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As we move into the new financial year, many B2B businesses are operating in a more complex cost environment. Wage increases, higher employment obligations and continued fuel volatility are all contributing to rising operational costs, while ongoing disruption across global supply chains continues to affect stock availability and delivery timelines. For wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers, this creates added pressure to maintain service levels while managing both margin and working capital more carefully.

In response, the focus is shifting towards improving efficiency within existing processes. Increasing headcount may provide short-term relief, but it also introduces additional fixed cost and does not address the underlying inefficiencies that exist across the order journey. In many cases, these inefficiencies sit within day-to-day ordering activity, where manual processes, repeated checks and avoidable rework continue to absorb time across sales, customer service and finance teams.

Solutions such as our GOb2b B2B ecommerce platform are designed to reduce this reliance on manual intervention by connecting ordering, pricing, stock and back-office systems, allowing information to flow more consistently and reducing duplication across teams. As part of a wider shift towards integrated B2B ecommerce, this approach enables orders to move more efficiently from customer to fulfilment, without unnecessary handling or delay.

Where cost per order increases

Cost per order is rarely driven by a single issue. More often, it increases gradually through a series of small, repeated tasks that require manual input or create delays. These tasks can sit across different parts of the business, making them harder to identify collectively, but together they contribute directly to operational cost and reduced efficiency.

Typical areas include:

• Manual data entry across multiple systems
• Repeated customer enquiries for routine information
• Internal checks, approvals and workarounds
• Correcting errors

Reducing cost per order therefore becomes less about one change, and more about removing these points of friction across the order journey.

7 common B2B ordering time sinks

The following areas highlight where time is most often lost, and where relatively small changes can help to reduce both cost and complexity.

1. Re-keying orders from multiple sources

Orders that arrive via email, phone, spreadsheets or PDFs often need to be interpreted and manually entered into back-office systems. This creates a process that takes time and introduces risk, particularly as volumes increase. Moving towards structured order capture allows order data to be entered once and flow through the business, reducing duplication and improving accuracy. With GOb2b, our customers can place orders directly through a branded online portal, with orders automatically pushed into back-office systems, removing the need for re-keying.

2. Stock checks and delivery date queries

As supply conditions remain less predictable, customers are increasingly looking for confirmation of stock and delivery timelines before placing orders. Without visibility, these queries are handled manually, creating a steady flow of interruptions. Providing access to stock positions and expected delivery dates helps to reduce this demand and allows customers to make decisions with greater confidence. GOb2b supports this through real-time stock visibility and back-order management, ensuring customers always see accurate availability.

3. Pricing queries and inconsistencies

Customer-specific pricing, contract agreements and discounts all contribute to the complexity of B2B pricing. When this information is not clearly available during the ordering process, internal teams are often required to confirm details manually. Ensuring that pricing is visible and consistent helps to reduce queries and avoid issues later in the process. We offer customer-specific pricing and price lists are automatically applied, ensuring each customer sees the correct price at the point of order.

4. Order status enquiries

When delivery timelines are less certain, customers are more likely to request updates on order progress. Without clear communication, this can lead to increased inbound enquiries. Providing visibility of the order journey allows customers to access the information they need, including:

• Order confirmations
• Current status updates
• Access to order history and documents

Through GOb2b, our customers can log in to view order progress, tracking and account history at any time, reducing the need for follow-up calls and emails.

5. Credit holds and approval delays

Credit control remains an important part of the order process, particularly in a more challenging economic climate. When approvals and checks are handled manually, orders can become delayed while moving between teams. Defining clear rules and processes helps to ensure that orders can progress without unnecessary interruption. GOb2b integrates with back-office credit control processes, allowing businesses to apply rules and manage account status without disrupting the ordering experience.

6. Requests for invoices and account information

Requests for invoices, statements and account details continue to take up time across finance and customer service teams. While each request may be simple, the overall volume can be significant. Providing access to account information allows customers to retrieve what they need without contacting your team. At GOb2b, we provide a secure customer portal where users can access invoices, statements and account history on demand.

7. Correcting errors and managing rework

Manual processes increase the likelihood of errors, which can then lead to credits, returns and additional communication. Each correction introduces further cost and complexity. Reducing the number of touchpoints and improving data accuracy at the point of order helps to minimise these issues. By validating orders at the point of entry and using consistent data from integrated systems, our GOb2b platform helps to reduce errors before they occur.

Reducing touchpoints across the order journey

Across each of these areas, the common theme is the number of touchpoints involved in processing an order. Each additional step introduces time, cost and the potential for error. Reducing these touchpoints allows businesses to operate more efficiently and respond more effectively to increasing demand.

This typically results in:

• Lower cost per order
• Improved order accuracy
• Reduced inbound enquiries
• Greater capacity across internal teams

By allowing systems to manage more of the routine activity, businesses can reduce reliance on manual processes and create a more consistent and scalable approach to order management.

A practical starting point

For many businesses, the starting point is to review where time is currently being spent within the order journey. Focusing on high-volume customers and the most repetitive tasks can help to identify where small changes will have the greatest impact.

Improving efficiency in this way does not require a complete transformation, but a gradual reduction in friction across the process. In a market where costs are rising and supply remains uncertain, this provides a practical way to protect margins while continuing to deliver a reliable customer experience.

If you are currently reviewing your ordering processes, or are looking for ways to reduce cost per order without increasing headcount, it may be worth exploring how a more integrated approach could support your business. Our GOb2b platform is designed to bring together ordering, pricing, stock visibility and back-office integration, helping to reduce manual effort and improve consistency across the order journey.

For more information please get in touch with a member of our knowledgeable team today.