5 steps to unified commerce orchestration for multi-subsidiary organizations

As manufacturers and wholesalers scale through acquisition, they gain reach and product breadth — but also introduce commercial fragmentation. 

Enterprise buyers encounter separate catalogs, disconnected purchasing experiences and multiple invoices for what should be a single transaction. 

Internally, sales teams can’t see cross‑sell opportunities, leaving revenue on the table.

Consolidating ERPs is the natural answer, but it’s not sufficient to realize the synergies planned before acquisitions.

There’s a faster, less expensive path: unifying the buying experience on top of your existing systems.

What is unified commerce orchestration?

Unified commerce orchestration is a strategic approach to connecting all subsidiaries through a single backend while preserving their operational independence. 

Manufacturers offer unified product catalogs, consolidated pricing, one invoice and streamlined procurement without requiring expensive system overhauls or disrupting established operations.

A unified commerce orchestration enables multi-subsidiary organizations to present a single platform to enterprise customers while preserving the operational independence that makes each subsidiary successful. 

And because it sits on top of your existing systems, it can deliver commercial synergies in months — not years.

Here's your roadmap to get there.

Step 1: Build your business case and get executive buy-in

Start by mapping which enterprise customers currently buy across multiple subsidiaries: 

• Quantify the revenue at risk if these national accounts switched to competitors offering simpler purchasing experiences.

• Calculate the new revenue opportunity from effective cross-selling once you eliminate visibility barriers between subsidiaries.

• Compare the time and cost advantages of unified commerce orchestration versus waiting for ERP consolidation. 

Demonstrate accelerated synergy timelines with manageable investment to secure C-suite commitment becomes significantly easier.

Step 2: Select and implement a commerce orchestration platform

A commerce orchestration solution must handle the complexities faced by companies operating with multiple subsidiaries: different pricing models, varying fulfillment capabilities, diverse product catalogs and unique customer requirements.

This requires an adaptable architecture that enables organizations to onboard selected subsidiaries through APIs or data feeds without forcing them to abandon the core operations that already work.

Key considerations when selecting a platform:

• Prioritize flexibility and integration capabilities over shiny lists of features. Business needs will evolve, and the platform must adapt without requiring massive reconfiguration projects.

• Look for solutions that establish rules-based order routing and provide dedicated backend interfaces so each subsidiary maintains control over its operations and contributes to offering a unified customer experience.

The goal is to enable commercial synergies while respecting operational differences.

Step 3: Pilot with select subsidiaries and customers

Launch your pilot with two or three subsidiaries that offer complementary products, then select a few key enterprise accounts to participate. 

This approach allows organizations to test unified catalog workflows, order routing logic and consolidated invoicing processes before exposing any issues to your broader customer base.

During the pilot, addressing critical governance questions is essential: Who sets prices for cross-sell opportunities? Which subsidiary takes invoicing responsibility? How are returns or customer service inquiries that span multiple subsidiaries handled?

Track metrics that matter: unified catalog adoption rates, cross-sell penetration, average order value improvements and customer satisfaction scores. 

These early indicators become proof points for scaling across the organization and demonstrate ROI to stakeholders who need evidence before committing additional resources.

Step 4: Scale across the organization

With pilot learnings in hand, you're ready to accelerate.

Use what you learned to streamline additional subsidiary onboarding — you've already identified the integration challenges and governance questions that need addressing. 

Extend the unified buying experience to broader customer segments beyond your pilot accounts. This is where the platform investment pays dividends. Integrate with customer-preferred procurement systems to reduce friction in their buying processes.

Optimize order routing based on real performance data rather than theoretical assumptions.

Don't forget the human element. Establish centralized customer support capable of handling inquiries across all subsidiaries.

This completes the "one company" experience that enterprise customers expect — after all, they shouldn't need to understand the intricacies of your organization to get help.

Step 5: Extend with third-party suppliers

Once you've unified your subsidiaries, the same platform can onboard external suppliers to fill portfolio gaps. 

Create a comprehensive one-stop destination that meets customer needs even when you don't manufacture or distribute every product yourself.

Add personalized retail media capabilities so suppliers can reach relevant audiences across your unified catalog. 

But there's an additional strategic advantage: You can use the platform for M&A intelligence. 

Test potential acquisition targets as third-party suppliers first, gathering real customer demand data and evaluating their operational performance before making acquisition decisions.

When you do acquire, integration complexity drops dramatically because they're already connected to your commerce orchestration platform.

This approach transforms your M&A strategy — reducing risk while providing immediate value to customers.

The transformation: From fragmented operations to competitive advantage

Organizations that implement unified commerce orchestration achieve three fundamental outcomes:

1. Accelerated synergies — Deliver commercial results in months instead of waiting years for traditional methods. Your sales teams gain cross-selling visibility immediately, and enterprise customers experience unified purchasing from day one.

2. Seamless customer experiences — Enterprise accounts buying across your organization get single catalogs, consolidated invoicing and consistent service regardless of which subsidiary fulfills their order.

3. Future-proofed M&A strategy — Every future acquisition integrates faster because your orchestration platform becomes the standard integration point. You've built infrastructure that makes growth easier, not harder.

The time to act is now

The cost of waiting isn't just delayed synergies — it's lost revenue, frustrated customers and competitive vulnerability. While you are debating the right approach to simplify existing systems, your competitors are implementing faster alternatives and your enterprise customers are evaluating simpler purchasing options.

Unified commerce orchestration offers a pragmatic path forward: measurable results in months, minimal disruption to existing operations and a platform that makes future growth easier instead of harder.

Discover your multi-subsidiary maturity level in this 1-minute quiz.

Karthikeyan Jawahar,

Product Marketing Manager