digital transformation Archives

The evolving expectations of B2B buyers: A digital transformation imperative with Arno Ham

January 29, 2024October 17, 2023 Brent W. Peterson

Hello everyone, I’m Brent, your host, and today I’m excited to share with you an insightful conversation I had with Arno Ham, the CTO of Sana Commerce. Arno, with his extensive experience in technology and a deep passion for B2B e-commerce, shared some fascinating insights into the world of B2B commerce, the challenges it faces, and the solutions Sana Commerce provides.

Meet Arno Ham: The Tech Enthusiast

Arno Ham, with over 20 years of experience in technology and a background in computer science, is a man who lives and breathes technology. As the CTO of Sana Commerce, he oversees everything tech-related, from product management and development to professional services and customer service.

But Arno is not just about work. He’s a family man who loves spending time with his wife and three daughters. He enjoys running, cooking, and outdoor activities. He also has a penchant for visiting museums and indulging in good food.

The World of B2B E-commerce

Our conversation took a humorous turn when I asked Arno if a joke should remain free or if someone could charge for it in the future. Arno, with a chuckle, suggested paying for it, emphasizing that nothing comes for free in this world.

On a more serious note, we delved into the world of B2B commerce. I recalled a previous interview with Michelle, the CEO of Asana, and highlighted the growing importance of B2B commerce. Arno then took us through the backbone of Sana Commerce and what they are currently promoting.

The Challenges and Solutions in B2B Commerce

Arno shed light on the challenges of pricing in B2B and the complexity that arises when dealing with a large number of customers and products. He explained that the explosion of data and the need for rapid changes in the business world make it difficult to synchronize pricing information and ensure accurate stock levels.

Arno emphasized the importance of maintaining good relationships with customers and the need for agreements that go beyond just pricing. He also highlighted the changing expectations of younger business owners who want a seamless digital experience in B2B, similar to what they experience in B2C.

Interestingly, Arno mentioned that 40% of B2B transactions still happen offline, but there is a growing demand for digitization. He discussed the challenges faced by older generations in adapting to digital transformation and the need to transfer their knowledge into a digital experience.

Sana Commerce: Bridging the Gap in B2B E-commerce

Arno then introduced us to Sana Commerce’s role in this changing landscape. While Sana provides a great frontend solution, they also integrate with other frontends and ERP systems. Arno emphasized the importance of specialized vendors for specific needs, such as product information management systems. He mentioned that Sana integrates with various systems like CRM, customer data platforms, and product information management systems.

Arno’s Advice for the Future of B2B

As we moved towards the end of our conversation, I asked Arno for advice on digitization and moving forward in the B2B space. Arno suggested starting conversations with B2B buyers and understanding their needs, especially as younger generations prefer digital solutions. He advised forming a multidisciplinary team within the organization to drive digital transformation holistically. Arno also highlighted the importance of aligning incentives for the sales team to embrace the digital shift.

Wrapping Up

Arno concluded by plugging Sana Commerce as a solution for businesses looking to start or improve their B2B e-commerce storefronts. He mentioned that Sana integrates with Microsoft Dynamics and SAP, and invited listeners to check out his podcast, “B2B Waves.”

This conversation with Arno Ham was a deep dive into the world of B2B e-commerce, its challenges, and the solutions that Sana Commerce provides. It was a pleasure to have him on the show, and I hope you found his insights as valuable as I did.

For more podcasts about Commerce

Unraveling the Power of Composable Architecture with Chris Bach

January 30, 2024August 29, 2023 Brent W. Peterson

Hello everyone! I recently had the pleasure of hosting Chris Bach, the co-founder of Netlify, on my podcast. As the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Netlify, Chris also sits on the advisory board of Market Lines, an industry body focused on headless and composable architecture. Besides his professional pursuits, Chris has a passion for cars and motorsport, which adds an interesting dimension to his personality.

A Passion for Cars and Borderline Humor

Our conversation started with a light-hearted discussion about Chris’s love for cars, both old and new, especially those related to racing. We also discussed his participation in the free joke project, where I shared a joke about an antique globe. Chris found it amusing, describing it as borderline humor.

The Box Family and Headless Composable Commerce

In a humorous twist, I asked Chris if he had any relation to the famous Box family of writers. Chris jokingly responded that Sebastian Box stole his last name for fame but is unrelated to famous writers. Our conversation then took a more serious turn as we delved into the topic of headless composable commerce. Chris explained that headless refers to separating the core commerce functionality into an API, allowing flexibility in building different digital experiences. He highlighted the advantages of headless, such as faster time to market and the ability to customize digital experiences.

Understanding Composable Architecture

When asked about the term “composable” and its relation to headless, Chris explained that composable architecture goes beyond just separating the front end and back end. It involves using self-contained systems that can be decoupled and connected through APIs, allowing for more flexibility and interchangeability.

Different systems like CMS, e-commerce engines, and marketing engines are separate entities in traditional setups. However, with composable architecture, these systems can be decoupled and connected through APIs, allowing for more flexibility and interchangeability.

The Challenges and Solutions of Composable Architecture

Despite the benefits, maintaining such an architecture without a platform like Netlify can be challenging. Organizations face bottlenecks and complexities in consuming the APIs and delivering a seamless digital experience to customers. This involves handling secrets, setting up staging and production environments, managing caching, and ensuring security scans, among other tasks.

Netlify, as a composition platform, aims to address these challenges by providing a unified workflow and orchestration. It allows developers to build composable architectures by pulling in different components and APIs, while also offering standardized ways to connect with legacy systems and manage releases. Netlify’s value lies in simplifying the process, reducing overhead, and enabling faster time to market.

The Power of Composable Architecture and Netlify’s Role

Chris Bach emphasized the power and advantages of composable architecture and how Netlify plays a crucial role in enabling organizations to adopt and maintain such architectures effectively. He discussed the challenges faced by businesses and organizations when it comes to building advanced applications and digital experiences. He highlighted the limitations of traditional infrastructure and the complexity that arises when multiple players are involved in the implementation process.

The Benefits of Adopting Composable Architecture

Adopting a composable architecture offers benefits such as brand differentiation, better security, scalability, and reduced costs. Chris advises businesses to consider the cost of doing nothing and the operational overhead of sticking to the old ways. He also emphasizes that composable architecture does not require building a new monolith but can be implemented gradually, starting in a corner and expanding from there.

Closing Thoughts and Contact Information

In closing, Chris mentioned Magento 1 as an example of a traditional monolith that businesses struggle to move away from due to technical debt. He contrasts this with composable architecture, where small pieces of technical debt can be swapped out as needed.

Chris also provided various ways to contact him, including email, LinkedIn, and filling out a form on their website. He mentioned that Netlify is always open to having non-committal conversations about digital challenges or specific topics like making a headless version of a content management system successful. I am grateful for the insightful conversation with Chris and look forward to sharing more such enlightening discussions with you all. Stay tuned for more!

For more podcasts about Commerce

Howard Tiersky | Digital Transformation

April 14, 2023September 14, 2021 Brent W. Peterson

This week we interview Howard Tiersky, the CEO of From – The Digital Transformation Agency. Howard helps executives win in today’s digital world. He is Wall Street Journal’s best-selling author of “Winning Digital Customers, The Antidote to Irrelevance”. Howard has been named one of the Top 10 Digital Transformation Influencers to follow today by IDG. As an entrepreneur, he has launched two successful companies that help large brands transform to thrive in the digital age.

We have a great conversation around the digital experience, how customers navigate it and what a business owner should do to stay relevant in today’s world.
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