Questions and challenges from business: 

Online vs. Face2Face in B2B and industry

Author: Dietmar Ruttensteiner

 

Digitization and virtualization have increased enormously in recent weeks. Never before have so many online lectures, presentations, meetings, webinars and e-conventions been held.

But despite this seemingly huge increase, contracts have declined in many industries. Of course, this also has to do with the shrinking economy and the current uncertainty on the market. But it also has to do with our behavior.

And in order to shed more light on this, we surveyed our international network and found out the following: Many decision-makers in the B2B and industrial sectors are not yet ready to build business exclusively on a virtual acquaintance. Here we are still dominated by the learned behavior of the past decades in which handshake quality, a deep look in the eyes or a cup of coffee or a drink was part of the contract.

In short, more trust is placed in a personal contact than in a virtual one!

And especially in times of crisis, trust is not only a very important point in the economy. That is why we recommend every company not to forget personal contact in addition to investing in digitalization.

If you want to successfully place a product on the market or expand into a new country, use the interpersonal contact, use representatives and partners who build the right contacts for you.

With the right representatives and partners, you get an advance in trust that is priceless, because also in 2020 business will not be done between machines, but still between people.

Use digitization for the dissemination of technical data and for marketing purposes, but for building long lasting, trustful relationships and closing contracts you trust in people!

As a small check for our recommendation: Think about the weeks in the Corona crisis, which customers and suppliers have stayed with you, that one where you have been in personal contact with or who you have saved as virtual contact?

Especially in times when business trips turn out to be difficult, you have with a local partner who builds the relationship and trust for you a decisive competitive advantage.

In this sense, rely on digitization, but don’t forget: Business, especially in the B2B and industrial sectors, is done between people.

Dietmar Erwin Ruttensteiner 27.05.2020

 

Are you interested in other thought articles by Dietmar Ruttensteiner?

See How can I still make profits with export now that everyone is focusing on regionality?

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