The Hidden Bottleneck Costing B2B Companies Millions—And How to Fix It

B2B sales have changed. Customers expect faster order fulfillment, fewer mistakes, and a seamless digital experience. Yet behind the scenes, most businesses are struggling to keep up. 70% of all B2B sales orders are still processed manually, slowing operations, increasing costs, and frustrating customers.

At first glance, this might not seem like a big deal. But here’s the reality:

• The average order error costs $17,800.

• Manual orders take 28% longer to process, delaying shipments and damaging relationships.

• Only 2% of companies relying on manual sales orders can fulfill 95% of orders on time.

Meanwhile, the most forward-thinking companies are automating. By 2026, suppliers expect a 20% increase in sales orders handled via automation. Those who don’t adapt will be left behind.

Why Traditional Automation Isn’t Solving the Problem

For years, businesses have tried to digitize order processing using EDI, RPA, and eCommerce. But these solutions only solve part of the problem—leaving massive gaps that still require manual work.

• EDI works well for large, established customers, but it’s expensive and difficult to maintain. Extending EDI beyond major buyers is impractical.

• RPA is often seen as a shortcut to eliminating manual data entry, but it’s rigid and unreliable. When customers send orders in different formats or make small changes, the system breaks, forcing teams back into manual processing.

• eCommerce has been a major investment for B2B businesses, but it hasn’t eliminated manual order processing. Large buyers won’t manually input hundreds of SKUs into an online shopping cart, and smaller customers still prefer email, PDFs, or fax.

This is why, despite years of investment, the majority of B2B sales orders are still manually processed. The problem isn’t that businesses aren’t investing in automation. It’s that they’re investing in the wrong kinds of automation.

The Shift to AI-Powered Sales Order Automation

The companies winning today aren’t just automating some orders—they’re automating all of them. The key to eliminating inefficiencies isn’t relying on outdated automation tools. It’s implementing a system that can handle every order, no matter how it’s received.

That’s where AI-powered sales order automation comes in. Unlike EDI, RPA, or eCommerce, AI-powered automation doesn’t require customers to change how they place orders. It works behind the scenes, processing orders exactly as they’re received—whether by email, PDF, fax, or any other format.

Companies using AI-powered sales order automation see dramatic results:

• 50% fewer order errors, reducing costly mistakes.

• 30% lower processing costs, freeing up budget for growth.

• Double the operational efficiency, allowing teams to focus on customer relationships instead of manual data entry.

This isn’t about minor improvements—it’s about eliminating manual work entirely. AI can read and process incoming orders with near-perfect accuracy, even if they’re messy, unstructured, or contain errors. It detects and fixes issues before they cause costly delays and integrates directly with ERP and sales systems—so businesses can scale without adding complexity.

The Risk of Waiting Too Long

Every business wants to reduce errors, speed up processing, and improve efficiency. But most don’t act until the pain becomes unbearable.

The problem? By the time companies realize their competitors are operating more efficiently, they’ve already lost customers, revenue, and market share.

Here’s what’s happening across the industry:

• Manufacturers and distributors are prioritizing AI-powered automation to eliminate inefficiencies.

• A 20% increase in digital order processing is becoming the industry standard by 2026.

• The gap between AI-driven companies and manual processors is widening fast.

How to Move Toward 100% Sales Order Automation

Businesses that have already embraced AI-powered automation aren’t just cutting costs—they’re transforming how they operate. Here’s how you can take the same steps:

1. Find your manual bottlenecks. Identify the most error-prone, labor-intensive order entry workflows that slow you down.

2. Invest in AI-powered sales order automation. Choose a system that can process all orders, in any format, without requiring manual intervention.

3. Scale automation beyond your biggest customers. EDI and eCommerce help, but true efficiency comes from automating every order, from every customer.

4. Eliminate costly order errors. AI catches and corrects mistakes before they impact fulfillment—reducing costly returns and chargebacks.

The shift to automated sales order processing isn’t about keeping up—it’s about getting ahead. Companies that implement these solutions now will lead the next decade of B2B sales.

The Future of B2B Sales Orders is Here

The companies that win in B2B aren’t the ones with the best products or the biggest sales teams. They’re the ones that operate more efficiently than everyone else.

Manual processing is costing you time, money, and customers. AI-powered sales order automation is the solution.

The question isn’t whether you’ll adopt it. It’s how much revenue you’ll lose before you do.

The most competitive companies are already making the shift. Will you?

Download the guide now and take the first step toward full sales order automation.