When analysing the B2B (Business to Business) sector, we must be aware that advances in technology, as well as social and structural changes, can completely modify the narrative of an entire strategy. For every situation that changes the companies’ actions, their economy or their stability, there will always be an idea or a communicative perspective of interest to the media and, more importantly, to their customers. So being aware of these technological trends and their influence on the market is crucial when it comes to B2B communication. While in 2020 we focused on teleworking, in 2022 we are talking about hybrid working; when material shortages were a recurring theme, suddenly a transport sector shutdown becomes one.
B2B communication is developed by companies that want to sell their solutions, products or services to other companies. However, the work of agencies dedicated to this type of communication is to provide the media with relevant information, linked to current events and associated with companies that can be useful for the creation of articles and reports. This is not a marketing task, but a communication exercise. Our strategy should not only rely on press releases to communicate a product or service, but also through the positioning of brand spokespersons, who become recurrent sources of information for the media.
These are the trends that will interest you if you have to develop a B2B communication strategy:
Cybersecurity
Security has become key for companies, especially as we are aware of the conflict we are currently experiencing. Attacks, increasingly sophisticated and damaging, are also more costly for them. It is therefore important to provide information on prevention, recovery and protection of data and assets. Avoiding the risk to corporate reputation is essential and will be the trend for companies wishing to progress in their digitisation process. Companies such as Palo Alto Networks, an international leader in cybersecurity, talk about cyberespionage or the different types of attacks, such as phishing, to which we are familiar. However, the company says that the main threat, and the one that is currently most talked about, is ransomware.
Transformation of the workspace
Security is not everything, professional equipment and technology are required to enable employees to work in a fully flexible way. Companies such as Dynabook have been developing assisted reality tools or laptops that can adapt to the new routines of the hybrid worker. Teams that split their time between being remote and on-site must meet three main criteria in order of relevance according to a survey conducted by the company itself: security (81%), performance (78%) and portability (70%). At the same time, it is necessary to have quality equipment so that online meetings are not a handicap for professionals. Companies such as MAXHUB, experts in the development of audiovisual collaboration solutions, are leaders in this sector.
Edge computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Information about these technologies is particularly in demand by organisations and is a recurring topic in the media. According to a Linux Foundation report last year, the global market capitalisation of edge computing infrastructure is expected to be worth more than $800 billion by 2028. At the same time, companies are also looking to invest in AI in at least some of their business functions. Precisely 2022 will be the year of the integration of edge computing and AI: applications such as remote assistance and assembly line monitoring are becoming increasingly accessible to enterprises.
Robotics
When we talk about distribution and packaging systems, we must also think about the metamorphosis of warehouses. That is why robotics is no longer a thing of the future. Companies such as Locus Robotics already offer solutions based on robotics, a topic that is having an increasing impact on vertical media and which is particularly attractive due to the reduction in costs and the increase in productivity. Being able to adapt warehouse management to peak sales periods is a reality thanks to its Robot as a Service (RaaS) technology to increase or reduce the number of devices depending on the needs of the business.
Unified trade
The integration of products and services across multiple channels is a particularly interesting topic for the e-commerce sector. The pandemic has completely transformed the way companies work and they are demanding collaboration with partners that adapt to their omni-channel approach, especially in terms of payments, in addition to the inclusion of pay-later options in both physical shops and e-commerce. In this sense, we can talk about the personalisation of the purchase, the user experience or the technological transformation of companies. According to Adyen, a payment platform chosen by large global companies, 44% of retailers in Spain have a formal and active digitalisation strategy. And if we talk about payments, 8 out of 10 companies already offer multiple payment options in all their channels.
Faced with the crisis and instability caused by the current political context, a number of essential points emerge: information on processes capable of improving personalisation and customer loyalty, correct internal communication, products or tools for employees, lowering costs, or even options to ensure that customers and company data are constantly safe. Technology and innovation are the great standards of B2B communication and are decisive in understanding the direction of companies and their communication strategy, not only in Spain, but all over the world.
