Rob Bonham, managing director of the Demand Generation Group at BDO Digital, highlights a critical shift in B2B omnichannel strategy: leading companies are moving beyond siloed digital tools to full data integration and data-driven ecosystems.
Rob Bonham, managing director of the Demand Generation Group, BDO Digital
By combining artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and unified customer data across channels, these businesses are improving personalization, accelerating sales cycles, and creating consistent customer experiences. Bonham emphasizes that success in this environment hinges on aligning marketing, sales, and IT around a shared vision — one that puts the customer journey at the center of digital transformation.
How B2B leaders prioritize data integration to use AI
Digital Commerce 360: What are the most significant trends you’re seeing in how B2B companies are integrating digital tools into their omnichannel strategies?
Bonham: There are several key trends shaping the B2B omnichannel landscape.
Leading companies are leveraging AI and machine learning to deliver personalized content, recommendations, and product offerings based on user behavior and industry- or account-specific data. This is often referred to as “personalization at scale,” and it reflects rising expectations among B2B buyers for a B2C-like experience.
Another major trend is the use of unified Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). CDPs consolidate buyer data to provide real-time insights and enable consistent messaging across all sales and marketing channels. They also support real-time dashboards and predictive analytics, which inform channel strategies and optimize campaign performance.
In addition, we’re seeing more alignment between sales and marketing functions through integrated CRM and Account-Based Marketing (ABM) platforms. This integration enables unified messaging and drives more measurable outcomes.
Self-service portals are also gaining traction. Traditionally associated with retail, these portals are now being used in B2B to reduce friction in the buying process. They are particularly effective in manufacturing environments, where they support online product configuration, ordering, account management, and customer support. Companies are combining digital tools like self-service with human touchpoints — such as product demos or virtual consultations — for more cost-efficient service delivery without sacrificing customer relationships.
Ecommerce’s role in different industries
How is the role of ecommerce evolving in traditional offline or field-based industries (e.g., manufacturing, distribution, health care)?
Ecommerce has shifted from being an afterthought to becoming a core growth driver and differentiator for customer experience. In many cases, it’s now central to go-to-market strategies, especially for companies exploring direct-to-consumer models.
The same elements shaping broader digital transformation apply here. Personalization at scale, hybrid digital-human sales models, and self-service portals are all critical. Ecommerce platforms today often integrate seamlessly with ERP systems, enabling complex pricing models, contract terms, custom product configurations, and direct links into procurement processes.
Bringing the B2B omnichannel experience to life
What technologies (AI, ERP integrations, CDPs, etc.) are proving essential for delivering a seamless B2B omnichannel experience today?
Delivering a seamless omnichannel experience requires a technology stack that tightly integrates data, automation, personalization, and real-time content delivery. Key components include:
- Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). These unify customer and account data from multiple sources. Those sources support personalization, segmentation, and consistent messaging through a single, actionable customer view.
- AI and Machine Learning. AI powers predictive lead scoring, product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and inventory forecasting.
- CRM and ABM Platforms. These tools manage customer and buying group relationships and support targeted messaging throughout the buyer journey.
- Marketing Automation Tools. When properly set up and integrated, these drive scalable, personalized campaigns across digital channels and orchestrate the buyer’s journey.
- Content & Experience Management Systems (CMS). Customized, relevant content is essential to engaging buyers. A good CMS ensures brand consistency and timely messaging across all channels.
- Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms. These provide real-time visibility into performance, user behavior, and ROI, supporting data-driven decisions.
Unifying online and offline channels
How are leading companies using customer data to unify digital and physical channels? Where are others falling short?
Leading companies are using customer data as the connective tissue between digital and physical channels. The biggest difference between leaders and laggards comes down to data strategy, system integration, and organizational agility.
Retailers with a single CDP can integrate in-store, online, ecommerce, customer service, and loyalty program data, creating seamless customer experience. Companies that lack a unified data source often struggle to deliver a consistent omnichannel experience.
What’s the biggest barrier B2B organizations face when trying to modernize legacy systems to support omnichannel delivery?
The biggest barrier is the legacy infrastructure that was built for internal efficiency rather than customer experience. Many of these systems are custom-built or “homegrown,” and they aren’t designed for real-time data sharing or integration.
Other familiar challenges include a change-averse culture, security and compliance constraints, and poor data hygiene. Any of these issues can derail modernization efforts.
Signs of good ROI
Are there emerging benchmarks for ROI or customer engagement that indicate digital-first buying behaviors in both retail and B2B?
Yes. In retail, the data shows that digital-first, omnichannel buyers spend more — both per order and in total — than non-digital customers. The use of mobile apps and personalization are also closely tied to customer loyalty.
In B2B, we’re seeing similar patterns. More buyers are starting the process digitally and often expect digital self-service options for both new purchases and reorders. These buyers are also engaging with more digital touchpoints before ever speaking to a salesperson.
Companies that embrace digital transformation tend to drive higher ROI, shorten sales cycles, and reduce cost-to-serve.
How are B2B organizations adapting their sales and service models to align with digital-first buying behavior?
Many leading B2B companies are rearchitecting their sales processes to meet the needs of digital-first — or even digital-only — buyers. Marketing is taking on a larger revenue-generating role by delivering personalized, on-demand experiences that once fell under sales.
AI is playing a growing role through predictive analytics and real-time engagement. On the sales side, the role is evolving into that of a strategic advisor or solution seller. ABM tools now allow sellers to segment audiences by user, influencer, or buyer roles — offering more insight into procurement processes and increasing win rates.
Leading industries for omnichannel transformation
Which industries or companies are setting the pace in omnichannel transformation, and what can others learn from them?
The leaders are in retail, CPG, technology, logistics, and financial services.
- Retail and CPG pioneered cross-channel loyalty programs by centralizing customer data and using AI-driven personalization. CPG brands especially embraced Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) platforms during the pandemic.
- Technology companies have led the way in digital-first product discovery and self-service sales with predictive AI.
- Logistics providers enhanced the customer experience with self-service portals for real-time order tracking, pricing, and invoicing—offering full visibility into sales and supply chains.
- Financial services firms deliver seamless support through apps, phone, chatbots, and branches. Behavioral analytics driven by AI allow for proactive customer engagement.
The lesson for others: Start with the customer journey—not internal goals. Make digital a core competency, centralize your customer data, and be willing to experiment. Companies that test, fail fast, and iterate are the ones winning in omnichannel today.
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