When we talk about automation and digital marketplaces, there’s a common misconception: that they are meant only for SMBs and end customers.
But let me clear the air-this belief is not just inaccurate; it’s limiting. In reality, automation and digital marketplace experiences are even more critical for enterprise customers and your internal teams.
The Misconception: “Enterprises Don’t Need a Digital Marketplace”
Too often, I hear this during sales meetings or strategy discussions:
“We’re selling to enterprises—they don’t need a marketplace.”
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Yes, enterprises often have structured procurement processes, but those structures are evolving. Large organizations don’t want to get bogged down in complex, manual workflows for routine purchases anymore. They expect agility, transparency, and instant delivery-just like SMBs do.
Enterprise Needs Are Changing-Fast
Take a simple example: You’re offering Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace to an enterprise customer. On any given day, they may want to:
- Add or reduce seats
- View real-time consumption data
- Access detailed billing instantly
- Purchase add-ons or view tailored recommendations
- Get complete transparency from their service provider
Now imagine asking them to go through a 2-week manual procurement cycle for each of those requests. It’s inefficient. It causes friction. And worst of all—it diminishes the customer experience.
Enterprise Buyers Are Embracing Digital Procurement
Recent research underscores this shift:
- McKinsey reports that over 30% of B2B buyers now use digital and self-serve channels for each stage of the buying journey, with 77% willing to spend at least $50,000 online, and 35% willing to spend at least $500,000 online.
- Futurum Research, in partnership with SAP, found that 78% of B2B organizations are actively seeking ways to streamline their procurement processes, with nearly 20% expecting to purchase at least half of their enterprise software through digital marketplaces.
These statistics highlight the growing demand for seamless, digital procurement experiences among enterprise customers.
The Case for Private Enterprise Marketplaces
What enterprises truly need is a private marketplace:
A dedicated digital portal where they can:
- Discover services
- Purchase or modify subscriptions instantly
- Track consumption and billing in real-time
- Access customized bundles or recommendations
This isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.
A private marketplace provides a self-service experience backed by automation—allowing enterprise buyers to stay in control, while your teams deliver faster, smarter service.
Automation Also Empowers Your Internal Teams
Let’s talk about your internal sales, support, and billing teams.
Today, customer expectations are sky-high. They want real-time fulfillment. Instant access. Seamless onboarding. Your teams need automation to meet these expectations without burning out.
- Sales teams should be able to activate services the moment a deal is closed.
- Billing teams shouldn’t have to chase down spreadsheets or emails for every adjustment.
- Operations should be able to focus on innovation—not manual provisioning.
When your back-end is automated, your front-end becomes frictionless.
Final Thought: Don’t Build for Just One Segment
If you’re building automation and marketplace experiences only for SMBs, you’re missing a massive opportunity. The enterprise segment is hungry for efficiency, speed, and transparency.
By investing in automation that serves both external enterprise buyers and your internal workforce, you’re not just improving customer experience—you’re future-proofing your business.
At RackNap, we’re committed to making this vision a reality. And I urge every digital leader to think beyond conventional boundaries.
Enterprise customers need a marketplace too. And they need it now.
