Learn the Relationship B2B Customers Want

Business-to-business customers often expect a person-to-person relationship. According to research at University of Geneva, there are two dimensions to that expectation:

• Secure business attachment. Your B2B customer may want to rely on you for quick answers to questions about purchases made from your business and for quick solutions to problems with purchases.
• Close business attachment. Your B2B customer may want to develop personal bonds with you or your outside sales agent, exchanging information about family and friends, for instance.

     The research findings also suggest a way to learn the mix of secure business attachment and close business attachment each of your B2B customers wants: Watch as they interact with others who are close to them. This can mean paying attention to how the various participants in the purchase decision relate to each other. One description of the roles is:

• Initiators identify the need for the product or service you provide.
• Gatekeepers gather information and route it to the other participants in the purchase decision.
• Influencers differ in the amount of knowledge they have, their motivation to sway the outcome, and the political power they can exert in organizational decision making.
• Buyers authorize the purchase.

     In midsize to large organizations, these roles will probably be carried out by a set of individuals, so you can learn the type of relationship each wants by noting how that person interacts with the others. When the B2B customer is a small business, though, maybe it’s all done by one person. In this case, consider inviting that person and their romantic partner to join you for a leisurely dinner.
     Here’s why: The University of Geneva research says that B2B customers who demonstrate secure attachment with a romantic partner experience higher satisfaction, trust, and repurchase intentions in their B2B dealings.