B2B eCommerce is a Hike in the Woods
Last fall my husband and I went on what was supposed to be a 5-mile hike in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. We were on a short getaway and it seemed like a fun way to spend the afternoon. We had dinner reservations at 6 PM that evening and we had planned just enough time to drive back to the bed and breakfast, change and walk to dinner. As we walked the scenery was beautiful and we were having a great discussion.
About an hour into our journey, we started noticing that things did not match our map. The lake was on the right side of our trail when we expected it on our left. We expected to see a turn off for another path but it wasn’t there. As time went on, we realized that we were not on the trail we had started on, we had taken a wrong turn and we were now on a 12-mile trail instead. We called the restaurant and explained we were lost in the state park and moved back our reservations. (The beauty of cell phone service!)
As we got closer to the end of the trail we got anxious about getting back. It had started raining and we were going to be late for our now pushed back reservation time. My husband had an idea on how to get us back faster. He had looked at the map and saw that it was a straight line to the parking lot if we went off the trail and over a hill. I told him I was unsure, but I would follow. You probably can already see where this is headed. We ended up in a mess of raspberry bushes and wild shrubs that left us with cuts on our hands and burs stuck to our clothes. Once we were up the hill, we were in too deep to go back. We powered through it and barely made it to dinner. Now the story is a source of some great laughs.
A Guided Experience
A few years earlier I went on a hike at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This was led by a park ranger. He gave us tips on getting around obstacles on our path. He pointed out animals and plants that I might have otherwise overlooked. It was a beautiful experience and I was left without a scratch.
Sometimes it can be fun to try things on your own, and missing a dinner reservation is not the end of the world, but when the stakes are high, you need to have someone leading you through who has traveled that path before.
Which Journey Would You Prefer with Your eCommerce Project?
We believe in delivering great B2B eCommerce experiences to our customers the first time. We have journeyed with others down this path. While every project is unique, we know how to prepare with you to provide the best opportunity for success. Over our 17 years in business, we have seen issues that have tripped others up, and we can help you to plan your roadmap to address these issues in advance.
Your B2B eCommerce project needs to be a success. The stakes are too high for failure. Failure costs you money, both for this project and in lost time. Your competitors are preparing their online improvements. You have customers who are constantly weighing the benefits of using your service versus your competitor. You need a great online store that is provided to you on-time and on budget.
Many of our best customers come to us after trying eCommerce and having a bad experience. They know the value of a trusted partner who they can depend on.
How Can We Help?
Would you like to learn more about building a roadmap for your online journey? Give us a call at 414-425-4069 x3 or contact us for a free consultation. We have traveled this path before, and we look forward to helping you create a plan for your online success.
