B2B Buyers Don’t Want to Talk to You (And That’s a Good Thing)

Published by

Dexter Low

on

August 6, 2025

When was the last time you wanted to hop on a sales call just to get pricing or compare product specs? Exactly. Now imagine your buyers: they’re under pressure, short on time, and fully capable of doing research without waiting on a sales rep to “circle back.”

Welcome to the new B2B reality. B2B buyers want omnichannel experiences, which include self-service. It is an expectation.

The Shift: From Hand-Holding to Hands-Off

A growing number of B2B buyers want the same experience they get as consumers. Instant info. Frictionless checkouts. Transparent pricing. In fact, recent surveys show over 70% of B2B buyers prefer remote or self-serve interactions over traditional sales. And when deals are under $50K? That number shoots even higher.

The truth? Your buyers don’t need a rep to walk them through a product sheet. They want control. They want speed. And they’re willing to switch vendors to get it.

Why It’s Happening

Millennial and Gen Z decision-makers are now moving into leadership roles. By 2034, Millennials, Gen Z, and the earliest Gen Alpha adults will make up 80% of the workforce in advanced economies. These digital natives grew up in an era of instant information, self-education, and on-demand everything. They’re used to finding answers with a quick search, and they expect the same autonomy in their professional lives.

At the same time, consumer experiences have raised expectations across the board. If someone can order groceries, book a vacation, or even buy a car online with just a few clicks, they’re not going to tolerate a B2B buying process that drags out over days or weeks just to get a quote.

Adding to this shift is the rise of AI and automation. Businesses now have the tools to deliver personalized, data-driven experiences at scale—without the need for constant human intervention. Whether it’s intelligent product recommendations, predictive support, or real-time order tracking, automation enables a level of responsiveness and customization that buyers have come to expect.

What Self-Service Actually Means in B2B

Let’s clear something up. Self-service doesn’t mean ghosting your customers. It means giving them power when they want it and support when they ask for it.

Here’s what a great B2B self-service experience looks like:

Interactive product catalogs with clear pricing
Guided demos and calculators (no email required)
Knowledge bases, how-to videos, and live chat
Seamless digital checkouts or quote builders
Usage dashboards and account self-management

It’s all about reducing friction and increasing confidence.

So, Where Do You Start?

If you’re still running on old-school sales models, don’t panic. Start small:

Audit your website. How many clicks does it take to get pricing, specs, or a trial? That’s your bottleneck.
Empower your buyers. Use tools like product configurators, ROI calculators, and chatbots that actually help.
Give sales a new role. Your reps aren’t going extinct. They’re evolving. Let them focus on complex deals and strategic relationships, not data entry or cold outreach.

A great example of this shift comes from Spryker, which recently launched a self-service portal designed to streamline post-purchase processes for B2B customers. The portal consolidates key account functions into a single interface, allowing users to manage orders, track invoices, schedule appointments, handle claims, and even modify orders—all without relying on support tickets or calls.

Self-Service Is Not Selfish

It’s easy to fear that less face time means less connection. But here’s the twist: when you free your buyers from the boring stuff, they come to you for what matters—expertise, partnership, and long-term value. And isn’t that what B2B should be about in the first place?

Disclaimer note:

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any company or their associates.