructor, designer or project manager in your company. You know exactly what you need and are also the designer of the product solutions. You know the design, the dimensions, the color and the number of pieces required. But it's not your job to get these things. No fear. You are not alone with this problem of department interfaces. Experts refer to this phenomenon as a buying center. On an average order in a professional environment, up to five people are involved in the purchasing decision. As is well known, these interfaces are always associated with additional effort, loss of time and often with queries. With the latest version of ARMARiO.de we now combine the advantages of online configurations with the standardized ordering processes in companies.
What you love in your private life can now also be expected in your business
For you and for me it is completely self-evident today that we can quickly configure a shirt or a shoe online on Saturday evening in the home office ????, or on the couch, select the size, determine the colors, etc The price and delivery time are displayed directly and we can order the individualized product we love with just one click. It would be an absolute mood killer if we had to wait at this moment, on Saturday evening, for an offer on Monday, right?
Online ordering and standard purchasing processes become friends
With the latest update of the ARMARiO.de cloud software, it is now possible to share the configured control cabinet with other people involved in the ordering process. The specific use case could look like this:
As an e-planner, constructor or designer, you select the right model for your requirements, enter the appropriate dimensions in height, width and depth independently and with millimeter precision, design the exact hole patterns for your add-on components such as fans and cable entries with just a few clicks the right material for the application and your desired color. Before completing your order, you enter the number of pieces required. Right from the start you can see how the value of the control cabinet develops with every step and this is also new, the number of pieces is taken into account in the calculation for an optimal price.
This is exactly when the new button comes into use. You simply share your configuration with your colleague, e.g. B. the responsible purchaser. You've done your job and maybe go for a coffee. Your colleague will immediately receive an email with a reference to your order request and a link to your configuration. Your colleague will then land on the order completion page for your configuration, can check the commercial data again, assign an order number from the ERP and place the order.
The only downside: This ingenious B2B solution is currently only available for control cabinet construction, online from May 26th, 2020.