Learn How to Minimize Disruption When Going Digital

After the last year, anyone who deigns to announce: “Digital is the way of the future!” will be met with an eye-roll and an incredulous “No kidding.” By now, everyone intimately knows that the pandemic forced the world to work remotely last year. Beyond that, we know businesses and consumers alike experienced a new version of what is possible for communications, e-commerce, and — when it comes down to it — managing the global supply chain.

Even pre-pandemic, a move to digital seemed inevitable, albeit “something we need to prioritize in the next 12-24 months.” Yet with 2020 online sales in the U.S. alone surpassing $791 billion and representing year-over-year growth of 32.4%, that inevitability is here. Yet, even if 2020 proved turbulent — to say the least, an earth-shattering move to digital doesn’t have to be disruptive to your business.

Survival of the Fittest

Industries and companies that were already beginning to adopt digital saw far less disruption than those sent into the deep end with a sink or swim mentality. That’s because, when you think about it, digital just makes sense, particularly when you consider a global supply chain with multiple touches and moving parts.

Anyone already on the leading edge of e-commerce — that is, directly connecting buyers to the products they need without needing to connect one-on-one with a sales rep — had a leg up on companies with more complex ordering processes. Add in the knowledge of existing pipeline opportunities, purchasing trends, and real-time forecasts — those companies were unstoppable.

“Insert Tab A Into Slot B”

What better way to get products into the hands of buyers than making it easier than ever for them to purchase and automating order fulfillment to deliver in record speed with less room for inefficiencies and human error?

Imagine how much better you could serve your clients if you could adopt an Amazonesque model that came with instructions as simple as “Insert Tab A Into Slot B” to ensure a seamless experience.

The reward potential is astronomical with potential cost savings and increases in sales, both in terms of millions of dollars. And yet, there are benefits like happier customers and a better market reputation that are difficult to quantify except for showing a potential market share increase of up to 30%.

Is There a Conflict Between the “Perfect World” and Reality?

Sure, increasing sales, lowering costs, and improving delivery time and efficiencies sounds incredible, especially when streamlining how you serve smaller customers who don’t order your products by the container-load.

But, as a materials or ingredients producer, how do you ideate and implement these concepts AND retrain your entire global teams without changing everything about how you do business or alienating your most profitable accounts?

When the alternative is continuing to do business the old way, “because this is the way you’ve always done it,” and seeing no change, digitizing to improve market share starts to sound pretty good despite the disruption potential.

However, the idea that streamlining your supply chain and adopting an e-commerce model has to be disruptive is as outdated as the Pony Express. Better yet, it’s not necessary to reinvent the wheel. Xenon arc has a proven track record of improving and modernizing how materials and ingredients producers take products to market. By starting small, we focus on fine-tuning processes before extending the model to more markets and, eventually, more business units to ensure you serve all clients according to your brand standard.

It’s All About Priorities

When your priority is to extend your brand promise to all customers, including those with the most complex and exceptional needs, it’s essential to serve them where they are — online. By transforming your direct-to-market strategy to digital, you no longer force small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to jump through hoops created by larger customers’ processes — typically long lead times, complex payment terms, and high minimum quantities.

Moreover, as a result of simplifying fragmented markets, in addition to securing SMB loyalty, by listening to their needs, you might be surprised at just how much innovation they generate for your company. And perhaps even more surprising is how many of your larger customers express interest in jumping aboard the digital train.

Ready to learn more about how Xenon arc can help you leapfrog your competitors to adopt digital and e-Commerce practices and capture a greater market share? Contact Mica Zuniga today at mica.zuniga@xenonarc.com.