As consumers continue to migrate to the web to buy everything from clothing to furniture to cleaning products, purchasing managers dealing with outdated B2B sites are becoming increasingly frustrated. They’re jealous of the B2C experience available on retail sites and wonder why B2B sites have been slow to adapt.

What some of these B2B site owners don’t realize, however, is the rare opportunity that’s available to them now. With so many outdated websites in the manufacturing and distribution arena, those who choose to upgrade will quickly gain attention – and revenue.

To increase the revenue stream coming through B2B sales channels, IBM embedded enhanced capabilities into its WebSphere Commerce platform that focus on B2B but feel like B2C. Those capabilities include delivering personalized content to buyers, offering targeted marketing campaigns and promotions, providing access to inventory availability and order status, and automating the quote-to-cash process. Contract pricing, microsites and punchouts further fortify its strength in B2B.

When a business is able to enhance the buying experience across all of its sales channels, the rewards can be substantial. Not only will companies see increased revenue, but they will also discover the cost reductions of automating tedious and manual sales processes that so many B2B sites are still using today.