BigCommerce Partners with Waterco to Revolutionize B2B Ordering Experience
1. Introduction of a Modern Self-Service Platform
In an exciting development for the B2B commerce landscape, BigCommerce Holdings, Inc. has announced a significant partnership with Waterco, a global leader in swimming pool products manufacturing and distribution. This collaboration marks a pivotal shift as Waterco transitions from a traditional phone- and email-based ordering system to a streamlined, modern self-service platform that enhances efficiency for over 45,000 products.
2. The Challenges of Traditional Ordering
Founded in 1981, Waterco has evolved from a PVC pipe importer to a comprehensive manufacturer and distributor of swimming pool equipment, chemicals, and water treatment solutions. The company has seen substantial growth over the years, supplying products to the Swimart network, which boasts around 75 locations across Australia and New Zealand. However, as their operations expanded, the ordering process became cumbersome, relying heavily on customer service teams to manage orders manually.
During peak season, this reliance often led to operational bottlenecks, as customers faced delays in confirming pricing, stock availability, and order statuses. Bryan Goh, Chief Operating Officer at Waterco, highlighted the need for modernization: “Our business has grown enormously since 1981, but the way many of our customers ordered from us hadn't kept pace.”
3. BigCommerce: The Solution for Modernization
The partnership with BigCommerce is designed to tackle these inefficiencies head-on. Waterco's new B2B buying experience, powered by BigCommerce, offers customers a self-service platform where they can easily browse products, check inventory, place orders, and manage their accounts anytime. This shift not only enhances customer convenience but also allows internal teams to focus more on service rather than time-consuming data entry.
Waterco selected BigCommerce due to its flexibility, value, and the ability to support both B2B and B2C transactions on a single platform. The new system is designed to be intuitive, requiring minimal retraining for users.
4. Features of the New Platform
The updated platform is engineered to handle the complexities of Waterco's operations, which include manufacturing, distribution, retail, and trade. Key features of the new system include:
- Self-Service Quoting: Customers can generate quotes independently, streamlining the purchasing process.
- Pay-on-Account Options: This feature allows customers to make purchases while adhering to enforced credit limits.
- Automated Freight Calculation: The platform includes sophisticated logistics for shipping hazardous materials like pool chemicals.
- Backordering Capabilities: Customers can place orders for products that are temporarily out of stock.
- Promotional Engines: The system supports various promotional strategies to enhance sales.
- Spare-Parts Experience: This tailored feature assists customers in selecting the correct components, significantly reducing returns on technical products.
Marco Contreras, Waterco's head of IT and project lead, emphasized the necessity of standardizing operations: “Bringing this to life meant rethinking how our business operates behind the scenes, not just how customers place an order.”
5. A Composable Architecture for Future Growth
The platform is built on a composable architecture, combining a React storefront on BigCommerce Catalyst with a custom middleware and a robust product information management layer linked to Epicor ERP. This integration serves as the single source of truth for all product, customer, and order data.
Shannon Ingrey, Vice President and General Manager for APAC at Commerce, expressed enthusiasm over Waterco's transformation: “Waterco’s transformation demonstrates how manufacturers and distributors can modernize complex B2B operations without sacrificing the flexibility needed to support growth.”
6. Future Plans and Continued Digital Transformation
Looking ahead, Waterco aims to further its digital transformation by integrating its Waterco, Davey, and New Zealand operations into a unified Epicor ERP environment. This comprehensive approach will enhance operational efficiency and improve customer service.
7. Conclusion
The collaboration between BigCommerce and Waterco signals a significant advancement in the B2B commerce sector. By modernizing its ordering processes, Waterco not only enhances the buying experience for its customers but also positions itself for sustained growth in a highly competitive market. As businesses continue to adapt to digital transformation, partnerships like these will be crucial in shaping the future of commerce.
