Customers already live in self-serve
Think about rescheduling a flight, moving money in your bank app, or upgrading a phone plan—seconds, not days. Customers now expect that same speed and control everywhere—even in historically manual industries [1][3].
Why it matters for B2B
- Manufacturing: distributors want real-time inventory, ordering, and tracking without calls or faxes.
- Insurance: policyholders expect to update details, download certificates, or request claims online.
- Distribution & logistics: partners want shipment status on-demand, not callbacks.
When B2B buyers don’t get these options, they switch to providers who do. In Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer, 73% of B2B buyers say expectations for “Amazon-like” experiences rise every year [2].
Misconception: “We’d have to replace everything”
You don’t. Most self-serve experiences are modern front-ends wired into existing systems. A portal can pull ERP data, a form can feed CRM workflows, and a dashboard can surface shipment statuses—without ripping out the back-end.
Quick-start paths
- Customer portals with real-time data (not just static downloads).
- Digital forms that auto-populate workflows, replacing PDFs.
- Partner sign-ups that flow into the sales pipeline automatically.
- Order tracking dashboards built on your existing ERP or WMS.
Takeaway
Self-service isn’t about cutting humans out—it’s about giving customers control. If banks and airlines can do it, B2B companies can’t afford not to [3].
Need a shortlist? We’ll map 2–3 high-impact self-serve flows against your current ERP/CRM stack and show the lightest-lift path to launch.