Features and Stages of B2B Buyer Decision-Making

The article discusses the main features of the purchase decision-making process in the B2B market based on the analysis of the concept of a «buying center», a classical approach to analyzing the behavior of a corporate client. The purpose of the study is to identify the determinants of B2B buyer behavior in the industrial market and to determine the stages of making a purchase decision by adapting Customer Journey Map for the B2B buyer. Four main distinguishing characteristics of the B2B buyer have been identified: multilevel and collective decision-making, orientation towards long-term relationships with the most important suppliers in the B2B market, high susceptibility of B2B buyers to technological innovations, compliance of purchased products with environmental, social and managerial priorities. The advantages of the Customer Journey Map method for analyzing and optimizing the complex decision-making process of a B2B customer are identified. An expanded Customer Journey Map is proposed, taking into account the key feature of corporate sales - the involvement of a «buying center» consisting of individuals with different roles, interests and evaluation criteria. The stages of making a decision on the purchase of B2B by the buyer are defined as follows: awareness of the company's products and services; comparative analysis of offers from Russian and foreign manufacturers; internal coordination in the purchasing center, making a purchase decision and signing a contract; delivery and use of the product; increase B2B customer loyalty and develop relationships through repeat purchases. Using the example of a Russian manufacturer of power hydraulics, it is demonstrated how the proposed Customer Journey Map is transformed from an analytical tool into an interaction algorithm that allows the supplier to proactively manage relationships, shorten the sales cycle and lay the foundation for a long-term strategic partnership.