Gauging the Effect of Buyer vs. Seller Initiation of Customer Value Creation on Buyer Loyalty in Large B2B Sales Relationships

This study addresses two central questions: Is it important to determine whether the salesperson or the buyer initiates value creation in large business-to-business (B2B) selling environments? Furthermore, does the mode of initiation – buyer or seller – later influence customer attitudes toward the sales interaction? Value creation is necessary for large B2B sales situations because customized solutions often are required to meet customer needs. This empirical study compares buyer and seller initiators of value creation in B2B dealings and analyzes which actor most positively affects customer perceptions. In a study of 142 senior-level managers at buyer organizationswho participated in large-sale deals, we quantitatively analyzed the relationship to identify who initiates value creation, based on the initial Net Promoter Score (NPS). Buyer managers rated seller-initiated value creation higher than buyer-initiated value creation, and seller-initiated value creation had a net positive effect on buyer attitudes and loyalty. The study concludes by offering sales managers practical strategies for enhancing buyer satisfaction, creating positive customer word-of-mouth, and engendering customer loyalty.