The Reasons B2B UX Is Terrible and will stay so, ugh!

UXFanatic

I've been working in the B2B space for a while now, and I'm constantly frustrated by how terrible the UX is in most B2B applications. Here are some reasons I think contribute to this issue and I'm sure none of these are going to be solved anytime soon :

Legacy Systems: Many B2B companies rely on outdated technology that's hard to modernize.
Complex Requirements: B2B applications often have very specific and complex requirements that make simplicity challenging.
Lack of User-Centered Design and no budget or prominence given to it: There's often a focus on features rather than user needs. Most of the clients are like, "its just the delivery guys using this app, so we're not going to spend much on the UX"
Resistance to Change: Many B2B companies are resistant to changing their established processes and systems.

What are your thoughts? Why do you think B2B UX is generally so poor?

Rajat

UXFanatic , you hit the nail on the head. I'd add a few more points:

Cost-Centric Decisions: B2B companies often prioritize cost savings over investing in good UX. They see UX as a 'nice-to-have' rather than a necessity.
Limited User Feedback: Unlike B2C, where user feedback is plentiful and encouraged, B2B companies often don’t gather enough feedback from their users, leading to designs that don't meet real needs.
Sales-Driven Features: Features are often added based on what the sales team thinks will close deals, rather than what will benefit the user experience.

In my experience, another major factor is the lack of competition. Many B2B markets have few players, so there's little incentive to improve UX. If customers have no alternatives, they have to use what's available, no matter how poor the experience.

CreativeMind

I'd like to delve deeper into the complexity aspect. B2B applications are often designed to handle very specific and niche tasks. This leads to highly complex interfaces that require extensive training to use effectively. The problem is, many of these interfaces are designed by people who are too close to the product. They understand all the ins and outs, but the end-users don't.

Furthermore, B2B applications are frequently built with a focus on functionality rather than usability. The developers and product managers are more concerned with what the system can do rather than how users will interact with it. This results in a lot of unnecessary features that clutter the interface and make it harder for users to find what they need.

Techieprmhta

B2B applications often lack a holistic approach to UX. They might invest in a nice UI for one part of the application while ignoring others. This results in a disjointed experience where some parts of the application are user-friendly, and others are a nightmare to navigate.

Additionally, there's often a significant gap between the people who purchase the software and the people who use it. Decision-makers in B2B companies might not prioritize UX because they aren't the ones dealing with the daily frustrations of a poorly designed application. They care more about the functionality and cost-effectiveness, not realizing that a better UX can lead to higher productivity and satisfaction among their employees.

bridie11

B2B space is definitely tough to crack as a UX, clients often require highly customized solutions tailored to their specific workflows. This customization can lead to complicated interfaces because the software needs to cater to a wide range of use cases and business processes.

Moreover, the onboarding process for B2B software is often lengthy and complex. Unlike consumer apps, which are designed for quick and easy adoption, B2B software requires significant time and resources to implement and train users. This initial friction can sour the user experience from the start.

redux

bridie11 The long onboarding process and the need for extensive training indicate that the software isn't intuitive enough. A well-designed B2B application should minimize the learning curve, but this isn't always prioritized during development.

Also, the procurement process in B2B can be a UX killer. By the time a software solution is chosen, it's been through so many layers of decision-making that the original user requirements can get lost. The focus shifts to ticking boxes on a requirements list rather than solving real user problems.

uxvenom

Adding to what everyone has said, I think another significant factor is the lack of a dedicated UX team in many B2B companies. While B2C companies often have robust UX departments, B2B firms might not invest as heavily in UX resources. This means that UX considerations can take a backseat to development speed and feature delivery.

Furthermore, B2B products are sometimes seen as utilitarian tools rather than experiences that should delight users. There's a misconception that because the software is for professional use, it doesn't need to be enjoyable to use. This mindset overlooks the fact that good UX can lead to greater efficiency and job satisfaction, which ultimately benefits the company.

Rajat

Here's an interesting read on this-

https://www.toptal.com/designers/web/b2b-ux-solutions

Rajat

Hubspot is another example of B2B done right

https://www.hubspot.com/