JustDial Mega-App Adds New B2B Fixtures

As India-based digital search and resource servicer JustDial explores how to add business-to-business products, the company is hoping to add new fixtures to its Search Plus search engine that appeals to B2B consumers.

Search Plus is touted as JustDial’s “Masters App;” that is, it’s an application that offers everything from flight and travel booking, to entertainment access, to food orders. With elements that also offer payment services, JustDial has been strengthening the product’s financial offerings in recent years.

With a new focus on B2B service, JustDial announced this week (Feb. 17) that three more services have been added to the existing 20 fixtures on the Search Plus web application, and they all cater to the B2B crowd.

JustDial has developed a B2B cloud solution, set to go live next quarter, that offers inventory, e-commerce and marketing solutions, all initially free for business customers JustDial founder V.S.S. Mani said.

It’s unusual that a single app would offer such an extensive array of services not just for the B2C users. But according to Mani, Search Plus aims to solve the issue of an oversaturated app market, for both businesses and the typical consumer. “We feel there is a huge opportunity there because the market is actually flooded with too many apps, too many options,” he said. “People are fatigued, and JustDial will help solve that with its app, aggregating multiple services.”

Search Plus offers payment information storage and a reverse auction platform, in addition to online shopping services. While resources for both individuals and businesses are currently free, the company said it expects to start monetizing Search Plus within the next year or two.

With high payment volume, B2B makes up a significant portion of the world’s e-commerce business. Digitizing B2B offerings could place JustDial at advantage, especially as the procurement process is gradually migrating online, and especially as India’s e-commerce industry balloons. Recent research by Knight Frank India released earlier this month predicted that India’s online shopping will surpass brick-and-mortar spending in just four years.