Understanding Actors in B2B Decision Making

The decision-making process for procurement of B2B services typically involves many people and sometimes a number of different departments and divisions from the customer/client.

Often there will be other 3rd party suppliers and advisors involved: some will contribute to the decision to be made by the customer and some will provide part of the supplier solution.

The key to a supplier successfully winning a new business commission is to understand the customer’s decision-making process, who is involved and why, when they are involved and what their contribution to the decision is.

The following is an example but, of course, every organisation may have different processes.

Some questions to consider

Who are the actors from the customer/client side?

What is their involvement in (use of, engagement with) the end solution?

What is their relationship to the end user?

What is their level of skill, knowledge experience with respect to the solution?

What information do they have or can acquire that will contribute to the decision?

Where do they get their information?

What is their history of decision making?

What is their contribution to the decision-making process – information, influence?

What is their relationship to the potential suppliers and to competitor suppliers?

What is their position in the customer organisation?

When do they get involved?

How will they make their contribution?