You are about to upgrade your legacy system to a B2B integration suite. It is exciting to consider the new business opportunities you will be able to seize. Yet, you still have questions – specifically, what features should you look for in a modern integration suite?
In this article, we will explain the five essential characteristics you should consider:
- The ability to integrate AI and IoT information streams
- Analytics and insight generation
- Scalability
- Community management
- Vendor viability
Integrating AI and IoT Information Streams
AI and IoT will become a crucial part of the enterprise landscape in the coming years. Be prepared for that now; choose a B2B integration suite that allows you to integrate those information streams.
Legacy technology cannot handle the velocity, volume, or variety of AI and IoT data. Yet, if you do not make use of it, you lose out on incredibly valuable information, information that can give you a competitive advantage.
Analytics and Insight
Do you know how your business is really performing? How about your supply chain? Analytics can tell you what you want to know.
Modern B2B integration suites have analytics capabilities. Analytics can identify trends (such as frequently delayed shipments or a trading partner’s inability to stock inventory) and point them out to you, so you can make the right decisions for your business.
Scalability
Your goal is for your business to grow. Your B2B integration suite should grow with it. We have identified scalability as one of the top five essential requirements for a modern integration suite.
A B2B integration suite should be able to integrate with a large number of data sources. Moreover, you should not be limited by the number of trading partners you have; if you want to add more partners, your B2B integration suite should let you do that easily.
Community Management
What is the relationship between you and your trading partners? Can you easily onboard them to your integration suite? Are they compliant with your requirements (and more to the point, how easy is it for you to figure that out)?
Community management is a vital capability for modern B2B integration solutions. It ensures easy onboarding, compliance with requirements, self-service partner profile administration, and easier methods of communication so that your relationship is healthy and prosperous.
Vendor Viability
This is the only requirement on this list that is not technical in nature. That being said, it is still important. In fact, it is essential for any new software or hardware solution you purchase, yet so many companies overlook it.
You want your B2B integration suite vendor to be around in the long run. Otherwise, who will provide support to your solution? Who will offer updates when the time comes? A vendor who goes out of business cannot help you maintain your B2B integration suite.
Choosing the right B2B integration suite vendor is easier when you know what to look for. You want a solution that offers cutting-edge capabilities and that is built to last. Remedi can help with that. See some of our recent data integration success stories to learn more.
