Digital Service in Global B2B Companies: eCommerce in an Industrial Company
Hänninen, Heidi (2017)
Karelia-ammattikorkeakoulu (Pohjois-Karjalan ammattikorkeakoulu)
2017
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201701161396
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201701161396
Tiivistelmä
Improvements in technology and digitization have paved the way for digitalization of the whole economy. In a world steadily approaching a mobile economy, digital operations have a significant role. Customer expectations of swiftness and ease have placed high pressure on companies. In addition, competition has grown more demanding along with the new possibilities of e-business. Nevertheless, the use of online operations and online business models in B2B markets is rather diminutive.
The thesis addresses the effect of eCommerce on small and medium sized global companies operating in B2B markets. Also, the changes and challenges of incorporating digital means to the customer service process are explored. The study is commissioned by a global, medium-sized industrial company. The case company has six manufacturing units worldwide, two factories in Finland, and more than 20 years of experience in global operations.
Due to the changing business environment, the case company founded an online store in 2015. The online store started as a project, but the utility of it had not been properly assessed after being taken into use. Thus, the research of eCommerce’s usability in B2B was necessary.
Through qualitative research methods, interviews, observations and benchmarking, the potential of eCommerce in B2B was found to be evident. eCommerce improves the company’s cost-efficiency by automated steps in the buying process. For the customers, the idea of moving to a new purchase channel needs to be introduced through additional value, e.g. offering lower prices online. Among other matters, the case company should translate the online store to other languages and conduct a survey of customers’ perceptions of the online store in order to engage customers into the new business model and serve them better.
The thesis addresses the effect of eCommerce on small and medium sized global companies operating in B2B markets. Also, the changes and challenges of incorporating digital means to the customer service process are explored. The study is commissioned by a global, medium-sized industrial company. The case company has six manufacturing units worldwide, two factories in Finland, and more than 20 years of experience in global operations.
Due to the changing business environment, the case company founded an online store in 2015. The online store started as a project, but the utility of it had not been properly assessed after being taken into use. Thus, the research of eCommerce’s usability in B2B was necessary.
Through qualitative research methods, interviews, observations and benchmarking, the potential of eCommerce in B2B was found to be evident. eCommerce improves the company’s cost-efficiency by automated steps in the buying process. For the customers, the idea of moving to a new purchase channel needs to be introduced through additional value, e.g. offering lower prices online. Among other matters, the case company should translate the online store to other languages and conduct a survey of customers’ perceptions of the online store in order to engage customers into the new business model and serve them better.