You’ve got your B2B online presence established, but deep down, you know you’re missing out on sales. With all the potential needs (we count 50 of them), how do you decide where to optimize B2B website performance? The MoSCoW method brings simplicity to this critical process. Warren Buffett says you have to know what you want, but how?
Identify & Categorize Your Needs – B2B Website Performance
In order to start, you should identify exactly what elements are critical and which ones can wait. Bringing order to the process is half the battle. This way you dedicate resources to key areas instead of taking on too many upgrades at once.
We’re going to look at 5 examples using the MoSCoW criteria which helps you prioritize. Put simply, you categorize each potential need like this:
- Must have – Business can’t live without it.
- Should have – Would love this, but can survive without it.
- Could have – Would be nice, but certainly can wait.
- Won’t have – Not needed at all.
Example 1: Mobile Responsive Design Vs. Product Videos
In this first example, we have two highly desirable features for any B2B business. However, given today’s device based reality, mobile responsive design is essentially a must have. A majority of B2B buyers search for product on their mobile devices. This consumer behavior makes it pointless to deliver on target without the responsive design — so it’s a MoSCoW Must.
Product videos, on the other hand, might fall within a range of Should and Could Have, depending on product characteristics. Still, we can imagine some exceptions. For instance, video animation products without videos wouldn’t make much sense.
Example 2: Tiered Permissions Vs. Bulk Editing by Attribute
The above example considered user experience (UX), and the same process can apply to the admin experience (AX) side as well. The digital world is teeming with data. At early stages, it may not be a must, but as your business grows, tiered permissions could be vital to organization and information security. Meanwhile, bulk editing by attribute might be something that is wanted, but you can work around it for now. This places it squarely in the “Could Have” category.
Example 3: Recurring Billing Vs. Credit Limits
Each business has its own set of payment criteria. For instance, with subscription products or services, recurring billing is essential. In other environments, where one offers credit benefits, credit limits might be mandatory. This is a great illustration where options have dramatically different priorities for each business.
Example 4: Split Shipment Vs. Inventory Tracking
When it comes to fulfillment, the same MoSCoW principles can be applied. Is inventory tracking critical? It is if you’re selling car parts, but no so much if digital content is your thing. Having digital inventory tracking can significantly help you monitor operations in real time (scaling sales, etc.) no matter what size your business is. The same can be said for split shipments. Again, the distinct characteristics of your business help define what your priorities are.
Example 5: Dedicated Servers Vs. Cloud Servers
Here’s a classic example of choices that B2B business face every day. So you ask yourself: how much control do you need? What are your cost limitations? Do team members or clients require instant access across many devices? When you categorize each option in terms of Must, Should, Could or Won’t, you streamline and focus efforts precisely.
The MoSCoW Counterparts
No, this isn’t an international espionage tale, but it is critical for the decision making process. Besides being guided in prioritization criteria, you need a comprehensive list of factors to optimize B2B website function. Our MoSCoW method lists 50-or-so items across 10 categories that every B2B business should consider. Some will be critical and others not so much. The key to success rests in proper identification of needs and rating each one accurately.
Think of it as an evolving checklist. As you take care of critical needs, the items in the Should Have category come next. This allows you to continuously improve your operations by simultaneously evaluating multiple options.
For each potential upgrade you might ask yourself:
- Is it illegal to be without it? (MUST)
- Is it painful to leave out, but non-critical? (SHOULD)
- Is it wanted, but workable without it? (COULD)
- Is it easier to work around it? (WON’T)
Conclusion
In the B2B sector, the options to optimize B2B website performance are numerous. Only an organized approach lets you identify and properly prioritize choices. And an orderly process saves time, money and focuses efforts on what matters to your B2B operation now.Download our MoSCoW template to find a complete set of criteria for needs assessment and B2B needs across 10 categories.
