{"id":15554,"date":"2026-09-29T13:53:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T11:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bayootec.com\/?p=15554"},"modified":"2026-09-29T13:53:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T11:53:52","slug":"b2b-portal-development-your-processes-arent-standard-and-neither-should-your-portal-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bayootec.com\/en\/blog-en\/b2b-portal-development-your-processes-arent-standard-and-neither-should-your-portal-be\/","title":{"rendered":"B2B Portal Development: Your processes aren’t standard\u2014and neither should your portal be"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every B2B company is familiar with this situation: A customer calls to ask about the current delivery status of an order. Someone from the back office checks the ERP system, verifies the order number and status, and calls back. By the time the customer receives the information, at least 15 minutes have passed.<\/p>\n

These 15 minutes represent a system gap. The customer could have accessed their data and checked the status of their order long ago. However, portals that do exactly that can rarely be implemented using standard software. Prices are not fixed in the B2B environment, and some purchases require approval.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explore when a custom portal makes sense, what\u2019s important during development, and why portal projects often fail.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Why B2B Customer Portals Are Becoming Increasingly Important<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/h2><\/div>

Surveys such as the 2025 B2B Market Monitor by ECC K\u00d6LN, FIS, and Shopware make it clear: Digital channels are no longer just a \u201cnice-to-have.\u201d In 2024, manufacturers and wholesalers in Germany generated 509 billion euros in revenue through online stores and marketplaces. Compared to the previous year, this represents 7 percent growth, despite a weak economy.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more interesting than the total is the trend. A market that\u2019s growing while the overall economy is stagnating points to changing purchasing habits. This aligns with when buyers actually seek out face-to-face conversations with companies: According to Gartner, interactions with potential suppliers account for only about 17 percent of the time spent in the entire purchasing process. The rest is independent research.<\/p>\n

The second, significantly underestimated point concerns existing customers. Recurring orders, status inquiries, access to invoices and documents, and complaints: These tasks tie up office staff\u2019s time every day without making an impression on customers, because they\u2019re taken for granted. This is precisely where the benefits of a portal first become apparent\u2014often long before the first new customer comes in through the digital channel.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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What Sets a B2B Portal Apart from a B2C Store<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>

The real difference lies in the rights and pricing logic, which is why logging in is more than just a formality. That\u2019s where customer-specific data comes into play. In a B2C store, all customers see the same price; in a B2B portal, the price is based on framework agreements, volume discounts, and limited-time promotions, and thus varies from customer to customer.<\/p>\n

There are also other factors that add even more complexity. In companies, not every person placing an order has approval authority, and not every approver has the right to place an order. Corporations also often have multiple shipping addresses. In some cases, it must be possible to assign an account, and certain items may not be visible to certain customers at all.<\/p>\n

These requirements form the foundation of the application and are therefore very difficult to add later on. This is where off-the-shelf software quickly reaches its limits.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Off-the-Shelf vs. Custom Software<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/h2><\/div>

The most appropriate solution for B2B companies varies greatly from one company to another. In some cases, off-the-shelf software may be the right choice. This is true, for example, when a company\u2019s processes are closely aligned with industry standards, or when the company does not yet know exactly what its customers expect. Off-the-shelf software can then serve as a learning tool initially. In addition, off-the-shelf software is ready to use right away, which can benefit many companies.<\/p>\n

However, if the list of required customizations becomes longer than the list of used features, companies should consider having custom software developed. Otherwise, there is a risk that processes will be adapted to the software rather than the other way around. Furthermore, every new release from the off-the-shelf software vendor becomes a risk, as it can cause the company\u2019s own customizations to stop working.<\/p>\n

Companies should consider the following criteria:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Criterion<\/th>\nOff-the-shelf software<\/th>\nCustom software<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Pricing Logic<\/strong><\/td>\nList Prices, Simple Discounts<\/td>\nFramework agreements, tiered pricing, customer-specific prices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Approvals<\/strong><\/td>\nNone or single-level<\/td>\nmulti-level, role- and value-based<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
System Environments<\/strong><\/td>\nIntroductory system, clean APIs<\/td>\nMultiple line-of-business systems, legacy interfaces<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Differentiation<\/strong><\/td>\nThe portal is a hygiene factor<\/td>\nThe portal is part of the value proposition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Time Horizon<\/strong><\/td>\nPilot, Market Test, MVP<\/td>\nPlatform for the next five to ten years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Important: This decision does not have to be permanent. Companies often choose to use off-the-shelf software as a market test and then switch to a custom solution.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Data Integration<\/span><\/span><\/h2><\/h2><\/div>

Effective integration of customer data determines how satisfied users are with the portal and whether it effectively reduces the workload for the company. A portal that doesn\u2019t display up-to-date information and figures isn\u2019t a self-service solution, because in that case, customers still have to pick up the phone. Furthermore, incorrect information is worse than no information at all, because it erodes trust.<\/p>\n

The following points should be clarified before implementation:<\/p>\n