Manufacturers and distributors have always relied on phone calls, emails, and sales reps to handle customer orders, inquiries, and support. But B2B buyer demands are changing. Today, B2B customers want faster, more convenient, and self-sufficient ways to do business.
According to Forbes, 75% of B2B customers now prefer a sales-rep-free experience. They don’t want to wait on emails for pricing or make phone calls to check inventory. They want instant access to the information they need.
Despite this shift, most manufacturers and distributors haven’t yet adapted. According to our 2025 Customer Engagement Report, only 35% of manufacturers and distributors currently offer a customer portal. That means most businesses are relying on slow, manual methods of customer service that don’t align with modern customer expectations.
So let’s figure out what’s driving this change, and how businesses can catch up with B2B buyer demands.
Why do B2B Buyers Demand Customer Portals?
B2B sales used to be all about relationships, with sales-reps guiding customers through every purchase. But times have changed. According to a report by McKinsey, B2B buyers now expect a balanced mix of traditional, remote, and self-service options.
Here are a few conveniences B2B customers are looking for through customer portals:
✅ Self-Service Order Management – They can place orders, check inventory, and download invoices without waiting for a response from a sales-rep.
✅ Real-Time Order Tracking – Instead of calling or emailing for shipment updates, they can log into a portal and get status updates instantly.
✅ Automated Reordering – They can reorder with one-click – avoiding repetitive processes.
✅ 24/7 Access to Information – They can log in at any time to check their order history, retrieve important documents, and manage their accounts without depending on business hours.
A customer portal makes things easier for buyers, but also for businesses. Customers get faster, more convenient access to what they need, and businesses can spend less time handling routine requests.
Why Manufacturers & Distributors Need A Customer Portal
If your business still requires customers to call or email for basic tasks like placing orders, checking shipment status, or viewing invoices, you’re making their job harder than it needs to be.
Here’s why self-service portals are quickly becoming a must-have for Manufacturers and Distributors:
✅ Reduces Strain on Sales & Support Teams – Manufacturers and Distributors with a customer portal report shorter response times, with over 60% of them handling customer inquiries in less than an hour.
✅ Makes Scaling Customer Support Processes Simple – Close to 50% of Manufacturers and Distributors with a customer portal are “not at all concerned” about scaling their customer support processes. In comparison, only 35% of companies without a customer portal report the same lack of concern.
✅ Puts your Business Ahead of Competitors – According to Salesforce, 86% of manufacturers believe customer service is a key differentiator.
Why You Need to Meet B2B Buyer Demands
In the modern B2B landscape, buyers expect manufacturers and distributors to offer the same level of speed, convenience, and digital access that they experience in their personal shopping.
If your business doesn’t offer self-service tools like customer portals, you may be risking losing your customers to competitors that value customer needs.
Is your business looking to stay competitive with a customer portal?
Give us a call! We’ve helped businesses just like yours do the same.
