Driving B2B ecommerce success

When truck drivers break down on the side of the road, time is of the essence. To meet quotas and deadlines, drivers will go to the place that can serve them the quickest to get back on the road as quickly as possible. Fleet managers and mechanics are looking for fast and efficient solutions online.

Having successfully established itself as a regional parts supplier, Kenosha Truck Parts (KTP) recognized the need to compete nationally by establishing a simple web presence in 2016.

KTP’s first attempt at a basic ecommerce website allowed for little flexibility as online buying behaviors developed with time. Known for going the extra mile in providing customer service, the KTP team soon realized their website needed improvements in functionality, which led to the search for a development partner.

While KTP’s original website was a step in the right direction, its lack of key ecommerce functionality meant customers and KTP staff faced roadblocks.

Team members constantly needed a developer to make necessary changes to the website. And the buying experience needed improvements to keep up with growing customer demands.

Customer Service Specialist Jerimiah Gilmore explains,

As client expectations for more self-serve purchase options continued to rise and team members' frustration grew, KTP realized the urgent need for a digital transformation.

Understandably, KTP was wary of making changes that would risk losing loyal customers. Knowing the complexity of doing more business online, they preferred to take a 'walk before you run' approach for their digital transformation. Their goal was to gradually introduce new digital features and services to their customers, ensuring a smooth transition and minimal disruption.

To help them do this they sought out a development partner who could listen to feedback from customers and salespeople and give advice about the best technical solutions.

Jerimiah emphasized the importance of a user-friendly website saying,

The KTP team had already identified Craft Commerce as their preferred platform, believing it would give them more control over day-to-day activities.

After meeting with several Craft Commerce agencies, the KTP team chose Foster Commerce. Their decision was based on factors such as technical expertise, cultural fit, and budget considerations.

KTP knew that updating the website to do more business online was a learning process. In their choice of Foster Commerce developers they found reliable guides that led them through a three-phase implementation process. The process included design, development, and testing before the final launch.

Foster Commerce led KTP team members through collaborative design discussions each month to harmonize the website's feel and functionality. After each discussion, the Foster Commerce team produced designs and returned them to KTP for feedback and integration of preferred ideas.

In the development phase more refinements to the design emerged as developers sought a balance between the needs of the KTP brand with practical business requirements.

The Foster Commerce team integrated the third-party programs KTP relied upon to do daily business. They also introduced third-party software that was new to the KTP team, like Postie and Algolia.

In the final phase before launch, KTP took time to learn how their customers liked their website's new look and functionality. KTP team members tested everything, too. Meetings with Foster Commerce became more frequent as testing results and customer feedback drove final refinements before launch.

KTP employees feel optimistic and excited about the new website. Team members enjoy the latest automated capabilities, such as building profiles, invoicing, and generating emails. With their time freed up from these daily tasks, employees report that they can now focus on providing better customer service.

KTP customers love it, too. No longer reliant on making a telephone call during business hours to order parts, customers enjoy the freedom to research products and build orders according to their needs and timelines.

As KTP's online sales continue to grow, the company is committed to making continuous improvements to the website. For instance, the addition of search functionality has made the site more user-friendly.

To ensure these enhancements are seamless, the Foster Commerce team remains accessible via quarterly meetings. This ongoing support is designed to reassure both KTP employees and customers that they are not alone on this journey.

Jerimiah has this to say about the post-launch phase:

The long-term positive impacts of having a new website continue to grow. The new website helps KTP keep pace with technological changes and confidently respond to evolving customer expectations.

For example, the KTP team can seamlessly add new product categories or make small changes to the content as needed. This newfound smooth and efficient operational capacity has improved KTP’s customer response times, which is crucial for its time-sensitive industry.

As Jerimiah puts it:

A surprising additional benefit for KTP is how, from the project's beginning, Foster Commerce developers talked about what would happen after launch.

Because Foster Commerce helped KTP understand post-launch costs and maintenance, Jerimiah was able to budget for the future and do long-term planning for ongoing improvements.

Like its development pricing, KTP found Foster Commerce’s maintenance pricing budget-friendly, too.

Overall, the KTP team is happy with the success of their digital transformation. The whole process, from start to finish, reflected KTP's goal to change its website while staying true to its business practices and brand, retaining customers, and staying within budget.

KTP is ready for the future and excited about its ongoing growth and adaptation. They know they've got support for their new ecommerce platform with the Foster Commerce team.

Jerimiah has this to say about the experience: