A dynamic, relational approach to B2B customer experience: A customer-centric perspective from a longitudinal investigation

Abstract

Understanding the formation and dynamics of B2B customer experience (CX) is a key priority for marketing academics, with a notable gap necessitating empirical investigation. To address this gap, two studies were conducted. The first utilizes a mixed-method approach to generate and empirically assess a CX measure, with a specific focus on impressions during the service delivery stage from a relational perspective. The second using longitudinal data explored the impact of past impressions and specific supplier offerings on current customer impressions. The authors identified four types of impressions: two cognitive (factual and sagacious) and two affective (emotional and social) and highlighted that certain aspects of past impressions negatively impact the present. The paper further elucidates how the technical and functional components of the supplier's offering shape customer impressions, confirming the functional elements' impact on the affective impressions of the customer’s perceived CX and influencing the perceived relationship quality.