Australian B2B supply chains hampered by outdated fulfilment tech

New research has highlighted the widespread issue of fulfilment inefficiency across business-to-business (B2B) supply chains in Australia, with 92% of supply chain leaders reporting challenges that are impacting both costs and customer service.

Widespread inefficiencies

The survey, involving more than 200 senior B2B supply chain executives, found that high shipping and fulfilment costs were the most common concern, cited by 36% of respondents. The research also identified manual processes, lack of automation and disconnected systems as drivers of inefficiency, with knock-on effects on business margins and customer satisfaction.

According to the findings, over a quarter of supply chain leaders stated that the absence of automation or flexible workflows was a key pain point. Additionally, 21% said they were slowed down by continued reliance on manual processes and spreadsheets.

Visibility issues

Accurate delivery timeframes proved difficult for many, with 28% acknowledging challenges in this area. Visibility of real-time inventory is also a concern; one in five reported limited access across channels, and 19% flagged a lack of order status visibility, which they said was impacting their ability to deliver quality customer service.

As B2B supply chains become more complicated, 23% said managing complex orders was challenging. A further 24% reported difficulties in connecting systems spanning sales channels, warehouses and suppliers.

Obstacles to change

Despite widespread recognition of the need for improvement, the overwhelming majority-90%-admitted facing barriers to adopting new fulfilment technology. Budget constraints are the most frequently cited challenge, affecting nearly a third of respondents. Limited IT resources and concerns around system integration were also identified by 27% and 26% of supply chain leaders respectively.

"Businesses know their fulfilment operations aren't as efficient as they could be, but many are held back by legacy tech. A modern OMS doesn't replace your ERP, it complements it. It helps businesses modernise and scale without disrupting core operations," said Imran Kamal, Head of APAC, Fluent Commerce.

Modern systems demand

As customer expectations across B2B interactions align more closely with business-to-consumer (B2C) benchmarks-such as fast, accurate and transparent delivery-the limitations of existing systems are coming under increased scrutiny.

Legacy infrastructure often makes it difficult for companies to meet these expectations, especially as supply chains grow more complex and the demand for real-time information grows.

"Many B2B businesses think modernising their fulfilment will be costly, risky or too complex. But today's OMS technology is built to integrate with existing systems. It's about unlocking agility, allowing businesses to scale, automate, and give customers the reliable fulfilment experience they expect," said Kamal.

The research indicates that firms which move towards flexible, cloud-native fulfilment solutions tend to improve efficiency, resilience and competitiveness. As a result, pressure remains on B2B organisations to reconsider how they manage fulfilment as business models and customer requirements evolve.

"Supply chain leaders are under pressure to deliver more with less. The businesses that move toward more flexible, cloud-native systems tend to see improvements in efficiency, resilience, and their ability to stay competitive over time," said Kamal.