The companies with the best B2B customer experiences aren’t afraid of new data and technology—they welcome it and harness the data to better understand their customers and meet their needs. American Express Merchant Services leverages customer data through a program called Recommendations that uses micro-targeted data to look for spending patterns of customers and identify other services or merchants they might like. The key to the program’s success is the strength of the data, which allows for extremely personalized and accurate recommendations; instead of recommending all customers who bought a new car to use a certain type of gas station, the program drills deeper to provide each customer a targeted recommendation. The program is extremely helpful for B2B customers because it provides them new customers and takes away the pain of having to find new business.

Personalize and tailor the experience: A strong customer experience personalizes the sales process to empower customers. No two customers are the same, and brand representatives need to be aware of who they are interacting with instead of using a one-size-fits-all sales approach. An employee interacting with a small business will have a different approach than someone working with a large company because the customers have different needs and things they are looking for in the buying journey. B2B customers have a lot on their plates, so they want simplicity. HP tracks its customers’ ink usage to automatically replace cartridges just before they run out. The simple effort by HP can help its customers’ businesses run more smoothly and seamlessly, which is the goal of every B2B company. Customized experiences also help the sales cycle move more quickly, which is something nearly all B2B customers appreciate. The average B2B sales cycle is about 10 months, but customers would prefer if it were around 6 months. By focusing on each individual customer with targeted approaches, the cycle can be shortened for even happier customers.

Leverage omnichannel to see the big picture: Since B2B customers are typically involved with brands for the long term, customer experience needs to encapsulate the big picture. Over the course of a sales cycle, customers might interact with the brand through multiple channels—they could start with an informational phone call, then move to an in-person or on-site visit, followed by a purchase on their website and reaching out via social media after a sale. In fact, an average B2B customer uses six different channels as they make a decision. Customer experience happens in many places, which means the companies need to create a consistent omnichannel experience. No matter how customers interact with the brand, they should be treated equally and have the same experience. The customer experience and the sales cycle aren’t separate things—they are intertwined to create a cohesive, enjoyable experience throughout the entire journey.

Investing time and resources into customer experience can lead to huge rewards for B2B companies by driving growth and creating lifelong, loyal customers.