The verdict in three sentences
A Berlin wholesaler still taking orders by phone, fax or email accumulates entry errors and delays. A custom order management tool (30,000-75,000 EUR) gives each B2B customer their catalogue, negotiated prices and an order portal linked to the ERP. The ROI reads in errors removed and admin hours handed back to the sales team.
Cost per module in 2026
The project breaks into priceable blocks. 2026 ballpark for a wholesaler in Berlin.
| Module | Scope | 2026 cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| B2B order portal | Web/mobile customer area | 10,000-20,000 |
| Per-customer catalogue | Assortments, visibility | 5,000-12,000 |
| Negotiated pricing | Grids, discounts, tiers | 6,000-14,000 |
| Real-time order tracking | Statuses, notifications | 4,000-10,000 |
| ERP integration | Stock, invoicing | 5,000-13,000 |
| Customer history migration | Data migration | 3,000-8,000 |
| Project total | 30,000-75,000 |
Overall lead time: 10 to 18 weeks. A pilot portal with a few key customers can ship by week 7.
The ROI: errors and delays
Two levers drive the return. The drop in order errors (credit notes, disputes, returns) and the reduction in admin processing time. Ballpark for a 12 M EUR wholesaler.
| Metric | Before | After (12 months) |
|---|---|---|
| Order errors/month | 90 | 22 |
| Average cost of a credit note | 55 EUR | 55 EUR |
| Order processing time | 26 min | 6 min |
| Admin hours/week | 42h | 14h |
| Out-of-hours orders | 8 % | 34 % |
68 errors avoided per month at 55 EUR is nearly 45,000 EUR per year; 28 admin hours handed back each week is nearly a half-time role reassigned to sales.
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Mini case study
Julien, manager of a beverage wholesaler in Berlin (11.5 M EUR revenue, 380 hospitality customers). He invests 58,000 EUR in a custom order portal. In year one, order errors drop from 90 to 24 per month, i.e. 66 avoided at 55 EUR: about 43,500 EUR saved. Processing time falls from 26 to 6 minutes, freeing 28 hours per week in order admin. As a bonus, 30 % of orders now arrive out of office hours via the portal. The investment is repaid by errors avoided and productivity gains alone in under 15 months.
FAQ
Why custom rather than a generic portal? Because your per-customer assortments and negotiated pricing are specific. A generic portal forces compromises that recreate the re-keying and errors you wanted gone.
What lead time in Berlin in 2026? 10 to 18 weeks: 2-3 weeks scoping, 6-11 development, 2-3 for testing and customer rollout. A pilot with your 10 biggest customers can ship in 7 weeks.
Will B2B customers actually use it? Yes, when the portal shows their catalogue, prices and history, adoption often exceeds 60 % of orders within 6 months, with a spike in out-of-hours orders.
How does the ERP connect? Via a dedicated integration (stock, pricing, invoicing) priced 5,000 to 13,000 EUR. Portal orders become ERP documents without re-keying, making invoicing reliable.
Can we keep sales-rep order taking? Of course: reps use the same tool on the go to enter orders at the customer, while the portal serves self-ordering. Both channels feed the same ERP.
Let's scope your project. Give us your number of B2B customers, your ERP and your monthly order volume, and we will price the portal and priority modules. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
