The Real Problem with B2B Commerce? Your Workflows

Ask any B2B leader what’s slowing down their digital transformation, and you’ll likely hear about tech debt, siloed systems, or outdated platforms. But beneath all of that lies a far more basic culprit: broken workflows.

In most B2B commerce environments, workflows weren’t architected — they were patched together. What starts as a clear purchase path quickly turns into a maze of disconnected approvals, informal exceptions, and one-off detours like “send it to Matt for sign-off.”

What’s worse, companies often respond to this chaos by implementing even more complexity. Rather than streamlining, they stack on layers of logic, tools, and governance — ultimately creating systems that are harder to use, not easier.

Workflow Dysfunction Is Undermining B2B Commerce

Let’s break it down: a typical B2B purchase touches multiple departments — from procurement and finance to legal, IT, and inventory. Each group brings different tools, different expectations, and different definitions of “done.”

That kind of cross-functional friction isn’t the exception in B2B ecommerce — it’s the norm. But the way we respond to it is flawed. Instead of simplifying and standardizing, we try to automate every exception. The result? Platforms so rigid and complicated that teams bypass them altogether, reverting to manual steps like emails and chats.

The minute your process becomes too cumbersome to follow, people will route around it. That’s not a workflow. That’s a workaround. And it puts the entire buying journey at risk.

Complexity Isn’t a Sign of Sophistication — It’s a Red Flag

Here’s the thing: most B2B transactions follow repeatable, well-known paths. Maybe 10% require special handling — unique approvals, regulatory nuances, or pricing exceptions. But too many organizations design for that 10% and force everyone through the same convoluted logic.

This slows down the sales cycle, confuses buyers, and burdens internal teams. Ironically, the edge cases that drive all this complexity still require human judgment anyway. So why bake them into the system?

Instead, design for the 90% — the standard buying flows — and allow space for manual handling of true exceptions using tools you already have, like Slack, ERP modules, or BPM workflows.

What Smarter B2B Commerce Workflows Look Like

The goal isn’t to eliminate governance — it’s to remove friction.

The most effective B2B commerce workflows today are:

• Built around real behaviors, not idealized diagrams
• Integrated with core business systems, not duplicating them
• Minimal yet accountable, providing just enough structure
• Flexible by design, avoiding rigid, over-logic’d platforms

A successful workflow doesn’t just route an order. It facilitates forward motion — reducing barriers while still tracking compliance and accountability.

The Wrong Fix: More Tools, More Rules

When workflows break down, the default reaction is to search for a new system — something that promises to handle “every use case.” But these platforms often introduce more complexity than they solve.

The better question is: What’s the simplest way to help teams complete a B2B transaction and document it?

Thanks to composable commerce architectures and intelligent commerce, it’s now possible to create workflows that are agile, context-aware, and easy to adapt as your business evolves.

You don’t need a monolith to manage complexity. You need modularity.

Progress Means Removing Friction — Not Adding Control

Too many companies mistake complexity for control. But workflows that stall deals or frustrate buyers aren’t compliant — they’re broken.

If we want to modernize B2B commerce, we need to embrace simpler, more human-centered workflows. Workflows that keep business moving. Workflows that people actually want to use.

Because in the end, progress isn’t about locking everything down — it’s about empowering teams to do great work, quickly and efficiently.