Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critique the adequacy of efforts to capture the complexities of customer experience (CE) in a business-to-business (B2B) context using input-output measures. The paper introduces a strategic customer experience management framework to capture the complexity of B2B service interactions and discusses the value of outcomes-based measurement.
Design/Methodology/Approach
This is a theoretical paper that reviews extant literature related to B2B customer experience and asks fresh questions regarding B2B customer experience at a more strategic network level.
Findings
The paper offers a reconceptualisation of B2B customer experience, proposes a strategic customer experience management framework, and outlines a future
research agenda.
Research Limitations/Implications
This paper is conceptual and seeks to raise questions surrounding the under-examined area of B2B customer experience. It offers a framework that is propositional in nature and will thus benefit from further empirical interrogation.
Practical Implications
Existing measures of customer experience are problematic when applied in a B2B (services) context. Rather than adopting input- and output-based measures, widely used in a business-to-consumer (B2C) context, a B2B context requires a more strategic approach to capturing and managing customer experience. Focusing on strategically important issues should generate opportunities for value co-creation and are more likely to involve outcomes-based measures.
Social Implications
Improving understanding of customer experience in a B2B context should allow organisations to design better services and consequently enhance the experiences of their employees, their customers and other connected actors.
Originality/Value
This paper critiques the current approach to measuring customer experience in a B2B context, drawing on contemporary ideas of value-in-use, outcomes-based measures, and ‘big data’ to offer potential solutions to the measurement problems identified.
Key words: B2B customer experience, B2B services, outcomes-based measures
The purpose of this paper is to critique the adequacy of efforts to capture the complexities of customer experience (CE) in a business-to-business (B2B) context using input-output measures. The paper introduces a strategic customer experience management framework to capture the complexity of B2B service interactions and discusses the value of outcomes-based measurement.
Design/Methodology/Approach
This is a theoretical paper that reviews extant literature related to B2B customer experience and asks fresh questions regarding B2B customer experience at a more strategic network level.
Findings
The paper offers a reconceptualisation of B2B customer experience, proposes a strategic customer experience management framework, and outlines a future
research agenda.
Research Limitations/Implications
This paper is conceptual and seeks to raise questions surrounding the under-examined area of B2B customer experience. It offers a framework that is propositional in nature and will thus benefit from further empirical interrogation.
Practical Implications
Existing measures of customer experience are problematic when applied in a B2B (services) context. Rather than adopting input- and output-based measures, widely used in a business-to-consumer (B2C) context, a B2B context requires a more strategic approach to capturing and managing customer experience. Focusing on strategically important issues should generate opportunities for value co-creation and are more likely to involve outcomes-based measures.
Social Implications
Improving understanding of customer experience in a B2B context should allow organisations to design better services and consequently enhance the experiences of their employees, their customers and other connected actors.
Originality/Value
This paper critiques the current approach to measuring customer experience in a B2B context, drawing on contemporary ideas of value-in-use, outcomes-based measures, and ‘big data’ to offer potential solutions to the measurement problems identified.
Key words: B2B customer experience, B2B services, outcomes-based measures
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 109-126 |
| Journal | Journal of Services Marketing |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Apr 2017 |