Are we on the same page? Developing a Business-to-Business Customer Experience scale for professional services

Riarna Hellyer

doi:10.25907/00951

Customer experience (CX) is an area of interest to both academics and industry professionals, particularly within the business-to-consumer (B2C) sector. However, as will be discussed in this thesis, despite the extensive body of B2C focused CX research, exploration regarding CX in the business-to-business (B2B) sector is limited, particularly in relation to how CX is measured. This thesis addresses this gap in CX and B2B literature through the development of a theoretically supported B2B CX measurement scale, contributing a shift beyond the current trend of atheoretical scale development in the field. In addressing this gap, this thesis inquiry is guided by the following research question: How should B2B CX be measured in professional services? It also seeks to address four related research objectives, including: i) Identify theories used in the study of B2B customer experience, ii) Identify customer experience dimensions present within a B2B context, iii) Identify the outcomes of B2B customer experience, and iv) Identify factors that impact B2B customer experience. Prior to undertaking empirical exploration to address the research question and objectives, this thesis presents a narrative and systematic literature review (SLR). The narrative literature review identifies the key concepts and theories of this thesis, introducing agency theory, CX, and the B2B sector, inclusive of the professional services industry. Following this, the SLR, explores what is currently known and not yet understood about B2B CX, identifying 23 articles which met the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol (PRISMA). Of particular interest, analysis revealed identified B2B CX literature was strongly influenced by B2C definitions and characterisations, potentially impacting the relevance and applicability of findings to the B2B sector. Additionally, identified B2B CX scale development studies were atheoretical in nature, counter arguments of the need for theory from both B2B and CX literature. Results of the SLR supported the research question and objectives of the thesis, supporting the need for a theoretically guided B2B CX measurement scale grounded in the B2B sector, which the thesis then undertook through an agency theory lens. To address the research question and objectives and supported gaps in knowledge identified in the narrative and SLRs, this thesis adopts a mixed methods scale development approach. The scale development consists of three studies aimed at developing a B2B CX measurement scale through the use of qualitative and quantitative data. Consistent with the scale development process, Study One specified the domain of the B2B CX construct, utilising data from 20 semi-structured interviews with Australian B2B customers and service providers, as well as drawing upon insights from both the systematic and narrative literature review. Results from Study One establish an initial understanding of key B2B CX dimensions, which were then carried forward into Study Two for further analysis. Building on these results, Study Two develops an initial item pool to measure B2B CX, consisting of 65 items across four dimension (name them in brackets here) and two facilitators and modifiers (name them in brackets here). In Study Two the validity of the item pool was assessed by an expert panel of 10 participants, including both practitioners and academics. Further, an exploratory factor analysis was undertaken with the 65 items, using survey data collected from 308 B2B customers. Resulted reaffirmed the previously mentioned B2B CX dimensions and facilitators and modifiers identified in Study One. Further, the item pool was reduced from 65 to 56 items. Study Three continued the refinement process from Study One and Two, using survey data collected from an additional 308 B2B customers to confirm and validate the B2B CX scale via confirmatory factor analysis but also to assess antecedents, potential moderators and outcomes. In assessing the measurement model, both convergent and discriminate validity were satisfied, resulting in a further refined 45-item B2B CX measurement scale. Additionally, the structural model was assessed, proposing 11 hypotheses grounded in agency theory and the findings of the previous studies, of which five were supported, confirming a hierarchical structure of the B2B CX scale, inclusive of three antecedents (name them here), and two outcomes (name them here). Further, the B2B CX scale is shown to function as a mediator. In summary, the results of the three-stage scale development process, led to the development of a multidimension, 45-item B2B CX measurement scale. Moreover, this thesis identified and defined two higher-order dimensions of B2B CX, shared knowledge and personal connection. In particularly, the latter, “shared knowledge”, which was shown to be critical to positive B2B CX dimension, and hence the title of the thesis “Are we on the same page?”, indicating a need for shared knowledge between customer and service provider. Results also positioned customer education and relationship style, two novel factors in this thesis, and performance ambiguity, as antecedents of B2B CX. Additionally, customer loyalty and perceived switching costs were identified as outcomes of the B2B CX scale. Overall, this thesis provides three significant theoretical contributions to the B2B and CX literature. First, this thesis addresses the current trend in athoertical scale development through the introduction and use of agency theory as a guiding theoretical lens. It also demonstrates along with this how agency theory helped identify appropriate antecedents and outcomes, whilst then also explaining the network of relationships inclusive of B2B CX. Second, this thesis offers an alternative and more in-depth perspective to understanding the cognitive dimension, introducing the higher order dimension of sharded knowledge and antecedent of customer education. Finally, this thesis provides new methodological considerations to improve rigour in future scale development studies in B2B literature. It does so by using a mixed method design guided by agency theory, showing how B2B literature can move beyond premature confirmatory scale development approaches and how theory can guide both the development and testing of B2B scales inclusive of consideration of antecedents and outcomes. This thesis also offers three practical contributions for scholars and marketing practitioners. First, this thesis offers a valid and reliable measurement instrument, that can be used either in full or in part to measure the B2B CX phenomena. Second, this thesis emphasises the value of customer education beyond core services, conceptualising customer-led and service provider-led education activities and showing its importance in enhancing B2B CX. Finally, the findings of the B2B CX scale, highlight the impact of CX on customer loyalty and perceived switching costs within a B2B context with the thesis offering some considerations of how this insight can be actioned by managers. Through the findings presented in this thesis, scholars and practitioners are provided with greater understanding of the multidimensionality of B2B CX and offered a practical tool for its measurement.

Are we on the same page? Developing a Business-to-Business Customer Experience scale for professional services

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