B2B Trade Conference

B2B (Business-to-Business) is a situation where businesses do business with each other, as opposed to businesses doing business with the final consumer. Worldwide, the growth of B2B has been tremendous - research and advisory firm Frost & Sullivan projects B2B and retail e-commerce will hit $12 trillion worldwide by 2020 - up from $5.5 trillion in 2012 - and says it was tops among up-and-coming industries in innovation and market attractiveness.

If the march toward a digital future for B2B is a given, it is also true that the march is slow, unsteady and stumbling at times. Especially in South Africa, where the technology has many times been found wanting in delivering a seamless experience up and down the supply chain. Adoption of the B2B principles of operation has been a slow burning process in South Africa; and this plodding along can lead to loss of actual and potential revenues. Millions in sales can be lost due to systems that are less than optimal for the customer experience.

While early B2B solutions were implemented and maintained internally, the increase in cost and complexity has made the in-house maintenance of a global B2B infrastructure increasingly challenging. Even though B2B services touch many business divisions, few organizations see them as core to the business. This, however, has not dampened the reality of the rise and rise of business volumes between businesses. One of the reasons is that businesses have more money than consumers; hence the advent of the internet has given rise to growth opportunities of B2B.

Business to business transactions require careful planning to be successful. Such transactions rely on a company's B2B management personnel to establish sound business client relationships. Business to business relationships also must be nurtured, typically through professional interactions prior to sales, for successful transactions to take place. Traditional marketing practices also help businesses connect with business clients. Trade publications aid in this effort, offering businesses opportunities to advertise in print and online. A business's presence at conferences and trade shows also builds awareness of the products and services it provides to other businesses.

The internet provides a robust environment in which businesses can find out about products and services and lay the groundwork for future business to business transactions. Company websites allow interested parties to learn about a business's products and services and initiate contact. Online product and supply exchange websites allow businesses to search for products and services and initiate procurement through e-procurement interfaces. Specialised online directories providing information about particular industries, companies and the products and services they provide also facilitate business to business transactions.

It was for the vision to foster greater participation and B2B ties among South African businesses that the B2B Trade Conference was organised. To be held on the 18th and 19th of May 2017 at the Emperor's Palace Convention Centre in Johannesburg, the trade Conference seeks to bring together business organisations and explore ways on how they can optimise their transactions in this increasingly interconnected global village. It will also bring in the open the various ways in which businesses can improve their B2B brands on the global platform, as well as ways in which South African businesses can also benefit from the steady growth of worldwide B2B transactions. Experts will be brought who have intimate understanding of the B2B world and who can give delegates an in-depth account of the obvious benefits of B2B.

Date: 18 May 2017 to 19 May 2017
Time: 08:00 - 16:00
Venue: Emperors Palace Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Cost: R7,999 per delegate excl VAT