B2B Chicago 2024
May 06 - 08, 2024
Chicago Marriott Downtown
Monday, May 6, 2024: Day One
Theme: Future Proofing Your Organization With eCommerce For Today, Tomorrow & Beyond
7:30 am - 8:20 am
Breakfast & Registration
8:20 am - 8:30 am
Welcome Remarks & Icebreaker
Ryan Kulp -
Program Director,
B2B Online
8:30 am - 8:40 am
Chairperson’s Opening Address
Nathan Roy -
Director of Brand and Content,
Constructor
8:40 am - 9:00 am
Opening Keynote – State of B2B: Future Proofing Via Innovation to Transform
Derek Gominger -
COO, Global eCommerce,
Lenovo
The B2B landscape is changing rapidly, but businesses that embrace innovation and transformation will be well-positioned for success in the future. By investing in new technologies and processes, businesses can future proof themselves and stay ahead of the competition. During this keynote; we’ll address the key areas to focus on from one companies POV.
- Embracing Agility and Adaptability: B2B enterprises must prioritize agility and adaptability to stay abreast of contemporary trends.
- Championing Novel Concepts and Technologies: An openness to fresh ideas and a proactive willingness to experiment with emerging technologies are vital for B2B success.
- Empowering Workforce through Training: Investing in employee training and development equips teams to harness the potential of emerging technologies effectively.
- Fostering Collaborative Innovation: Cultivating robust partnerships with suppliers and collaborators is essential for fostering a collaborative environment that fuels innovation.
9:00 am - 9:20 am
Keynote Presentation: Enabling Channels and Dealers. How Manufacturers and Suppliers Can Increase Channel Sales and Loyalty.
Brennen Volbeda -
Director Digital Experience & Strategy,
PCNA
Tom Flierl -
Chief Commercial Officer,
Znode
9:20 am - 9:45 am
Panel: Proactive Vs Reactive: Enabling e-Procurement To Get Ahead & Shape the Future Of eCommerce
Kevin Kazenmayer -
Head of Channel Development,
TradeCentric
Sean Foran -
Director, eCommerce Solutions,
Grainger
Mary Vigil -
Digital Commerce Operations Leader,
Waters Corp
Gregory Palmer -
Sr. Manager – Digital Integrations,
CDW
Suppliers are constantly looking for ways to improve the purchasing experience for their customers. As buying patterns change, it is vital to understand what Customer procurement teams can do (and will be doing) to remove inefficiencies in the Procure-to-Pay process and automate more interactions with their suppliers. During this panel discussion, we’ll learn from a variety of executives who will help shed light on the following topics:
- Importance of understanding e-Procurement & benefits of Procure to Pay
- Modernizing the eCommerce Platform
- Setting requirements from supplier perspective
- How the two Depts work as one
- ROI goals for e-Procurement & Company
- Corporate social responsibility; and hitting goals
9:45 am - 10:05 am
Presentation: How Generative AI is Revolutionizing Business - 5 Takeaways From the World’s Largest Generative AI Study
Michael Sinoway -
CEO,
Lucidworks
Generative AI is a rapidly evolving technology with the potential to revolutionize business. In this Keynote session, Michael Sinoway, CEO of Lucidworks, will discuss the latest trends in generative AI investment and the impact of the technology on customer experience, automation, and overall business operations.
Topics covered include:
- Industry-tailored trends in generative AI investments
- Key concerns shaping generative AI strategies
- Leading nations in planned GenAI investments
10:05 am - 10:10 am
Closing Remarks
Nathan Roy -
Director of Brand and Content,
Constructor
10:10 am - 10:45 am
Grand Opening of the Exhibit Hall
Indulge in a moment of networking and rejuvenation during the first morning break at the Grand Opening of our Expo Hall, where stimulating conversations converge with a burst of energy, setting the stage for a day of innovation and collaboration in b2b!
10:45 am - 10:50 am
Transition Time
B2B Interactive Workshops:
B2B Interactive Workshops will provide you with the opportunity to engage in any one the three simultaneous workshops running throughout the day. During these sessions, you can actively address some of the most significant industry challenges. Each workshop is designed to last 55 minutes, allowing participants to collaborate with fellow attendees, collectively solve problems, and gain essential insights for practical implementation.
How can you increase sales across new channels while driving channel collaboration instead of channel conflict? What are the impacts of selling on a marketplace or launching your own marketplace? Is it possible to sell direct-to-consumer without damaging existing channel sales? What are the differences between marketplace and dropship? What does it mean to be a platform business vs. a pipeline business and what makes platform businesses so efficient and scalable?
Learn the answers to these questions and new business models that enable manufacturers and distributors to scale by digitizing existing and new relationships.
Why is personalization so darn hard for B2B? Are you getting lost trying to find opportunities through thousands of SKUs and multiple categories?
Join us in this workshop where we'll demonstrate how to harness your data effectively to craft scalable, revenue-generating digital experiences. Delve into real-life success stories from industry leaders like HD Supply, Sonepar, and Global Industrial for actionable insights you can apply immediately.
11:45 am - 11:50 am
Transition Time
Looking to gain competitive advantages, fortify relationships, and simplify your business's sales cycle through digital innovation? Dive into 'The Power of Self-Serve' workshop where we'll bridge the gap between the complexity of business rules and the challenges of client expectation.
This workshop offers manufacturing organizations a chance to discover best practices, and join empowering discussions on self-serve digitalization through the lens of nventive's longtime partner, Hadrian & Zurn Elkay Water Solutions . See how a tool well developed can increase satisfaction while transforming your sales force into heroes.
How would you rate your organization’s eCommerce maturity? Not an easy question to answer – even for digitally advanced companies.
Whether you think you have cracked the eCommerce code or are just beginning, understanding your organization’s eCommerce maturity (or learning what great looks like) crystalizes a clear picture of where you are now and where to go next.
Join Intershop’s B2B commerce experts in a workshop where we’ll guide you through an eCommerce maturity self-assessment designed to understand your unique maturity level.
You will leave this workshop with a framework that helps you obtain critical resources for your eCommerce project, such as funding, talent, tools and more. We’ll review features & functions, organizational maturity, search, self-service, and more to give you a nuanced understanding of your organization’s progress and path forward.
Dive into a Networking Lunch that's as lively as a marketplace – where B2B eCommerce tips flow as freely as the refreshments. Grab your plate, join the culinary and commerce adventure, and let's turn lunchtime into a feast of connections and business interaction!
Join us as we navigate the intersection of artificial intelligence and tailored strategies to propel your B2B initiatives to new heights. How can your company use AI to offer your customers the best possible experience online?
1:55 pm - 2:00 pm
Transition to Workshops
Manufacturers and distributors know that search and discovery is critical for driving better adoption of ecommerce channels, but how well equipped are you to evaluate your company’s unique search experience?
Join Algolia’s B2B eCommerce experts in a workshop where we’ll audit your own search experience based on learnings from Algolia’s 1,700 manufacturer and distributor customers, as well as Baymard’s B2B search UX best practices. For the first 15 minutes, we’ll review the guidelines for each of the experiences we’ll audit (Search bar/SRP, Quick order experiences, Category Pages/PLPs, PDPs, Cart, and Checkout pages), then we’ll walk through step by step as you fill out your own audit workbook with observations and areas of improvement you can bring back to your team immediately and start driving ROI.
B2B leaders face a challenging dilemma: they must satisfy the demands of both their customers and employees, who are increasingly influenced by GenAI trends. However, achieving significant business outcomes hinges on establishing a robust foundation of domain data. Regrettably, only a handful of enterprises possess such a comprehensive and widespread data infrastructure.
In this hands-on workshop we will answer three critical questions: 1) How can you align GenAI opportunities with your business objectives? 2) What strategies can you employ to identify the most relevant domains of data to establish your data foundation? 3) What does a compelling business case for investing in data and AI entail?
By the end of the session, you will have concrete answers to these questions tailored to your own business needs, and you'll also benefit from insights shared by fellow B2B leaders
2:55 pm - 3:00 pm
Transition Time
2:55 pm - 3:55 pm
Lucidworks Private Tasting
Sign up required
Which marketplaces should you sell on to drive omnichannel growth? If you’re already active on marketplaces – how can you drive revenue and profitability growth? This workshop will give you thought starters that will inform your marketplace strategy (Amazon, Google Shopping, Bing, Apple, Octopart, etc) – whether you’re just beginning down the path of marketplaces or you’re a seasoned seller.
Elevate your conference experience with a delectable Sugar Rush & Networking Break in the vibrant Exhibit Hall. Satisfy your sweet tooth while forging valuable connections, as this indulgent interlude combines the sweetness of treats with the opportunity to engage and network with industry leaders and fellow participants.
From startups to the brands you know, listen to leaders demonstrate their products, services and solutions directly to you, and understand how the tech can work for your business.
Demonstration #1 No More ExSKUses: It’s Time to Transform Product Data with AI-Powered Innovation ---
Faster. Better. Cheaper. The struggle with product data is real. Getting clean, complete, channel-ready product data to your digital shelves quickly and cost-effectively, is critical. Our SKU Build solution, based in data science and powered by AI, gets results. We have helped our B2B clients enrich and onboard 8M+ SKUs and counting. See the demo and learn more.
Hosted by Derek Corrick, General Manager, Pivotree
Demonstration #2 Creating an E-Commerce Portal with Added Value
To really achieve a digital transformation in your B2B customer experience companies need to provide more than just a “e-commerce” site. In this short talk we will review the core functional needs of a B2B e-commerce solution including quoting, customer specific pricing, and multi-catalog and brand support. We will also discuss how the full digital solution needs to provide secure personalized content for both pre and post sales, as well as a portal to other back-end system like ERP, order management, and payments for customer self-service.
Hosted by Bill Dunn – President, Dunn Solutions, a KaarTech Company
Our roundtables are a wonderful way to continue to network and engage with your peers on a topic of your choosing. These interactive sessions allow you to innovative digital and omni-channel solutions on the market in a relaxed setting. Not bad huh? Each roundtable will have a specific theme for you to learn from. The Roundtables at B2B Online are designed to foster intimate conversations around common hurdles. Come prepared to engage in small groups of 10-15 of your peers to discuss ways to re-strategize and overcome common roadblocks to success. This is an hour-long session. After the first 30-minutes, the attendee (Manufacturers And Distributors only) will stand up and choose a new topic to engage in.
Table 1 - Onboard with Ease: Using AI to Standardize and Enrich your Product Content
Eric Hills – CEO, WrangleWorks
Howard Blumenthal - Director, eCommerce and PIM, Motion Industries
Table 2 - OX Jeopardy: 3 Things That Will Positively Impact Your Business in 2024
Carlos Manalo - Co-founder and Co-CEO, The Office of Experience
Table 3 - The Rise Of Standardized Product Content: Navigating ETIM, ECLASS, and Beyond!
Stefan Ahrens, VP of Sales Americas, Productsup
Table 4 How Modernizing AR Can Drive Growth & Efficiency
Kevin Sontgerath - B2B Payment Partnerships, Capital One Trade Credit
Patrick Lenihan - Director, Technology and B2B Payments, Capital One Trade Credit
Table 5 - B2B ecommerce in the next 3-5 years - AI & other practical strategies for unlocking growth
Elisabeth Clark - Senior Manager Web Strategy and Experience, Lippert
Martin Hjalm - Commercial Director, Vaimo
Table 6 –
(first rotation) Navigating Digital Transformation: Bridging the Gap in B2B Sales
(second rotation) From Trends to Trust: How to Leverage AI-Powered Pricing
Hosted by Jerome Cahuzac - Principal Smart CPQ, PROS
Table 7 - Martech Capability Scoring Model – Strategies for Tools, People, and Process Needed to Realize Value - Richard Gatewood – Global VP of Digital Solution, iCrossing
Table 8 - Product experience: Driving growth and personalization through your catalog
Simon Robillard, Vice-President, O2 Commerce
Table 9 Hosted by Brandon Gracey -Director, Enterprise Sales, Shopify
Table 10 Strategies for AI in B2B
Hosted by Aaron Schubert, Senior Director, Product Management, Salesforce & Vickie Holtmeier, SVP Sales, Salesforce
We’re excited to host a private tasting to explore the wide world of Bourbon. Join us as we unwind from Day 1 over our signature cocktail: a Zocalo’d Fashioned! A modern take on a classic cocktail. Come network with leading B2B Commerce experts and your industry peers and learn how Zocalo is modernizing digital commerce.
(sign up required)
5:35 pm - 6:25 pm
B2B Beats & Networking in Rhythm with Special DJ Guests, Hosted By Icreon
Rudy Abitbol -
VP, eCommerce & Digital Marketing,
AMG Medical
Ljubitza Frkovich Mallqui -
Head of Marketing,
Promelsa
Our Back2Back Beats & Networking in Rhythm with Special DJ Guests promises an electrifying fusion of commerce and harmony, where industry leaders converge for networking as Rudy and Ljubitiza, renowned eCommerce execs AND DJs in the digital realm, curate a pulsating soundtrack, creating an immersive experience that amplifies the energy as B2B Online day 1 ends.
9:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Late Night Meet Up @ Lobby Bar
Finished with dinner and looking for a place to come hang out? Head to the lobby bar for a nightcap in the hotel! This meet up is designed to allow you to be able to hang out before calling it a day!
Cash/Credit Accepted