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UX for B2B Products

If you are PM or Dev managers of a B2B product you know that the user experience process is essentially different from product that are aimed to end customers. The user experience of B2B products should take into account many aspects of the product value and lifecycle. In this article I gathered a few Do’s and Don’t Do tips that will lead you to a better User experience for your product.

(The video is in Hebrew and contains English subtitles)

1. Understand your users

Do

Take into account that B2B products have several different user types. Your product could allow different features to a domain expert, admin and manager. You should meet and analyze each of the user types’ needs, background and work flows and answer each of the user type’s need in the optimal user experience that serve their needs best.

Answer each of the user type’s need in the optimal user experience that serve their needs best

Don't

Don’t consider what you hear in the sales meeting as a start point to your UX process. In many cases in these talks you will hear a manager and not the main user of the system, who uses the system most of the time. The main user type’s needs and usage are very important for your product success (in addition to sales needs).

2. Keep it simple (When needed)

Do

Enable each user type the optimal capabilities he usually needs. Not to simple not to complex. Domain expert user who will use your system often as a main work tool will need complex & advanced capabilities. He will surely want to perform his tasks as simple and fast as possible, however, advanced features will lead to a non-basic user experience, and this is what he needs actually. On the other hand a simple end user optimal UX could be a very simple and basic feature or even seamless UX.

Enable each user type the optimal capabilities he usually needs. Not to simple not to complex.

Don't

In many cases my customers are trying to reach a very simple Ui solution- the single Google search field is one of the examples that I get from them. This field is a great solution when you know what you want to find in endless data set. It is not a best solution in many other cases. Therefore, don’t try to over simplify processes just in order to make them look simple. And vice versa.

3. Use UX to enhance sales

Do

The sales process in a B2B product could be long and complicated. When selling a product to a business, especially to big companies and a product that involves horizontal processes in the company or could be risky, the clients are hesitant and wish to be sure they choose the best solution. The user interface of your product is a powerful selling tool and should be treated this way: in some cases the end users will try your product and see it makes their work easier and faster- they will tell about it to their managers and these mid- managers could be your inside lead. Sometimes you sell to high management and in these cases you could emphasize the manager’s capabilities of your product like BI, analytics and reporting.

The user interface of your product is a powerful selling tool and should be treated this way

Don't

Remember- sales and PR aims should not be the main powers to drive your UX process. Don’t build a feature only since it’s easy to sell it. In many cases focusing on the main users need will derive higher value and therefore sales in the long run.

In many cases focusing on the main users need will derive higher value and therefore sales in the long run.

From my experience, If you fellow these 3 points your B2B product will sell more and you’ll have happy users, less support calls and more sales.

I’d be happy to hear your thoughts. You are welcome to comment and share.

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