Empowering Women in B2B Commerce: Unleashing the Potential of Automation

By: Jigyasa Kishore, Vice President Enterprise Sales and Solutions, Moglix

With over 15 years of experience, Jigyasa excels in brand building, driving enterprise growth, and transforming performance with a technology-first mindset. She has successfully guided major corporations in process reengineering, propelling them toward exponential growth through innovative technology solutions.

Remember when the Indian Space and Research Organization’s (ISRO’s) Chandrayaan-3 landed on the moon? Many of us saw it live. Kalpana Kalahasti, the mission’s deputy project director, was brimming with joy along with 100 other women scientists and engineers who contributed to this historic project. People around the world he aped praise these women.

While celebrating these triumphs, it's essential to recognize that women increasingly make their mark across industries, including B2B commerce. They make up more than 50% of the workforce globally and currently hold around 30% of B2B commerce roles. And this journey is only getting brighter with the help of automation and artificial intelligence.

Automation offers invaluable support to women leaders, empowering them to scale their businesses and drive efficiency. By simplifying tasks and harnessing the power of AI-driven decision-making, women in B2B commerce are on the brink of achieving remarkable advancements.

Gender Disparities in B2B Commerce

Gender disparities persist in B2B commerce, with biases and stereotypes such as the "think manager, think male" perception hindering women's progress in the field. However, increasing the representation of women in the B2B workforce holds immense potential for realizing true business success. Research from McKinsey underscores the benefits of gender diversity.

• Companies with strong gender diversity among executive teams are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability.
• Businesses boasting over 30% female executives tend to outperform those with only 10% to 30% representation.
• In terms of work performance, companies with high gender diversity can outshine those with low diversity by up to 48%.
• Gender-diverse teams demonstrate superior decision-making skills 73% of the time (Hak, 2019).

Women in B2B commerce are vital for bringing in diverse viewpoints and sparking innovation. Women's insights and communication skills enhance teamwork and decision-making. Their understanding of customer needs helps businesses serve a broader audience.

The Role of Automation in Bridging Gender Gaps

Automation holds tremendous potential to bridge gender gaps in B2B commerce by streamlining processes and leveling the playing field for all professionals. In the complex landscape of B2B commerce, where numerous intermediaries are involved, automation can provide invaluable support by reducing reliance on traditional hierarchies and manual workflows. By automating repetitive tasks such as data entry, order processing, and inventory management, women in B2B sales roles can focus their time and energy on strategic initiatives and relationship-building efforts. Additionally, AI-driven analytics can offer insights into customer preferences and market trends, empowering women to make informed decisions and drive growth.

How Automation Benefits Women in B2B Commerce?

One significant avenue for leveraging AI to promote diversity is in recruitment. AI minimizes bias by anonymizing resumes, ensuring candidates are evaluated solely on qualifications. Automation helps in objective decision-making, ensuring fair treatment and opportunities for all.  Additionally, automation facilitates flexibility and work-life balance. Women are lapping up remote work opportunities that help to manage their professional and personal responsibilities more effectively. Automation also drives productivity and efficiency, enhancing professional growth opportunities.

Overcoming Barriers to Adoption

AI and automation could boost gender diversity with organizations actively embracing these technologies. However, to fully harness the potential of automation, women must transition from process-oriented roles and engage in reskilling and upskilling themselves in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The representation of women in STEM fields remains low. According to UNESCO data, only around 35% of STEM students in higher education are women globally. Since B2B commerce often involves technology and data-driven decision-making, the underrepresentation of women in STEM can contribute to gender disparities in this sector.

Organizations must prioritize reskilling and upskilling initiatives for women to equip them with proficiency in AI and other contemporary technologies. These initiatives should emphasize essential competencies such as data-driven decision-making and critical thinking. This could enable them to thrive in an increasingly automated landscape.

Future Trends and Opportunities

The future of B2B commerce automation is shaped by innovative technologies that enhance efficiency and productivity. Tools like Automatic Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) and Voice Picking systems are transforming warehouse operations, making them more efficient and accurate.

AS/RS utilizes warehouse robotics to move goods swiftly, while Voice Picking provides hands-free instructions to workers based on real-time customer orders. Additionally, GPS-enabled logistics automation ensures improved efficiency and safety by tracking delivery vehicles in real-time and machine learning (ML) further streamlining processes, allowing employees to focus on value-added tasks.

With the right skills, women can leverage automation tools to enhance their roles across industries. Automation presents opportunities to boost productivity, particularly in areas like supply chain management. In, the coming years, automation will continue transforming B2B commerce, offering increased flexibility and efficiency. Procurement automation and integration will play a central role in this transformation.

Final thoughts

Automation is a powerful force in empowering women within B2B commerce, unlocking their capabilities, and fostering diversity in the workplace. To fully embrace this potential, organizations must prioritize gender diversity and integrate automation into their operations. By investing in training and creating inclusive environments, companies can ensure women have the skills to excel in an automated landscape. Automation holds great promise for driving positive social change in B2B commerce, offering increased efficiency and opportunities for all. It's time for businesses to seize this potential, champion diversity, and create a more equitable future for women in B2B commerce and beyond.