BlogSirpa Toljander 08.04.2026

In B2B, is the customer experience an emotional humbug or a business-critical driver of growth?

Customer experience development Customer experience Customer insight

Last autumn, we published a calculation formula that models the value of customer experience, which can be used to measure and predict the effects of customer experience on a company’s bottom line. The study was eye-opening and raised more questions: does customer experience play an equal role in B2B business? Now it has also been examined. The results were surprising – but after a little reflection, completely logical!

Last autumn, we investigated with our CX team how much a satisfied customer affects the company’s bottom line, directly or indirectly. To calculate the business value of customer experience, we utilised Dagmar’s study of Finnish customer experiences. The study revealed three factors that can increase the value of average purchases: a satisfied customer returns to buy, expands the contents of their shopping cart and helps generate new sales by referrals.

We developed a formula where A is the size of the shopping cart and k is the extent of the recommendations:
A × (customer retention + cross-selling + (recommends to their reference groups × k × buy based on recommendations))

Our study revealed that even one satisfied customer can generate more than three times the amount of additional sales compared to the original purchase.

How does customer experience affect B2B customers?

Now we delved into the effects of customer experience in B2B business. We separately analysed Finnish decision-makers, entrepreneurs and senior salaried employees in leading positions. When we compared the results of the B2B group with the entire population, we found that for B2B customers, customer experience matters even more than for consumer customers. In a group of B2B decision-makers, after a good customer experience, the customer

• more likely to return
• expands the shopping cart more strongly
• recommends more actively
• trusts the recommendations of others even more

The impact of customer experience is emphasized precisely in the areas that affect the growth of B2B companies, the continuity of contracts and the opportunities for cross-selling.

Key figures of the customer experience effectiveness formula in the B2B target group

1. A satisfied B2B customer returns to buy more often

After a positive experience, 84% of B2B decision-makers buy again. In the entire population, the corresponding share is 81%.

In B2B, this does not mean small additional sales, but often a multi-year contract extension, fewer tenders and predictable invoicing. When the customer relationship is smooth and the customer receives value, they will hold on to their partner – and this will be reflected in the future cash flow.

2. B2B customer relationships grow and expand more easily

The study showed that a good customer experience leads to more purchases: 54% of B2B customers buy more from the company. In the total population, the share is 49%. In B2B, this means:

• License extensions
• deployment of more units
• extension of service agreements
• scaling technical services to the entire organization

One well-managed customer experience creates added value throughout the customer lifecycle.

B2B customers are more active in recommending – and recommendations carry more weight

When the experiences are good: 73% of B2B decision-makers share them. In the entire population, the corresponding share is 67%.

And even more significantly: 65% of B2B decision-makers say that a recommendation influences their purchase decision. At the level of the whole of Finland, the share is 62%.

In the B2B world, recommendations are made in industry groups, business networks, steering groups and management-level discussions. One person’s experience can affect multiple business units, even group-level procurement.

Why is customer experience critical in B2B?

Decisions are made in smaller networks. One good experience can open the door to a new customer relationship in the next steering group or industry meeting.

When cooperation works, people don’t want to change it. Implementing a new partner requires processes, onboarding, integrations and risk management. The replacement can generate significant costs.

The value of the contracts is higher and longer than on the consumer side. One B2B customer relationship can represent a partnership of several years and a value chain of hundreds of thousands of euros.

Opportunities for cross-selling and scaling are created through trust. When the customer feels that the service is functional, they expand it to other units, markets or service lines.

At the latest, this breaks the myth that emotions don’t matter in B2B!

AUTHOR

Sirpa Toljander

CX Director

sirpa.toljander@dagmar.fi

+358456450616

Sirpa Toljander is Customer Experience Director at Dagmar and a doctoral researcher specializing in customer experience management, participatory design methods, and design thinking. Her research and professional work examine how organizations can create business value through deeper customer understanding, human-centered innovation, and evidence-based development.

Sirpa is particularly interested in the interplay between customers, organizations, and emerging technologies, exploring how artificial intelligence, co-creation, and design-driven approaches can enhance customer experiences, organizational capabilities, and business outcomes.