From manual orders to managed accounts: The evolution of B2B ordering

It’s easy to forget how far we’ve come.

Before phones, before emails, before any kind of system, people used to physically go in and write their orders down. Pen to paper. You’d chat, scribble out what you needed, maybe shake hands, and that was your order.

Then phones came along and everything sped up. No more visits needed, just a quick call to say, “Can I get another batch of those?” Then emails appeared, and suddenly orders were coming in at all hours of the day with long chains of back and forth messages.

And then the spreadsheets started.

Endless versions, updates, and attachments. Trying to keep them aligned between sales, admin, and the customer. It worked, sort of, but it was a nightmare to track.

Eventually, businesses started to realise that something more structured was needed. In house systems came along, bits of software built to manage customer orders and track what was going on. It was progress, but they often stayed hidden behind the scenes and never quite connected with how customers actually wanted to order.

Then came the next step, B2B web platforms.

These filled the gap that traditional webshops couldn’t. They weren’t just for one off buyers browsing for a product. They were built for companies with accounts, agreed pricing, repeat orders, and specific product lists. Finally, customers could log in and order directly without the admin pile up.

But even that is still evolving.

Now we have punchouts, integrations, and real time connections between platforms and ERP systems. Orders go straight in, delivery tracking syncs automatically, and data moves both ways. It’s all getting smoother, smarter, and more connected.

And honestly, we’re only just getting started.

At ePro, we see this evolution happening every day. The platform is constantly changing, not just because of new technology but because of what our customers ask for. Every improvement comes from real businesses saying, “Can we make this part easier?” and then we do.

The interface, the automation, the admin tools, they’re all evolving with one goal in mind.
To make ordering and managing customer accounts as simple and effective as possible.

From handwritten orders to full system integrations, it’s been quite a journey.
And the next chapter? We’re already working on it.