As a Delivery Lead, I frequently write about collaborating with engineers on development teams, within Atomic and at the client’s organization. However, my work extends beyond development teams. Collaborating with our client’s Product Managers (PMs) is equally critical, as they shape the product’s vision and strategy, which directly influences how teams execute and deliver.
At Atomic, Delivery Leads work with PMs creating shared goals for the team that align with the context of the PM’s business. Collaborating with Product Management in a business-to-business (B2B) environment can be meaningfully different from doing so in a business-to-consumer (B2C) setting. Each type of company has unique challenges, and adapting my approach to these differences has been key to fostering successful partnerships.
In this post, I’ll share insights on the core differences in supporting B2B vs. B2C PMs and how I’ve adapted my approach to better serve each type.
Understanding the Core Differences Between B2B and B2C
While B2B and B2C PMs both strive to create successful products, their strategies and obstacles differ based on their target audiences. Their two main markets are described below:
• B2B (Business-to-Business): B2B companies sell to other businesses. Examples include Salesforce, Shopify, and Dropbox. The length of a sales cycle varies based on product complexity, ranging from one to three months for simpler products to a year or more for highly complex solutions.
• B2C (Business-to-Consumer): B2C companies sell directly to individual consumers, typically online. Examples include Gymshark, Pinterest, and Headspace. Since individuals tend to make purchasing decisions quickly, a B2C sale can happen in a matter of minutes or days.
There is also a hybrid model called B2B2C (Business-to-Business-to-Consumer), which combines elements of selling to both businesses and individual consumers. However, this post focuses on the distinct characteristics of B2B and B2C models.
Collaborating with B2B Product Managers
In a B2B environment, I usually focus on helping the PM by aligning stakeholders, anticipating quality and compliance concerns, and managing complex dependencies and integrations. Below are some ways that I will tailor my approach:
Facilitating Stakeholder Alignment and Communication
B2B product requirements are often influenced by multiple departments, such as engineering, marketing, sales, IT, and operations. Because so many constituents are involved in decision-making, I work with my team to identify representatives from each department and establish communication channels early on. For example, we might set up Slack or Teams channels dedicated to specific topics, such as a technical channel for engineers or a budget-focused channel for finance.
Once communication channels are in place, I tailor stakeholder communication to their specific needs. This includes adjusting terminology and detail levels based on their familiarity with the project and technical expertise. If a product vision document doesn’t exist, I work with the PM to create one. This document articulates the product vision by telling a story about the customer, their problem, and how we plan to solve it. PMs have shared that having a vision document helps align stakeholders effectively.
In all these efforts, I aim to use tools the team is already familiar with or those with minimal learning curves to ensure adoption.
Ensuring Quality and Compliance
Many B2B clients have strict quality and compliance requirements to ensure safety and legal adherence. To support PMs, I identify early on who or which department oversees compliance, security, and risk management. Establishing relationships with these contacts helps me understand their processes, concerns, and timelines.
During the research, design, and planning stages, my team also investigates regulatory requirements and integrates them into the product design if necessary. Additionally, I build time into the delivery schedule for audits, document reviews, and data privacy assessments to ensure the timeline remains realistic.
Managing Complex Dependencies and Integrations
B2B products often integrate with client systems or third-party tools. Identifying and tracking these dependencies is critical. My team collaborates with the client’s engineering teams to identify relevant dependencies and creates visual aids, such as application dependency maps, to help the PM visualize them.
On a recent B2B project, we created a map showing how different systems in the ecosystem were interconnected and interdependent. The PM used this map to raise awareness about feature dependencies, enabling more informed decisions about feature prioritization in the roadmap.
Collaborating with B2C Product Managers
In a B2C setting, where speed and scalability are often paramount, my approach emphasizes agility, end-user focus, and rapid iteration. Supporting a B2C PM requires being highly responsive to customer needs and market dynamics while ensuring the team can adapt quickly to feedback.
Enabling Quick Iteration and Agile Release Cycles
B2C products often need to evolve rapidly to keep up with market trends and user expectations. To support this, my team streamlines the release process, incorporates automation where possible, and optimizes sprint planning. These practices enable quick iterations, allowing the B2C PM to learn from each release and make timely adjustments based on user feedback and business goals.
Reinforcing a Customer-Centric Culture
In a B2C environment, the user experience is everything. To support this, I evaluate all product requests through the lens of the end-user. When disagreements arise about feature priorities or release content, I bring the discussion back to a simple but powerful question: “What will best serve the customer?” This approach helps realign the team’s focus and ensures that decisions center on the customer’s needs.
Prioritizing User Feedback and Data-Driven Decisions
Analytics and user feedback play a central role in the decision-making process for B2C PMs. I support this by working with the team to integrate feedback loops and ensure that user metrics are built into the product from the start. This minimizes the time between identifying issues and implementing solutions, allowing the team to respond quickly to customer insights.
Additionally, I collaborate with the design team to create low-fidelity prototypes that the PM can use to gather early user feedback. These prototypes validate ideas before committing to significant UI/UX changes, reducing risk and maximizing value.
Shared Principles Across B2B and B2C
While my approach to collaborating effectively with PMs varies based on their company type, certain principles hold true across both environments:
• Clear Communication: Keeping communication open and transparent is crucial. I make it a practice to ensure everyone is informed through regular updates, daily standups, sprint reviews, and bi-weekly reports.
• Removing Roadblocks: Actively identifying and addressing blockers allows the team to stay productive. During daily standups, I ask about potential issues and work to resolve them quickly. If dependencies cause delays, I escalate them to the PM immediately.
• Staying Agile and Flexible: While processes vary across teams, the need for flexibility is constant. I attempt to foster a team culture that can adapt to changes and respond effectively to evolving priorities.
Final Thoughts on Supporting Product Managers
Supporting Product Managers in B2B and B2C companies requires an understanding of their unique goals and challenges. By tailoring my approach as a Delivery Lead, I provide the support PMs need to deliver products that truly serve their customers—whether they’re targeting other businesses or individual consumers. My goal is to stay adaptable, communicate clearly, and be a reliable partner in navigating the complexities of product delivery.