Challenge

A leading agricultural solutions company needed to modernize their business operations by implementing an e-commerce platform. The main challenge was integrating digital solutions while preserving the high-touch, relationship-based business model that had been successful for years.

Project Background

The company conducted extensive field research across multiple locations in California to gather feedback about implementing a digital ordering system with online pricing. The research involved interviews with various stakeholders including branch managers, sales representatives, and field consultants.

Key Findings

• Stakeholders expressed strong concerns about displaying prices online, citing potential disruption to existing business relationships
• Field personnel emphasized the complexity of agricultural sales, including:
  • Custom pricing structures
  • Bundle deals and loss leader strategies
  • Regional variations in practices
  • Regulatory requirements for restricted-use products
• Users requested alternative digital solutions focused on:
  • Inventory management
  • Order tracking capabilities
  • Payment processing improvements
  • Multilingual support
  • Purchase history access

Challenges Identified

• Complex pricing structures that vary by region and customer relationships
• Regulatory compliance requirements
• Need to maintain personal relationships in sales process
• Order workflow complexities including delivery scheduling and modifications
• Integration with existing systems

Stakeholder Feedback

"With all the problems you could have solved, why would you start with pricing? There are other things that would be more helpful."

"This new process is like ripping the bandage off; it's doing too much all at once."

Solution Approach

Based on the feedback, the digital team needed to:

• Build a flexible system that accommodates regional business variations