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B2B Solutions

July 23, 2025

Personalization Is the New Price for Winning B2B Buyers

B2B buyers today aren't just looking for good prices or reliable service - personalization is quickly becoming the factor that sets brands apart. In this piece, we'll break down what buyers really mean when they ask for personalization, which tools they actually use, and how smart implementation can lead to stronger loyalty, better satisfaction, and more consistent sales.

For years, B2B selling relied on a familiar formula: solid relationships, competitive pricing, and efficient operations. That approach still matters - but it’s no longer enough. Buyers today expect something different. In a world shaped by digital habits, personalization has become a frontline demand. What once felt like a bonus feature is now a bare minimum expectation.

In 2025, personalization will be more than a marketing play: it’s part of doing business. B2B buyers want digital experiences that feel intuitive and relevant, much like the platforms they use in their personal lives. However, unlike B2C, B2B needs to account for complexity: multi-step approvals, large orders, and buyers working in teams.

As more transactions move online, companies that can’t meet those expectations are losing ground. Buyers are no longer satisfied with basic portals and static catalogs. They want workflows designed for their roles, dashboards built around their priorities, and product tools that adjust to how and what they’re buying.

The real question now isn’t whether to personalize. It’s how well, how fast, and how consistently you can do it throughout the buying process.

Why Personalization Matters More Than Ever in B2B 

This shift didn’t happen overnight. A decade ago, B2B buyers put up with clunky sites and generic email campaigns and as long as the pricing was good and the supply chain was steady. That leeway disappeared fast once the pandemic forced digital transformation across the board.

Now, buyers expect experiences that mirror what they’re used to elsewhere: fast, tailored, and transparent. Think about how Amazon knows what you need before you do. Or how Netflix suggests what to watch next. Buyers bring those expectations into their work, even in technical industries.

There’s also a demographic change unfolding. A younger, digitally-native generation is stepping into key procurement and decision-making roles. They expect mobile-friendly dashboards, smart recommendations, and the ability to self-serve without picking up a phone. A handshake and discount just don’t carry the same weight anymore.

And when buyers are disappointed, they speak up. Between B2B review sites, Slack communities, and LinkedIn, feedback spreads fast. The result? A smooth, responsive experience isn’t just a nice touch - it’s the bare minimum if you want loyalty, referrals, and repeat business.

The Numbers Back It Up

In a recent OroCommerce survey, 67% of B2B buyers said more than half their purchases now happen online. But here’s the kicker: only 6% are ‘very satisfied’ with their digital experiences. Nearly half report feeling frustrated.

And that frustration? It’s not about pricing. It’s about the experience. Buyers want tools that feel intelligent, connected, and easy to use. Personalization drives that. Whether it’s relevant product suggestions, messages triggered by recent activity, or dashboards that reflect a buyer’s specific habits, it all adds up to a smoother decision-making process.

Mobile is a big piece of this puzzle too. With 85% of B2B buyers expecting their mobile order value to rise, a clunky or generic mobile experience can quickly derail a purchase. Buyers are asking for more than just a responsive site - they want one that feels tailored to how they work.

Bottom line: personalization isn’t an add-on anymore. It’s central to building loyalty and growing digital sales.

What B2B Buyers Really Want From Personalization

It’s easy to throw around the word ‘personalization’, but what do buyers actually mean by it?

Hint: it’s not just a first name in a subject line. Personalization, done right, means systems that adapt to a buyer’s habits, role, and business needs. It’s about giving each buyer a path that feels like it was designed with them in mind.

According to the Oro B2B Buyer Perspectives report:

  • 78% regularly engage with personalized emails: those tied to their browsing behavior, order history, or previous questions.
  • 72% use tools that turn PDF quotes into purchase orders, making it easy to jump from email to action without manual data entry.

Buyers also look for features like:

  • Product rankings based on what they’ve bought before
  • Smarter search tools that bring relevant results to the top
  • Dashboards that show favorite products, recent orders, and budgets at a glance
  • Chatbots that can answer order questions or offer quick quotes without needing a human rep

What’s key is that these tools aren’t used occasionally - they’re baked into how people buy every day. When personalization is done well, it reduces guesswork and helps buyers move faster with confidence.

Five Personalization Features Buyers Already Rely On

These aren’t theoretical wish list items. B2B buyers already use these five features often and expect vendors to offer them:

1. Personalized Messaging That’s Actually Useful
Used 'always' or 'often' by 78% of buyers. That includes reminders about abandoned carts, product updates based on order history, and emails tied to relevant browsing behavior.

2. Quote-to-Order Conversions That Cut the Busywork
72% depend on tools that convert PDF quotes into orders with minimal friction. It’s not just helpful, but a time-saver that buyers now count on.

3. Recommendations That Reflect How They Buy
68% regularly use AI-driven product suggestions. These aren’t just nice-to-have, and they became part of the decision-making process already

4. Smarter Search and Visual Merchandising
67% rely on visual cues and filtered search results that help them discover products quickly, especially in large catalogs.

5. Dashboards That Match Their Role and Priorities
More than half of buyers log into dashboards that show reorder options, spend analytics, and personalized product lists. It helps them stay on top of their work without digging.

If your platform doesn’t offer these, it’s not just falling short - it might be driving buyers away.

Turning the Idea of Personalization Into Action

Most B2B leaders know personalization matters. But many still struggle with turning that into consistent execution across tools, teams, and workflows.

Here’s where to start:

1. Take Inventory of What You’re Already Doing
Map out what your digital experience offers. Are product suggestions truly adaptive? Can a procurement lead see the data that actually matters to them?

2. Use Flexible, AI-Friendly Platforms
Look for platforms that allow dynamic recommendations, segmentation based on behavior, and integration with existing CRM or ERP systems. Some options, like OroCommerce, support these capabilities without requiring a full rebuild.

3. Make Sure Your Systems Talk to Each Other
Data silos kill personalization. Tie together your eCommerce, CRM, ERP, and marketing automation so the buyer experience doesn’t feel fragmented.

4. Customize by Role and Team
Different buyers need different things. A finance lead shouldn’t see the same dashboard as an engineer. Make sure your experience adjusts accordingly.

5. Be Clear About Why Buyers Are Seeing What They See
Transparency builds trust. Show buyers the logic behind product recommendations or triggered messages. Vague nudges feel creepy, but the clear ones feel helpful.

6. Train Your Teams to Think Personal, Not Just Digital
Technology sets the stage, but people still drive the experience. Make sure your account teams, support staff, and salespeople have insight into buyer behavior and know how to use it.

7. Start Small and Build from There
Don’t try to personalize everything overnight. Pick a high-impact area, like the product catalog or your email campaigns, and run tests. Figure out what works, then scale up.

8. Measure What Actually Matters to Buyers
System uptime and order speed matter, but they don’t tell you if buyers are happy. Track NPS, customer effort scores, and how well personalized campaigns perform. Those numbers show if your personalization is landing.

When everything clicks: strategy, tools, and team - personalization creates a feedback loop. The better the experience, the more buyers engage. The more they engage, the smarter your tools become. And that, in turn, leads to even better personalization.

Final Thought: Know Your Buyers or Lose Them

Personalization is no longer just a trend - it’s a new standard. As B2B buyers spend more time online, they’re comparing every experience, not just against your competitors, but against the favourite tools in their digital life.

The companies gaining ground today are the ones reshaping their storefronts, outreach, and support to fit the buyer, not the other way around. Those stuck with outdated platforms and one-size-fits-all messaging are starting to fade from view.

In this next era of B2B commerce, the winning brands will be those that genuinely understand their customers and show it in every interaction. That means going beyond basic CRM data. It means understanding the workflow, the buying triggers, and the real-world pressures your buyers face every day.

Make personalization a habit now, and you’ll be ready to scale with your customers. Wait too long, and you risk being left off the shortlist before a human ever sees your name, because in this digital-first world, the quickest way to disappear is to treat every buyer the same.

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