A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Developing a typology of Business-to-Business (B2B) customer journeys




AuthorsKuehnl Christina; Panina Ekaterina; Tischer Moritz

PublisherElsevier

Publication year2026

Journal: Journal of Business Research

Article number116287

Volume214

ISSN0148-2963

eISSN1873-7978

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116287

Publication's open availability at the time of reportingOpen Access

Publication channel's open availability Partially Open Access publication channel

Web address https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116287

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523500446

Self-archived copy's licenceCC BY

Self-archived copy's versionPublisher`s PDF


Abstract

Interest in customer journeys (CJ) is growing in business-to-business (B2B) settings. Surprisingly, scholars remain silent about how contextual factors shape combinations of B2B CJs, B2B customer experience management (CXM) approaches, and B2B customer experiences (CX). Employing an abductive research procedure that integrates field-based insights from 56 managers with literature, we propose a typology of three distinct B2B CJ archetypes. We identify (1) lean CJs, focusing on efficiency and minimizing customer effort through seamless, digitally driven touchpoints; (2) co-created CJs, prioritizing collaboration through personalized, consulting touchpoints that address diverse stakeholder goals and strengthen relationships; and (3) transformational CJs, emphasizing strategic partnerships and new ways of value creation by introducing innovative touchpoints to the CJ. Our analysis also reveals four tensions in customer–supplier interactions across the three CJ types. These CJ archetypes and associated tensions help marketers align their CXM approach with specific customer goals, meaningful CX responses, and relevant business contexts.


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Funding information in the publication
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors gratefully acknowledge support from Christian Homburg for data collection.


Last updated on 22/05/2026 11:50:00 AM