Determinants of Customer Benefits in Business-to-Business Markets: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

Abstract

The authors examine the concept of customer benefits in business-to-business markets in an international context. They distinguish between core and add-on benefits, and they discuss product quality, service quality, flexibility, trust, joint action, and commitment of the supplier as determinants of these customer benefits. They base their analysis on 981 respondents in two countries. The results suggest the importance of understanding the determinants in providing customer benefits. Furthermore, the authors observe significant cultural differences with respect to the impact of different determinants on perceived customer benefits. Following a discussion of the results, the authors present managerial implications, research limitations, and directions for further research.