Episode 87: Enterprise B2B Software Architecture

The Hard Truth About B2B eCommerce podcast continues onto the next episode by welcoming our new guest Sam Gupta, Principal Consultant of ElevatIQ, to talk about enterprise B2B software architecture, how to understand the eCommerce processes and what you need to know to build them successfully.

Sam Gupta has implemented some of the largest ERP projects in the world. He has worked with many different back office systems, and understand enterprise software architecture as well as anyone in the industry. He ventured out on his own to be an independent voice in the ERP and back office space so that he can help clients select the right software for their business. We discuss all the various challenges that come with scaling B2B software architecture and how the various software play together.

Episode 87: Enterprise B2B Software Architecture

In this episode, co-hosts Isaiah Bollinger, CEO of Trellis, and Timothy Peterson, President & COO of Speir Digital, Inc, are welcoming Sam Gupta, Principal Consultant at ElevatIQ, to discuss:

• Enterprise architecture and how to fix it
• Challenges of enterprise architecture
• How to select, integrate and implement enterprise systems on the backend side
• Benefits of an ERP agnostic approach
• How to select the right systems for your eCommerce architecture
• Process differences across industries
• How to create a positive eCommerce experience
• Benefits of having an external consultant when designing your business architecture
• What you need to consider when building the business infrastructure
• How operations and channels in B2B infrastructure are interconnected in areas from internal operations to distribution
• The main challenges of cross-functional and how to set boundaries
• Technical perspectives vs business perspectives
• Intersystem connections
• How to meet your KPIs with a smart architecture
• The biggest gaps in B2B architecture
• The importance of understanding the processes for your business to succeed
• Challenges of ERP integrations
• Process mapping and diagramming
• The importance of iterations when building enterprise B2B architecture

This podcast’s origin story

Podcasts are still a relatively new medium for content, but just because they are new doesn’t mean they lack power. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Podcasts have a unique ability to reach people on their time, whenever it is convenient for them – a way that previously did not majorly exist. Podcast listeners can take the information wherever they go and absorb it as they see fit. And that’s exactly what we are looking to do here. We want to reach a new audience of B2B eCommerce enthusiasts.

This podcast is all about B2B eCommerce. B2B is a different breed of eCommerce and it needs a different breed of Podcast. We get into the nitty-gritty of integrations, adoption, platforms, data and so much more regarding what makes B2B difficult to make successful for eCommerce!

We noticed that a few B2C podcasts exist on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, but nothing designed for the B2B eCommerce community. B2B and B2C eCommerce have a lot of overlap, but even more differences. Each has a different set of requirements and customer demands that impact project scope. Let’s call a spade a spade. B2B is harder, more complicated, and harder to market. But it is also a bigger piece of the pie. The eCommerce B2B roadmap to success is not as cut and dry as B2C and that’s why we have started this podcast.

B2C platforms like Magento and Shopify have large communities that support and have done the entry level work of most projects. The same community does not exist for B2B, but we are starting to build it. The ecosystem may not be as mature, but as experts in the space, we hope this podcast will help some people wake up and reevaluate their online sales strategy.

The first podcast examines major trends around B2B eCommerce as well as answering all of the above questions.  Take a listen for yourself and let us know what you think!

We will be posting new episodes with special guests weekly. You can listen on our dedicated podcast website and download the podcast on all major channels: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro, Castbox, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Deezer, Listen Notes, and RSS Feed.