2025 Customer Service Face-Off: B2C or D2C?

There’sa compelling debate at the forefront: Which model delivers the better experience—B2C (Business-to-Consumer) or D2C (Direct-to-Consumer)?

B2C brands have been the backbone of the customer experience for decades. They’ve mastered the art of reaching the masses, with established systems and the convenience customers rely on. Think of your favorite big-box retailer or global chain—familiar, reliable, and everywhere.

But D2C brands have rewritten the playbook. They’ve built their success by going straight to the customer—cutting out middlemen, building deeper connections, and offering products that feel personal. They’re all about storytelling, community, and making customers feel like they’re part of something bigger.

Both models have their strengths and struggles. B2C brands are efficient but sometimes lose the personal touch. D2C brands offer intimacy but can struggle to scale. So, the real question is: which one is better equipped to meet today’s sky-high customer expectations?

Let’s dive into the details. In this blog, we’ll break down how these two models approach customer service, explore their biggest wins (and hiccups),and figure out what all this means for businesses. 

Table of Contents

• Understanding B2C and D2C Business Models
• Key Differences in Customer Service Approaches
• Advantages of B2C Customer Service
• Benefits of D2C Customer Service
• Challenges in B2C vs. D2C Customer Service
• Future Trends in B2C and D2C Customer Service
• Choosing the Right Ticketing System for D2C and B2C Businesses
• Final Thoughts

Understanding B2C and D2C Business Models

D2C stands for direct-to-consumer, and B2C stands for business-to-consumer. The real difference? It all comes down to who delivers the product to you. 

D2C is like getting your morning coffee straight from the local roaster. You walk into their store or order online, and the beans they roasted are handed directly to you—no intermediary involved. This gives the company more control over pricing, quality, and experience. 

According to* Wunderman Thompson*, the top reasons shoppers buy directly from brands are better prices (53%) and free delivery (49%). Fast, convenient delivery and free returns also make a significant impact, influencing 36% of buyers. Consumers love D2C products because they often feel like they’re getting a better deal—higher quality at a lower price. How? D2C brands cut out the middleman by sourcing directly from manufacturers and passing those savings to the customer. 

Here are some examples of D2C brands: 

B2C, on the other hand, is like going to a major chain coffee shop. There, beans are sourced from multiple suppliers, and the barista hands over your drink. There’s a broader variety of options, but it’s less personal, and the store handles the product journey. Some examples of brands include: 

Michael Aldrich first introduced the concept of B2C in 1979, using television as the primary medium to reach consumers. Traditionally, B2C referred to experiences like mall shopping, restaurant dining, pay-per-view movies, and infomercials. However, with the rise of e-commerce, the internet transformed B2C by enabling businesses to connect with a global audience directly.

With D2C, you’re building a direct relationship with the brand, while B2C offers more variety through a larger, multi-brand setup. Both models have their perks—it depends on whether you value personal connection or a wider selection.

Key Differences in Customer Service Approaches

B2C customer service:

Regarding B2C customer service, the focus is on efficiency and quickly handling a high volume of inquiries. Many brands in this space are leaning heavily into self-service solutions – like intuitive knowledge bases, helpful product guides, and AI-powered chatbots that tackle common customer questions before they even need to reach a live agent.

Brands like Amazon and Target are perfect examples of this approach. They’ve built robust systems where customers can get answers to simple questions—like checking product availability or tracking an order—without ever needing to speak to anyone. The goal is speed and convenience, cutting down on wait times and reducing the need for human intervention.

Omnichannel support is key here. Customers expect to be able to reach a brand on various platforms—email, social media, live chat—and the experience is usually quick and transactional, designed to address immediate concerns rather than offer personalized service. It’s all about making things as fast and frictionless as possible.

D2C customer service:

D2C businesses are often driven by innovative products that address customer needs that established brands overlook. Therefore, they have a direct relationship with their customers, which means they can offer a more personalized experience. 

Because they control the whole journey, they can use technology, like chatbots and AI, to personalize interactions, making customers feel more valued. They can engage in more profound, meaningful conversations, respond faster, and use data-driven insights to improve every touchpoint. While D2C brands also use automation, they lean more into tailored support and direct engagement.

Let’s look at some key differences between the two:

Advantages of B2C Customer Service

B2C customer service is all about efficiency and convenience for the consumer, focusing on easy access to information and quick resolutions. 

Take Nike, a B2C brand that operates both through physical stores and online platforms. While it works with retailers to sell its products, it also provides a direct, seamless customer service experience that prioritizes efficiency and accessibility. Nike’s customer service strategy is built around meeting the needs of consumers quickly and through their preferred channels.

Here’s how brands can capitalize on key advantages:

• Customer Autonomy: Consumers often prefer to find answers themselves, whether on a website or through social media. Implementing self-service tools like dynamic FAQs, in-context help widgets, and AI-powered chatbots allows customers to resolve issues quickly without needing to contact an agent.
• Intelligent Routing: Most B2C inquiries are familiar and predictable. Automated solutions to route customers to the correct answer can save time and effort. If an issue can’t be resolved through FAQs or chatbots, it can quickly be escalated to a human agent for personalized assistance.
• Omnichannel Support: Consumers expect to be able to reach brands on their preferred platform—whether that’s a website, email, social media, or text. Offering seamless support across multiple channels ensures customers get help when and where they need it, creating a consistent and positive experience.

Benefits of D2C Customer Service

D2C provides brands with a unique opportunity to foster stronger, more direct relationships with their customers while boosting profitability. Take Apple, for example. While it operates physical retail stores, its D2C model is a major player in driving sales through its website. This direct connection allows Apple to offer personalized services like tailored product recommendations, tech support, and exclusive online deals, ultimately enhancing customer loyalty and satisfaction.

• Direct Brand Relationship: Unlike B2C, where customer service is often managed through intermediaries, D2C brands interact directly with customers. This direct connection allows for more tailored experiences, as brands can gather detailed insights into customer preferences and behavior.
• Personalized Support: D2C brands typically offer more individualized support because they control customer experience. With access to first-party data, D2C brands can respond to specific customer needs and preferences, providing more meaningful, personalized interactions through chatbots or live agents.
• Self-Service and Automation with a Personal Touch: While D2C brands also leverage automation for handling FAQs and common queries, they often incorporate more human-like touchpoints in automation. For example, chatbots can use more personalized language tailored to specific product lines or customer needs, creating a seamless experience without losing the human connection.
• Faster Feedback Loop: Since D2C brands have direct access to their customers, they can quickly gather and act on feedback. Whether through surveys, reviews, or social media, D2C brands can implement changes faster, improving the overall customer experience based on real-time data.
• Omnichannel Integration with Consistency: D2C brands strongly emphasize offering consistent support across various channels. Whether it’s a brand’s website, social media, or mobile app, customers expect a cohesive experience, and D2C brands can offer just that by controlling their digital presence and service interactions.

Challenges in B2C vs. D2C Customer Service

Here are some of the major challenges: 

Complexity Across Multiple Platforms:

86% of customers say they expect to be able to move from channel to channel but still have seamless conversations with agents. B2C brands typically use third-party channels like retailers, marketplaces, and physical stores. This multi-layered setup often results in a less streamlined customer service experience. In contrast, D2C brands have direct control over their communication channels, enabling quicker and more efficient responses to customer inquiries.

Fragmented Systems and Integration:

Recent research by IDC shows that organizations with integrated help desk systems experience 47% higher customer satisfaction and 35% faster resolution times. When multiple intermediaries are involved, B2C brands may struggle to integrate their systems seamlessly, leading to inconsistent service and delayed resolutions. D2C brands, however, manage the entire customer journey, allowing for better integration and smoother interactions across various touchpoints.

Responding to Changing Consumer Expectations:

As customer expectations evolve, B2C brands may find it more challenging to keep up, mainly if they rely on indirect feedback from multiple channels. In contrast, D2C brands have direct access to valuable customer data, allowing them to respond swiftly to changes in preferences and tailor the customer experience accordingly. Take, for example, the popular home decor brand Nestasia. Despite its initial success as an e-commerce giant, Nestasia recognized the importance of offering customers a hands-on experience with its products. In response, they opened brick-and-mortar stores where customers can interact with home decor items. 

Customer Retention and Loyalty:

Maintaining customer loyalty can be a significant challenge for B2C brands, especially when their relationship with customers is mediated through third-party retailers or platforms. This can limit the ability to create personalized connections, making it harder to foster lasting loyalty. 

Take Dunkin’ as an example. In October 2022, Dunkin’ revamped its rewards program to boost customer loyalty. The updated program offers perks like birthday bonuses, exclusive offers, and free food/drinks with saved points. Dunkin’ also introduced a “Boosted Status” tier for frequent customers, rewarding those who visit 12 times monthly with additional benefits. Members earn 10 points per dollar spent in-store or through the app.

Conversely, D2C brands have a direct relationship with customers, allowing them to build stronger, more personalized experiences that enhance long-term loyalty. Founded in 1968, Royal Canin is a global leader in pet health and nutrition, specializing in breed-specific cat and dog food. While not a D2C brand, Royal Canin engages customers through its loyalty program, Royal Canin Club, to better understand evolving pet owner needs.

Future Trends in B2C and D2C Customer Service

Here are some future trends in B2C and D2C customer service: 

AI-powered customer service agents

The rise of autonomous AI agents is set to transform customer service for both B2C and D2C brands. AI-driven tools will become essential in handling routine, low-value tasks, enabling faster resolution times and more personalized support. For example, AI can answer frequently asked questions or resolve simple issues, allowing human agents to focus on more complex inquiries. This trend will significantly reduce wait times and improve the customer experience.

Integration of CCaaS and UCaaS for hybrid work

As cloud-based platforms dominate the customer service industry, there is a growing trend toward hybrid work solutions. Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) and Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) are increasingly integrated to offer a more streamlined approach to managing customer interactions and employee engagement. This shift enables companies to utilize data from different touchpoints to provide a more cohesive customer experience.

Proactive outreach for enhanced loyalty

Proactive customer service is gaining traction as a way to reduce friction and enhance customer loyalty. By leveraging data, businesses can predict customer needs and reach out before issues arise. For example, airlines could proactively inform passengers of delays and adjust flight-related services accordingly. While B2C brands are starting to implement this in sectors like travel and retail, D2C brands can integrate proactive outreach more quickly due to their direct relationship with consumers.

Upskilling agents for complex interactions

The role of human agents is evolving from essential problem solvers to experts who can handle more complex issues with empathy. As AI takes over routine inquiries, agents will be tasked with resolving more intricate customer challenges. For B2C brands, this shift could require substantial investments in training programs to ensure agents are equipped with the right tools and knowledge. On the D2C side, brands like Glossier already emphasize the importance of training agents who can provide personalized and emotionally intelligent service. 

Choosing the Right Ticketing System for D2C and B2C Businesses

For both D2C and B2C businesses, having a reliable ticketing system is crucial.

• D2C businesses rely on personalized customer interactions to build long-term relationships. They need tools that ensure no query goes unanswered, helping them deliver a seamless, one-on-one customer experience.
• B2C businesses, on the other hand, handle customer inquiries at scale. Their focus is on efficiency—managing high volumes of queries without compromising on quality.

A ticketing system helps both models by organizing, tracking, and resolving customer inquiries effectively. The market is packed with ticketing systems designed to meet a variety of needs. Some of the most popular options include:

• Traditional Platforms: Tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk are robust and versatile, offering features like live chat, multichannel support, and detailed analytics. These are ideal for large B2C teams.
• CRM-Integrated Solutions: Systems like Salesforce Service Cloud or Zoho Desk integrate deeply with customer data, making them a good choice for businesses focused on cross-functional efficiency.
• Simplified, Email-Centric Tools: For teams that prefer to stick with email for support, Hiver offers an intuitive way to manage customer queries right from Gmail, and also in an Outlook-like interface.

Here’s why Hiver is an excellent fit for D2C and B2C businesses:

• Seamless Gmail integration: Hiver operates directly within Gmail, meaning your team doesn’t need to learn a new platform or switch between tools. Every customer query in your inbox is transformed into a ticket, making support simple and efficient.
• Shared inboxes made easy: Hiver allows teams to manage shared email accounts (like support@ or info@) effortlessly. Queries can be assigned as tickets to individual team members, ensuring accountability and preventing duplication of effort.

• Built for collaboration: Hiver eliminates the need for long email chains or cluttered CCs and BCCs. Instead, team members can add internal notes to emails, tag colleagues for help, and resolve queries together without ever leaving the Gmail interface.
• Automation to save time: Repetitive tasks like assigning tickets, categorizing emails, and prioritizing queries can be automated with Hiver’s smart workflows. This lets your team focus on what really matters—helping customers.
• Actionable insights with analytics: With Hiver’s built-in reporting feature, businesses can track performance metrics like response time, resolution time, and customer satisfaction. 
• Scalability for growing teams: Whether you’re a small D2C startup or a large B2C enterprise, Hiver scales with your business. As your customer base grows, Hiver ensures your support process remains smooth and efficient.
• AI capabilities: Hiver’s AI Summarizer automatically condenses long customer emails into concise notes, allowing agents to quickly understand the issue and resolve it faster. Additionally, Harvey, Hiver’s AI bot, can automatically close emails with a “thank you” response once the issue is resolved, reducing the time agents spend manually closing tickets and improving team efficiency. 

Final Thoughts

Things are changing fast for both B2C and D2C businesses. With customer expectations growing higher every day, both types of companies face the challenge of keeping up and delivering the best possible experience. Whether it’s B2C needing to manage lots of customer interactions at scale, or D2C brands focusing on building personal, long-term relationships, both have unique needs. We hope this blog has helped you better understand the different customer service challenges these two business models face.

To keep up, businesses need the right tools, especially a solid ticketing system, to make sure every customer inquiry is handled efficiently. Whether handling large volumes of tickets or making customer interactions feel personal, a good tool can make all the difference. 

With Hiver, for example, you get a simple and powerful system that integrates directly with Gmail and also works in an Outlook-like interface. This makes it easier for your team to collaborate, automate tasks, and respond faster—all while keeping your customer service smooth and hassle-free.

Take a free trial of Hiver.

*Wunderman Thompson