A recent Gartner survey indicates a significant shift in B2B buying preferences, with 61% of buyers expressing a preference for a representative-free buying experience. Conducted between August and September 2024, the survey gathered insights from 632 B2B buyers, highlighting a trend towards independent research through digital channels.

The survey reveals that 73% of B2B buyers actively avoid suppliers who engage in irrelevant outreach. Buyers are increasingly favouring digital self-service options for general information and learning new concepts, reserving seller input for tasks that require contextual intelligence.

On average, buyers complete three activities both online and with supplier representatives, while 2.3 activities are completed with supplier representatives alone. Digital self-service tools account for an average of 1.8 activities completed by buyers.

The survey also uncovered a notable inconsistency issue, with 69% of B2B buyers reporting discrepancies between information available on sales organizations' websites and that provided by sellers.

VP Analyst in the Gartner Sales Practice, Robert Blaisdell, said:"Many B2B buyers feel overwhelmed and frustrated by the outreach they receive from sellers and the seller's organization. Bad prospecting actively damages relationships with potential customers... CSOs must rethink their outreach strategy to improve engagement and deliver the experience customers demand."

Director Analyst in the Gartner Sales Practice, Alice Walmesley, said: "Instead of offering generic information that buyers can find elsewhere, sellers should offer unique guidance, acting as a sounding board for buyers...CSOs must encourage their sellers to create value by understanding what is most important for buyers at every stage of the buying process."

Blaisdell continued: "When sellers provide information that doesn't match the organization's messaging elsewhere, it can create mistrust, potentially putting the transaction at risk...CSOs today must ensure synchronized company information across platforms, aligning website content with sales messaging for consistent communication of their organization's value proposition."