The Hidden Levers of Customer Adoption in B2B eCommerce with Carlos Camacho

In the ever-evolving world of B2B eCommerce, one truth is becoming clear: Customer adoption isn’t a feature of your digital strategy, it is your strategy.

In a recent episode of the B2B eCommerce Show, Carlos Camacho, Global Commerce Lead at Bausch + Lomb, shared hard-earned lessons from his 18+ years of driving digital transformation. And one theme came through loud and clear: adoption is now a race, and not every company is running fast enough.

Adoption Is the Competitive Edge

Carlos doesn’t mince words: “Right now, it’s a race… how fast can you get your customers to adopt?” The companies winning in digital commerce aren’t just building great platforms, they’re getting customers to actually use them. The difference? Some organizations are seeing 70%+ of sales online, while their competitors lag at 30% or less​.

The implication is clear: The better your customer experience, the stronger your hold on your current customers, and the harder it is for competitors to steal them.

Digital First ≠ Technology First

Too many companies approach digital transformation backwards, starting with tech instead of the why. Carlos reminds us that digital is an enabler, not a destination. The real question is: What experience does your customer want?

Modern B2B buyers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, expect frictionless, self-service experiences. They don’t want to call a rep to reorder. They want intuitive portals, real-time pricing, invoice history, and smart recommendations. And if they can’t get it from you, they’ll find it elsewhere​.

It’s Not Digital vs. Sales, It’s Both

Carlos shared a crucial insight from his own analytics: the highest-value customers are those who interact both online and with sales reps. B2B adoption isn’t about replacing people, it’s about freeing up your sales team to focus on what only they can do: consult, build relationships, and solve problems.

He puts it plainly: “The death of the B2B order taker is real. But the rise of the solution-oriented salesperson is here.”​

Adoption Requires Alignment, Not Just Launches

You can’t just launch a platform and hope for adoption. You need a company-wide program, not a one-time project. Carlos outlines key drivers of adoption:

• Enablement Teams: People who help customers learn and use the tools from day one.
  
• Sales Incentives: Pay reps commission no matter the channel or they’ll never promote eCommerce.
  
• Cross-Department Metrics: Make eCommerce performance part of KPIs across sales, marketing, and leadership.
  
• Continuous Feedback Loops: The launch isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of ongoing UX improvements​.
  

Start with the Customer, Not the Catalog

One of the most powerful ideas from Carlos is the reminder to build experiences from your customer’s workflow, not from your org chart.

Forget trying to replicate Amazon. Instead, ask: What does my customer need to do their job better? That’s how companies like Sonepar have driven deep engagement, by helping their customers manage projects, not just carts​.

Final Thoughts

B2B is not a technology problem. It’s a people and experience problem, and those who win at adoption will win the market.

Carlos’ advice is simple but powerful: “A rising tide lifts all boats.” When we build better customer experiences, the entire industry gets stronger. And that starts with listening to your buyers, empowering your people, and making adoption everyone’s job.

Ready to take customer adoption seriously?
Stop waiting for change, start driving it. Because in this race, slow and steady loses.