Younger versus older business buyers have a few things in common. Both groups want to use sales, supply chain and procurement channels to make their jobs easier, faster and more effective.

But how they use these channels are in contrast between the ages groups, says a new report from Forrester Research.

“Forrester’s research shows that younger buyers bring those behaviors and attitudes to B2B buying, and are more likely to use digital and self-serve transaction channels than their older counterparts,” the report says.

Younger buyers use digital channels more

Millennial and Generation Z buyers are much more digital in their channel usage than their older counterparts. For example, 35% of younger buyers say they will use an enterprise app to make corporate purchases. 24% of older B2B buyers prefer placing orders with an inside sales representative. That compares with just 19% of Millennial and Generation Z buyers.

“Across all phases of the buyer’s journey, older buyers most frequently identified in-person vendor sales interactions, peer conversations, and visiting vendor websites as the most meaningful or impactful sources of information,” the Forrester report says. “Two of these three information sources represent vendor-owned interaction types. But no vendor-owned interactions were selected at the same frequency by younger buyers.”

“Generational shifts in the workplace are turning the business buying process on its head,” says Amy Hayes, vice president and research director at Forrester. “Lack of understanding about millennial and Gen Z buying behaviors can adversely affect providers’ ability to reach, engage, and ultimately win these buyers over.”

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