Generative AI (GenAI) has emerged as a game-changing tool within the B2B landscape, offering unique opportunities to enhance customer engagement and personalization. According to a recent report by Forrester, B2B companies that learn to effectively apply GenAI can significantly boost their marketing and sales efforts. However, despite the potential, many organizations are struggling to produce AI-driven results. This article explores the challenges B2B companies face and how they can strategically leverage GenAI to transform their customer experience.

In 2022, the rise of GenAI sent shockwaves through the business community, pushing companies to incorporate this technology into their digital strategies. While the enthusiasm was palpable, Forrester identifies critical obstacles that hinder effective usage. A pivotal issue lies in the inconsistent logging of sales-related interactions. The report indicates that only 20% of sales opportunities are documented, which is essential for generating valuable insights through GenAI. Without adequate data foundation, companies cannot fully capitalize on the personalization capabilities that GenAI offers.

To illustrate this point, consider a B2B company that specializes in industrial supplies. If the sales team fails to record their interactions and customer preferences, any attempt to personalize marketing content remains superficial. This lack of diligence not only stunts the ROI of GenAI investments but also leads to disconnected strategies that do not resonate with the target audience.

Forrester emphasizes the need for B2B organizations to reassess their strategies fundamentally. This includes prioritizing customer needs, increasing operational efficiency, and enhancing employee skills. A focus purely on technology investment, without addressing these foundational areas, will likely result in disappointment. For instance, a company investing heavily in GenAI tools without adequate training for its staff may find itself unable to leverage the technology effectively, thus wasting resources.

A staggering prediction from Forrester suggests that over half of GenAI personalization efforts in the B2B sector might not yield a return on investment by 2025. Although companies will invest in technology to personalize their marketing and sales activities, achieving meaningful results demands a deeper understanding of the buyer’s journey. Effectively utilizing GenAI means creating content that speaks directly to buyer needs at every touchpoint. Yet, Forrester warns that many organizations suffer from “technical debt,” leading to a tangled web of disconnected technologies that complicate efforts to implement effective personalization.

To capitalize on GenAI’s potential, businesses must integrate their systems seamlessly, allowing for a cohesive approach to personalization across the entire customer journey. A practical example would be a SaaS provider re-evaluating its tech stack. By integrating their customer relationship management (CRM) with GenAI tools, the provider can streamline customer data collection, enabling sales and marketing teams to provide tailored solutions based on previous interactions.

Moreover, organizations should think long-term and resist the urge to cut headcount in response to financial pressure. In a climate where immediate returns are often prioritized, reducing team size can limit a company’s capacity to drive forward its GenAI initiatives. Instead, investing in talent and skills development may yield more sustainable results. Training existing employees to blend human and machine competencies can enhance the efficacy of GenAI applications.

Success stories are already emerging among organizations that prioritize overcoming infrastructure challenges and recalibrating resources. For example, consider a B2B logistics firm that invested in training its marketing teams on GenAI applications. By doing so, they were able to create personalized outreach campaigns that resonated more intimately with individual clients’ needs, leading to increased engagement and higher conversion rates.

As the B2B landscape becomes increasingly competitive, the need for personalized experiences will only grow. Organizations that recognize the importance of connecting technologies along the buyer’s journey will likely find themselves leading the pack. Forrester stresses that companies able to align their GenAI efforts across all functions will have the best chance of seeing a return on their investments.

Moving forward, B2B companies should adopt a comprehensive view of personalization that leverages GenAI in a manner that connects capabilities across sales, marketing, and customer service. This strategic approach will not only enhance customer engagement but also drive long-term business growth. Ultimately, resilience in strategy, coupled with a commitment to aligning technology with customer needs, can transform how B2B organizations interact with their markets.

As we look ahead to 2025, the path to successful GenAI implementation in the B2B sector is paved with opportunities – provided organizations are willing to confront the challenges head-on and invest in a more integrated, thoughtfully personalized customer experience.