The Complete Guide to B2B Digital Maturity

Getting your business ready for the digital future.

May 20, 2025

iStock.com/B4LLS

Digital maturity is no longer optional - it's essential for long-term B2B success.

Buyers no longer rely on phone calls and fax machines to get business done. They research, compare, and purchase through digital channels that offer the same fast, seamless experience they expect from consumer brands. B2B companies that can't meet those expectations risk falling behind.

Businesses that prioritize digital maturity embrace ecommerce and invest in leading technologies - outperforming their competitors, driving growth, improving efficiency, and delivering better customer experiences. The results? Increased revenue, stronger customer retention, and greater resilience in a rapidly changing market.

That's why digital maturity matters - and why we created this guide: to help you assess where your business stands today and take steps to become more agile and future-ready. It's not just about having the right tools - it's about how effectively your business integrates them across every part of the organization.

This guide will walk you through the stages of digital maturity, break down the Nine Keys to Success, and help you uncover actionable steps to move forward - whether you're just starting out or looking to scale.

To better understand where your business fits in the broader B2B ecosystem, don't miss the section: "The State of B2B Digital Maturity." This section analyzes survey data from B2B professionals across industries and company sizes and provides a clear snapshot of where the market stands today - along with the biggest opportunities for growth and innovation.

"B2B companies with high digital maturity are 50 percent more likely to achieve 10 percent to 30 percent growth. MKM Building Supplies is a prime example - by adopting a composable commerce architecture, leveraging data-driven personalization, and empowering their workforce, they moved from a traditional B2B model to a benchmark for digital excellence.

"The result? Sustained growth and a clear competitive advantage," offers Lance Owide, B2B General Manager at BigCommerce.

What is Digital Maturity?

Digital maturity is a measure of how integrated digital processes are in your business, how technology aligns with overall business strategy, and how the people within your organization see technology impacting day-to-day operations.

A recent report by Accenture found that 72 percent of businesses that actively assess their digital maturity levels experience accelerated growth compared to those that do not engage in such evaluations.

How is Digital Maturity Measured?

We've broken down B2B digital maturity into two aspects: a business's digital maturity score and the Nine Keys to Success. The digital maturity score breaks down maturity into three specific areas:

Digital processes. Your business's adoption of digital technologies for internal operations.
Technology alignment. The rate at which data can be shared between departments of your organization.
People. The culture of digital or technological innovation within your organization.

Across each of these areas, businesses should measure themselves against our Nine Keys to Success, which measure innovation, leadership, budget, technology, data, reporting, communication, process optimization, and internal operations. The Keys to Success are key aspects of a digital maturity score.

Digital processes could include innovation, reporting, and process optimization. Technology Alignment could include technology, budget, and data. While People could include leadership, communication, and internal operations. Using these two scales, your business can identify its challenges and opportunities, then create an action plan to grow.

The Luddite

Overview: Luddites have a general lack of awareness or acceptance of the benefits of technology, and are resistant to adopting new technologies.

Digital Processes: Most business is still done on paper.

Technology Alignment: Little to no online presence or digital marketing efforts. Limited employee understanding of how digital technologies work, or how digital technology can improve workflows and the business overall.

People: Little to no opportunity for change or digital growth. "This is the way we've always done business and always will" mindset.

Example: A mom-and-pop manufacturer that has been doing business with the same five or six local companies for sixty-plus years. They see no need to introduce any technology other than the fax machine they purchased 30 years ago, and the four or five computers still running Windows 98.

Opportunities for Growth: Getting over the hump. As the old saying goes, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today." The fact that you're reading this guide already shows that you suspect your business could be doing more to grow. Now take that momentum and start advocating for some change.

The Laggard

Overview: Laggards may be generally aware of digital technologies and their benefits, but have no real plan in place for how to adapt to the changing digital landscape.

Digital Processes: Beginning to explore digital solutions, but no real implementation strategy. Using manual processes and spreadsheets for managing back-office operations.

Technology Alignment: Basic online presence with minimal use of digital marketing or social media.

People: Few digital champions within the company, and little interest in advancing to full potential.

Example: A paper distributor relying solely on phone orders and manual processing. They lack an online ordering platform, data analytics, or efficient inventory management systems.

Opportunities for Growth: Buy-in from leadership is key. Often, the biggest hurdle for digital innovation comes from the top. A "this is how we've always done it" mindset can be an asset in some instances, but it can also hamper innovation, often at the expense of success.

Many individuals who have been with a company for a long time - sometimes since its founding - may feel like they're being pushed out or moved aside as companies adopt new technologies. It's imperative that these individuals both understand and accept that new technologies aren't here to push anyone aside. Instead, technology is here to help improve operations and make everyone's day-to-day easier, and ultimately improve sales.

One thing is for certain, though. You have to start somewhere, and deciding that you need to modernize is often the first step. Where do you go from here? It can often be as simple as digitizing order management or creating a website for your business. While your digital transformation won't be done tomorrow, you should rest assured that you're taking a step in the right direction.

The Follower

Overview: Followers may be experimenting with various digital tools, but face challenges integrating new technologies with legacy systems due to technical limitations with existing systems and internal teams.

Digital Processes: Experimenting with digital tools and processes. Pilot programs to test functionality and integration. May be using rudimentary digital tools to manage back-office operations.

Technology Alignment: Basic online functionality. Some social media presence and digital marketing efforts.

People: Teams are working to build organizational effort and willing to adopt new technologies.

Example: A manufacturer that offers a basic online product catalog but lacks features like secure self-service portals for customer accounts, automated order processing, or integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Opportunities for Growth: Find an expert to help. If your organization is already aware of its digital shortcomings, then chances are you're not sure how to proceed down your maturity journey.

Instead of worrying, find an ecommerce expert who can help accelerate your digital transformation. Whether that individual is a B2B consultant or someone brought on full-time depends on your business needs, but having someone who knows the technology - in addition to your business - can be a huge asset on your maturity journey.

The Middle Ground

Overview: The Middle Ground is often where most B2B businesses sit when it comes to digital maturity. While they have begun integrating digital tools into their day to-day operations, individual teams are often siloed in their technology use, making it difficult to scale as an organization.

Digital Processes: Growing comfort level with digital tools and solutions. Some implementation of digital solutions in a few business areas. Beginning to explore SaaS and cloud technology (ERP, OMS, IMS, etc.) for managing back-office operations.

Technology Alignment. Interactive website with some online functionality. Targeted digital marketing strategy. Some data gathering, but little ability to analyze and act on insights.

People: Leadership sees the benefit in digital advancement, but change is often challenging due to legacy platforms or inter-organizational silos.

Example: A wholesaler with a basic B2B ecommerce platform, but limited investment in marketing automation tools or personalized customer experiences for different business segments.

Opportunities for Growth: Investment is key for a brighter future.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to technology. The first: "We don't need more tools, we just need to work with what we have, better." The second: "We need more tools to help us work smarter, not harder." While neither is inherently right or wrong, you will need tools to integrate your systems and start gathering the right kinds of data to make them work. This means an investment in the right tools for your needs. What if they're not the right tools? Well, then you'll just have to...

Work through growing pains. Will this CRM platform really be the one that finally solves your problems, or will you switch to another in a year's time? There's only one way to find out: do your research and take the leap. No business's digital transformation is perfect.

There are going to be hiccups, and there are going to be failures, but that doesn't mean that you'll never find success. The Middle Ground is often the most challenging point for businesses to get through in their digital transformation, and often where many businesses stall. Working through these growing pains can and will give your business a competitive advantage in the long run.

The Leader

Overview: Leaders see wide-scale adoption of digital technologies in their everyday operations. While processes and departments are integrated, there are still some barriers to data gathering that slow down analytics and the organization's.

Digital Processes: Seamless user experience across all digital channels. Omnichannel marketing and selling strategy. Wide-scale use of digital technologies across the organization.

Technology Alignment: Unified data gathering and analytics strategy across the organization. Data is driving many - if not most - of the decisions within the organization. Many automated workflows between departments.

People: There is a culture of innovation throughout the organization and a unified approach to technology adoption.

Example: A distributor with a robust 828 ecommerce platform featuring self-service options, secure payment gateways, and integration with advanced inventory management systems. They may also offer value-added services like customized logistics solutions.

Opportunities for Growth: Push your business to greatness.

While the Middle Ground may be the most challenging point for your business, the Leader position may be the hardest point for you to see beyond. Asking yourself how your business can do better may draw a blank. You may not be sure how you can go that extra mile and finally become the visionary in your field.

The answer isn't always easy. That's why it may be beneficial to bring in outside help to find some of those gaps in your ability to act quickly upon the data they gather. Find out where or how data might be falling through the cracks. Listen to unsung voices within your company, and reward those who strive to innovate. While it may seem like you've done all you can do, there is always another rung on the ladder to success.

The Visionary

Overview: Visionaries have experienced full digital maturity with widespread application of digital technologies and processes. They are consistently seeing the operational benefits of digital integration, and have a significant competitive advantage against other businesses in their space.

Digital Processes: Always on the cutting edge of technology and innovating processes. Exceptional customer experience across all touchpoints, offline and online.

Technology Alignment: Integrated ecosystem with all departments sharing data in real-time. Always finding space and time to try new things and integrated them in with existing, tested frameworks.

People: Constant digital innovation is embedded in the company's core. The company is viewed as a digital leader among its peers.

Example: A manufacturer that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) for demand forecasting and automated supply chain management. They might also offer customized product configurations and data-driven insights to sell to their B2B customers.

Opportunities for Growth: Staying on the cutting edge. The difference between a Leader and a Visionary may not be immediately clear. The main difference is that Leaders need to be reminded to ask questions, to innovate, to find those new opportunities. Visionaries, on the other hand, do it intuitively. They are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest, and aren't afraid to fail along the way.

Putting the Framework into Action

Your business's digital maturity score (Digital Processes, Technology Alignment, People) provides a high-level overview of your digital transformation efforts. The Nine Keys to Sucess offer a more granular assessment of a businesses strengths and weaknesses across various aspects of your digital maturity.

Utilizing the keys to success means:

Use the Nine Keys to Success to assess your current state in each area. For each Key, consider its corresponding maturity level and identify where your organization fails.
Analyze how these individual Keys contribute to each element of your score.
Identifying gaps in your digital matureity by looking for areas where Keys within a score are underdeveloped.

Building a Roadmap

Based on the identified gaps, develop a roadmap for improvement that encompasses:

Prioritizing which competencies need the most attention and align them with your overall digital strategy.
For each improvement area, create specific action steps that target the relevant competencies within your score.
Regularly monitor your progress and adjust your roadmap as needed.

For example, let's say your assessment reveals a weakness in "Process Optimization" (Digital Strategy) and "Communication" (People). This suggests a gap in providing clear direction for digital transformation and equipping employees with the necessary skills. Your roadmap might include actions like:

Define a clear digital vision and goals (Leadership).
Develop an external communication plan (People).
Appoint dedicated digital champions within departments (People).

Remember, the Nine Keys to Success provide a detailed lens, while your digital maturity score offers a broader perspective. Use them together to create a comprehensive picture of your digital maturity and guide your transformation journey.

1. Digital Processes

Keys like Reporting (understanding performance). Process Optimization (improving efficiency) and Innovation (defining the future state) all contribute to a strong digital strategy. First, let's look at the different levels of Reporting:

Level 1: If KPls exist, they are not reported on an individual or departmental level.
Level 2: Lessons from KPls are not always used in planning or development.
Level 3: KPls are aggregated and analyzed, but the data are hard to access.
Level 4: Performance data across the company is easily accessed.
Level 5: Performance data can be accessed in real-time, and is always used to inform planning and decision-making.

Now, let's look at the levels of Process Optimization:

Level 1: Projects are one-and-done. No lessons learned at the end of projects.
Level 2: Projects and processes are optimized on a case-by-case basis.
Level 3: Processes and projects are often optimized.
Level 4: Data is used to create and continuously optimize every part of a product, process or audience journey.
Level 5:The organization regularly looks at every aspect of its product, customer journey, internal processes, and more in order to fully optimize in real-time.

Finally, here is the scale for Innovation:

Level 1: Innovation is frowned upon across the organization.
Level 2: Innovation happens occasionally.
Level 3: Some innovation is encouraged with very specific projects or pain points.
Level 4: Cross-functional innovation across the organization.
Level 5: A program of structured innovation exists across the organization.

2. Technology Alignment

Technology (infrastructure and tools), Data (foundation for decision-making), and Budget (resource allocation), all contribute to strong technology alignment. First, we'll look at the unique levels of Technology:

Level 1: New technology is avoided at all costs.
Level 2: Specialists may deal with digital technologies, but not widely adopted across the organization.
Level 3: Individuals across the organization are interested in new technology and its benefits.
Level 4: New technology is used across the organization.
Level 5: New technology is fundamental to organizational success.

The different levels of Data offer similar perspectives:

Level 1: Data is scattered across various offline and online locations, each used independently of one another.
Level 2: Quality and use of data are improving across the org, but still very unorganized.
Level 3: The organization is developing a strategic plan and policy for integrating data analysis.
Level 4: The organization uses high-quality, integrated data across the organization.
Level 5: The organization uses live data to actively shape performance, decisions, and strategy.

Finally, a look at the levels of Budget and their impacts:

Level 1: Barebones budget that barely covers new spreadsheets.
Level 2: Existing budget supports current tools, but not innovation or upscaling.
Level 3: Budget allows for testing in key areas of the organization.
Level 4: Budget supports and encourages growth and innovation in specific areas.
Level 5: Budget supports ongoing technological innovation across the organization.

3. People

Competencies like Leadership (vision and direction), Communication (internal and external), and Internal Operations (innovation and management) all contribute to a strong culture within the company. We'll start with the different levels of Leadership:

Level 1: No clear technology leaders exist across the organization.
Level 2: Technological processes and optimizations are tied to one individual, role or team.
Level 3: The individual or team in charge of technology operations is supported from time to time.
Level 4: Multiple technology leaders exist and digital leadership sees widespread investment.
Level 5: Technological understanding and acceptance is an integral part of every leadership role within the organization.

Communication levels offer interesting perspective:

Level 1: Communication is done over the phone or fax, and rarely by email.
Level 2: Some technology involved in customer communication.
Level 3: Organization uses insights to plan communication and audience journey.
Level 4: Communications are digital by default, and multiple datasets are used to create communication pathways.
Level 5: Digital communications are continuously optimized based on real-time data across the organization.

Finally, a look at Internal Operations levels:

Level 1: Few to no systems have been digitized. No automation used across the organization.
Level 2: Some tools are available, but adoption has been sparse due to poor communication or engagement.
Level 3: Support and onboarding for tools available across the organization at user's request.
Level 4: Active investment in educating necessary teams on digital tools and their use.
Level 5: Learning and education regarding new tools is comprehensive. Wide use and adoption of automation, Al, and ML across the organization.

BigCommerce Customer Example: MKM Building Supplies

MKM Building Supplies is a visionary company that wanted to truly transform their operations. Putting their digital transformation into our Digital Maturity Framework, we can see the following:

Technology Alignment: MKM utilized a composable commerce architecture, which allowed them to integrate best-in-breed B2B ecommerce functionalities (product information management, customer portals, marketing automation) to create a highly customized and scalable platform.
People: MKM fostered a culture of continuous learning and innovation. They invested heavily in training their employees on the latest B2B digital technologies, and empowered them to leverage data insights to improve customer service and product recommendations.
Innovation: Their commitment to continuous learning and a composable architecture allows them to quickly adapt to changing 828 customer needs and industry trends.
Digital Processes: MKM had a clearly defined, data-driven 828 digital strategy focused on customer segmentation, personalized experiences, and frictionless online ordering.
Customer loyalty: By leveraging data analytics to anticipate customer needs and personal product recommendations, they build stronger customer relationship and loyalty.

Maturing as a B2B Seller

MKM Building Supplies transitioned from a traditional model to a complimentary ecommerce platform. Their experience demonstrates the significant impact this approach can have on sales, customer satisfaction, and overall business growth. This visionary example takes that concept even further, showcasing a company that not only implements the technology but also fosters a data driven culture and continuous improvement mindset.

By following this approach, B2B companies can position themselves as true leaders in the digital age, attracting investment, talent, and most importantly, loyal B2B buyers.

When we created our digital maturity assessment, we knew from the beginning that we wanted to gather this valuable data to help businesses not only assess their individual standing in this rapidly evolving space, but also to show the immense opportunities available for businesses looking to grow. Here are some of the most crucial insights from our digital maturity survey, and what they mean for your growing business.

The data revealed a wide range of digital maturity across respondents.

While the data did not indicate any businesses in the Luddite or Laggard categories, four percent of respondents were in the Follower category. These respondents struggled across all six digital maturity pillars, but especially in data and logistics.
39 percent of respondents were in the Middle Ground category. These respondents performed moderately well, but lacked strength in customer centricity and logistics.
The majority of respondents (41 percent) fell into the Leader category. These respondents were strong across all pillars, but had some room to grow in logistics and technology integration.
Visionaries, or businesses that excelled across all six pillars of digital maturity, made up 16 percent of respondents. Although they maintain a strong standing, they must focus on continuous improvement, particularly in data management, to maintain their competitive edge.
Digital leaders were 50 percent more likely to achieve 10-30 percent growth compared to laggards (45 percent vs. 30 percent).

Strategic Alignment Drives Business Growth

One of the key factors the data shows regarding business growth potential was alignment of ecommerce objectives with overall business goals. Results show 54 percent of respondents in the Leader and Visionary categories reported their ecommerce objectives as "Very Aligned" or "Aligned." Strong alignment is a clear indicator of digital maturity within these organizations.

What does alignment look like? Rather than setting a single goal and moving forward, these companies consistently review and adjust their ecommerce objectives based on the data they gather and analyze. This allows their teams to remain in sync with market trends and customer feedback, ensuring they stay not just with the curve, but ahead of it.

Customers Reward Integrated Sales Channels

Aligning objectives is critical, but how you connect your sales channels can make all the difference in customer satisfaction and overall digital maturity.

80 percent of respondents reported increased customer satisfaction at higher digital maturity scores.
Among Leaders and Visionaries, 80 percent had integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, 60 percent implemented customer resource management (CRM) tools, 68 percent utilized generative artificial intelligence (Al), 71 percent adopted omnichannel feed management tools, and 84 percent used product inventory management (PIM) solutions.
For Followers or Middle Grounds, integrating multiple technologies with an ecommerce platform may feel overwhelming and complex; however, focusing on essential technologies first can help streamline the journey. By understanding which core tools drive success at each stage of digital maturity, businesses can prioritize effectively and grow with confidence.

Which technologies are essential for your business? ERPs and CRMs can help support businesses across the spectrum of digital maturity. Adopting these technologies early in a digital maturity journey can help simplify later integrations and drive consistent growth. Our reporting shows that 100 percent of Leaders and Visionaries reported having "very integrated" or "integrated" sales channels.

The key to continuous improvement and growth is innovation. When it comes to digital maturity, companies that encourage and reward innovation see the benefits almost immediately - with 82 percent of Visionaries and 59 percent of Leaders reporting that they "always encourage innovation", and 100 percent of Followers reporting "little to no innovation" at their business.

This innovation can take many forms. It could be as simple as bringing in a new tool to help collect and store customer data, or it could be as complex as looking at new ecommerce platforms that can act as a central hub for your product and sales data. Whatever innovation looks like at your business, it's important to reward and encourage the kinds of behaviors that can help your company become more digitally mature - even if those innovations don't work out in the long run.

Key Takeaways

Businesses are taking their digital maturity seriously. Over 50 percent of respondents to our survey were labeled as Leaders or Visionaries when it comes to digital maturity. These businesses encourage and reward innovation, integrate systems to improve data analysis, and align business and technological strategies at every level of leadership. While the data show that none of our respondents were in the Laggard or Luddite categories, Followers and Middle Grounds, which made up 43 percent of respondents, have some catching up to do if they want to stay competitive in their industries.
The benefits of digital maturity are clear. Digital maturity, at its core, starts with alignment between ecommerce objectives and overall business goals. Businesses that encourage and foster this type of alignment typically:

Achieve consistent growth: Alignment ensures that ecommerce efforts directly contribute to broader business objectives, driving consistent and measurable growth.
Optimize resource allocation: Resources, including time, money, and talent, are used more effectively when ecommerce goals support overall business priorities.
Enhance strategic decision-making: Strategic decisions are better informed and more impactful when ecommerce strategies are in sync with business goals, leading to a cohesive direction.
Improve collaboration across teams: Alignment fosters better communication and collaboration across departments, ensuring that all parts of the organization are working towards the same objectives.
Increase agility and responsiveness: Businesses can more quickly and effectively adapt to market changes and opportunities when their ecommerce and business goals are aligned.
Strengthen customer focus: Alignment helps ensure that ecommerce strategies are designed to meet customer needs, leading to better customer experiences and increased loyalty.
Facilitate innovation: Businesses are more likely to pursue innovative initiatives that drive long-term success when their ecommerce objectives align with overall business goals.

Innovation is Imperative for Business Growth

Technology changes fast. In order for your business to keep up and maintain its agility in the market, it is imperative that your business fosters a culture of innovation and rewards those that bring new ideas to the table. Businesses with high levels of digital maturity see this kind of innovation on a daily basis. Businesses with low digital maturity levels quell talks of innovation before they can even start.

While this innovation can take many forms, it's important to remember that not all ideas and innovations may bring success. Some innovations may be challenging at first, while others may fail from the start. These kinds of experiences should be viewed as opportunities to learn rather than shy away from new technology altogether.

B2B businesses the world over are experiencing massive changes in the way they sell products. As industries, verticals, and buyer preferences shift, sellers too must shift the way they do business.

How? By adopting new technology that allows them to meet and exceed ever-changing buyer expectations. OTC sellers have tackled these changes head on, while B2B sellers have had a harder time adapting to this new world.

One way businesses can improve their ecommerce operations is by finding an ecommerce platform that allows for the kind of flexibility they'll need now and in the future. You've seen how MKM Building Supplies used BigCommerce to become a visionary in their space.

Our Digital Maturity Scale helps B2Bs measure how well integrated digital technologies are throughout the entirety of their company, from processes and operations to people and culture. Using this scale, B2Bs can: