4.3 Major Influences on B2B Buyer Behavior
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- 1 List and describe the external influences on B2B buyer behavior.
- 2 Explain the internal factors that influence B2B buyer behavior.
- 3 Examine the individual factors that impact B2B buyer behavior.
- 4 List and describe the interpersonal factors that influence B2B buyer behavior.
- 5 Explain the conditional factors that impact B2B buyer behavior.
Figure 4.6 Influences on B2B Behavior (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
External Factors
External factors at work in the B2B buying decision can be economic conditions, the political/legal environment, competition, and the social environment.
First consider economic factors, such as the level of primary demand, the economic outlook, and the cost of money (i.e., interest rates). When the economy is strong, when unemployment is low, and when personal income is up, B2C demand increases, driving upward demand in the B2B market. Conversely, during economic recession, B2B buyers look for ways to cut costs, and buying is significantly reduced.
Political and legal factors also influence B2B buying decisions. These factors include the political system, the political situation, and government policies. Legal factors include laws, rules, and regulations, including tariffs (which are taxes on imported goods) and exchange rates (the value of one country’s currency versus another.) To give you an idea of how such legal factors can negatively impact a firm, consider that, in 2018, after an expert panel found possibilities of health risks, the Indian government banned approximately 6,000 brands of medicine, dealing a blow to both domestic and foreign pharmaceutical firms.14 It doesn’t take much imagination to recognize the impact this policy had on these pharmaceutical firms.
Competition also affects B2B buying behavior. It stands to reason that, when a competitor changes its product offering and garners more market share, a business will want to respond by going on the defensive and changing its product offering as well, triggering one or more B2B buying situations. The fast-food industry is just one example of this. Wendy’s was the first national fast-food chain to introduce salads in response to consumers’ desires for healthier food options.15 Shortly thereafter, many other competitors, including Arby’s, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and Burger King, followed suit.
Finally, the social environment influences B2B buying behavior because each member of the class will likely approach the situation armed with different information, different perspectives, and perhaps different personal agendas. For example, the vice president of the marketing department may want to spend money on a new customer relationship management software package, whereas the vice president of the finance department may be more inclined to reserve capital and forego the purchase.
Internal Factors
Organizational factors are those factors internal to the organization that affect buying decisions. Every organization has certain business objectives and goals, and goods and services should be purchased according to these objectives. For example, if a company experiences a period of poor sales performance, management might slow down or halt major purchasing decisions until the financial performance of the company improves. Conversely, a company with a strong track record of sales may push for more strategic purchases to gain or maintain a competitive edge.
Consider how an organization’s technology influences B2B buying behavior, particularly if the purchases must be compatible with the technology that is already in place in the organization. When purchasing a new product or service, decision makers are often reluctant to change the existing technology and go with something new.
Finally, workforce skills are as important as the decision makers and the products or services themselves since the workers are the ones who are going to use the new equipment or service and (hopefully) will make the most of it. Thus, new purchases must be compatible with the existing workforce skills, or employees must be offered training on the new technology.
Individual Factors
Just as with consumers, B2B buying decisions are influenced by the characteristics of the individuals in the buying center. Consider just one factor: age. FINN Partners compiled its B2B Buyer’s Influence Report and discovered several interesting statistics. Millennials (i.e., those born between 1981 and 1995) are generally the most optimistic about purchase decisions. A whopping 83% are confident that they are paying a reasonable price, and 97% believed that the vendor would deliver as promised. This compares to only single digits for baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964).16
The B2B buyer’s education also plays a role. A more educated buyer is assumed to select goods and services carefully and approach the buying decision rationally, whereas a buyer with less education may make the buying decision based on a hunch.
Job position typically conveys an individual’s status within the organization. Those individuals involved in the buying decision who are higher up in the organization’s hierarchy may have more influence than those with less formal authority within the organization.
Those involved in B2B buying decisions are, after all, human beings, so it stands to reason that personality will play a role. Personality refers to an individual’s distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behavior, and these factors will play a role in making buying decisions. Examples of the many personality traits that B2B buyers and consumers have include things like self-confidence, aggression, and competitiveness. For example, some risk-averse individuals may prefer to do business with a known supplier rather than a vendor they are not familiar with. Likewise, personal preferences play a role in the B2B buying situation. Some individuals in the buying center may favor products of a certain quality, brand, price point, and so on.
Interpersonal Factors
Business buying decisions are typically collective and follow procedures established by the organization. The buying center usually consists of several individuals with different formal or informal authority, status within the organization, and technical expertise.
If the buying situation involves a highly complex product or service, an individual with significant expertise will have and exert more influence in the buying decision. It’s also important to note that some individuals in the buying center may have more influence than others, whether due to their position within the organization or their personal persuasiveness.
Finally, organizational politics and culture may also impact who the decision makers are and the degree of power or influence they exert on the decision process. Companies with a strong hierarchical structure may foster a tendency for decisions to be made at a higher level within the organization. This may be particularly true in international B2B transactions, which will be covered in more depth in Marketing in a Global Environment.
Conditional Factors
It stands to reason that the present financial condition of the organization will play a large role in the buying decision. If the organization is financially struggling and cash is in short supply, it may decide to make a purchase from suppliers who offer credit or may choose to purchase a less expensive product that is within its budget.
Likewise, availability of the product or service will play a significant role in the buying decision. An organization may choose to go with a supplier who can readily deliver the product or service within the time constraints of the project, even if the price is higher.
Knowledge Check
It’s time to check your knowledge on the concepts presented in this section. Refer to the Answer Key at the end of the book for feedback.
4.4 Stages in the B2B Buying Process
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- 1 Explain and describe the stages in the B2B buying process.
The B2B Buying Process
The B2B buying process—the journey B2B buyers and the buying center take to complete a purchase—is significantly different and more complex than the consumer purchasing decision process. You’ll recall from Consumer Markets and Purchasing Behavior. That the consumer buying decision encompasses five stages—need recognition or problem awareness, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase evaluation. By contrast, the B2B process involves eight stages (shown in Figure 4.7). Let’s take a closer look at each of these stages.
Stage 1: Problem Recognition
Similar to the consumer purchasing decision process, the first stage in the B2B buying decision process begins when someone within the organization identifies a problem or a need that can be resolved through a purchase. For straight rebuy purchases, this stage may be as simple as the fact that the organization is running low on copier paper or toner. In a case like this, the B2B buyer simply places the order, and the process ends.
Modified rebuy purchases make the process more complex, as these may involve replacing outdated equipment, technological changes, or revising marketing brochures or advertisements. Now, instead of placing an order from an existing supplier for an already-purchased product, the B2B buyer has to follow through on more of the stages in the process.
New-task buying is the most complex. For example, your organization may decide that, due to the growth of the organization, it needs to purchase an accounting software system or a new piece of manufacturing equipment. In these cases, the B2B buying process will likely incorporate all of the steps listed in Figure 4.7.
Stage 2: Need Description
Next, the buying center will need to further define what needs to be purchased. This often involves collaboration among members of the buying center in terms of describing what is needed from a technical perspective, desired features, quantity, etc.
Consider a firm that is developing a new electronic control for an appliance. The components are many—a printed circuit board, capacitors, resistors, microprocessors, etc. Members of the buying center will be called upon to develop a bill of materials—a list of parts, items, assemblies, subassemblies, documents, drawings, and other materials required to create the control. Think of the bill of materials as the “recipe” used to create the finished product.
Stage 3: Product Specification
B2B buyers often develop product specifications, a blueprint that outlines the product to be built, how it will look, what features it will have, and how it will function. The product specification needs to be concise and readable for everyone in the buying center and yet contain sufficient technical data to provide the product team with the information it needs to develop the new product or feature.
Stage 4: Supplier Search
Now that you’ve established the technical specifications for the product, it’s time to identify potential suppliers. This is where the experience of those in the buying center comes into play, as they attempt to determine which suppliers have the best quality, delivery, and price. Just like consumers in the “information search” stage of the consumer buying process, those in the buying center may look online to find suppliers, but there are many other resources available to B2B buyers, such as trade magazines, industry expert blogs, and webinars conducted by suppliers.
Stage 5: Proposal Solicitation
Once the list of potential vendors has been developed and whittled down, qualified vendors will be asked to submit proposals. If it’s a relatively straightforward purchase, this proposal may be as easy as a vendor sending the buyer a catalog or providing the buyer with a link to the company’s website. However, more complex purchases typically require the vendor to submit a detailed proposal outlining what the vendor can do to address the company’s needs. This proposal will likely contain product specifications, timing, and—of course—pricing.
Stage 6: Supplier Selection
After reviewing the proposals from the various vendors, the buying center makes a choice. This stage in the B2B buying process involves a thorough review of the proposals submitted, with a critical eye tuned to factors such as supplier capabilities, reputation, warranties, price, etc. If the purchase requires a substantial financial outlay and/or is extremely complex, or if many proposals were solicited, the buying center may narrow down the list of vendors to just a few and invite them to meet (either in person or virtually) to further discuss the proposal and address any questions or concerns.
Stage 7: Order-Routine Specification
After selecting suppliers, the B2B buyer negotiates the details of the order. The critical items here are what is needed (i.e., the technical specifications), how much is needed (i.e., the quantity required), and when it is needed (i.e., the expected time of delivery). This stage will likely also include negotiation of things such as return policies, warranties, and other critical items involved with the purchase.
Stage 8: Performance Review
Just as consumers evaluate purchases after they have made them, and similar to the way that your employer may conduct a performance review to assess your job performance, the B2B buyer periodically reviews the performance of the selected supplier to assess if the product and the supplier meet expectations. For example, the B2B buyer may solicit product feedback from users and/or rate the supplier on different criteria such as quality, promptness of delivery, etc. As a result of the performance review, the B2B buyer may decide to continue, modify, or even end a supplier relationship.
Knowledge Check
It’s time to check your knowledge on the concepts presented in this section. Refer to the Answer Key at the end of the book for feedback.
4.5 Ethical Issues in B2B Marketing
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- 1 Discuss ethical issues pertaining to B2B marketing.
- 2 Explain the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
- 3 Provide an example of a company that displays ethics in B2B marketing.
Business Culture and Industry Practices
As we’ve seen above, there are several differences between B2C and B2B marketing. Consider purchasing, for example. Unlike B2C transactions, it is far more common in B2B transactions for vendors to offer “perks” such as free dinners, golf outings, and trips. In some foreign countries, B2B and government buyers not only expect these types of “perks” but also may demand bribes if you want to do business with them on their turf. This presents unique ethical challenges for B2B sellers and buyers. As a B2B seller, of course you want to make the sale, particularly if it’s a large sale. On the other hand, you know that a reputation for ethical behavior, including honesty, transparency, and open communication, is critical to the success of your business and may even be the decisive factor in a B2B buyer’s decision to buy from you instead of a competitor.
Bribes and “Grease Payments”
Transparency International, a watchdog group, annually ranks the likelihood of companies from the world’s industrialized countries to bribe abroad. The index ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a sale of 1 to 100, in which 100 is perceived to be very clean and 0 is perceived to be highly corrupt.17
Which countries ranked in the bottom five for 2021? Let’s take a look:
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Somalia
- Venezuela
- Yemen18
If you’re curious, the United States ranked 25th in the world. And the least corrupt countries in 2021? That would be Denmark, Finland, and New Zealand, which tied for first place.19
Link to Learning
Fighting Corruption
For more information about Transparency International, including corruption wins, scandals, and predictions, check out this corruption perceptions index. You may also enjoy this TEDx Talks video about the power of corruption.
Let’s consider how you would handle a scenario involving bribes. You’re the plant manager in Taiwan for a US-based electronics company. You are expecting a critical shipment of diodes that are being imported into Taiwan from South Vietnam. Without the diodes, you will miss an important production deadline for a new—and potentially lucrative—customer. The shipment arrives in the Port of Taipei on a timely basis, but customs refuse to release the shipment, claiming that it needs to do further inspection, and it may be several days or even a couple of weeks before the shipment is released. However, an agent of customs advises you that in exchange for a “facilitation fee” of several hundred dollars, the process can be expedited. How do you handle this? Do you pay the “facilitation fee” (essentially a bribe, which is illegal according to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, covered below) and meet your customer’s deadline, or do you refuse to pay the fee and miss your customer’s deadline? How will missing that deadline impact your firm’s relationship with the new customer?
Let’s consider how you would handle still another similar scenario. You’re the regional distribution manager for a US company, and you’ve been assigned to head up a new distribution facility in a South American country. At least two other competitors (both foreign corporations) are also trying to enter the same market, so you’ve been instructed to establish this facility as quickly as possible in order to beat the competition. However, government officials have advised you that it may take up to 10 months to obtain a building permit but that the time frame could be considerably shortened in exchange for the payment of an “expediting fee.” These fees (essentially a bribe) are both illegal according to US law. However, your competitors are foreign firms not subject to US law, and paying such fees is neither illegal nor considered unethical. How will you handle this situation? Will you pay the fees in order to be first in the market, or will you let your competitors beat you to the market?
These are a couple of dilemmas faced by marketers in B2B situations.
Link to Learning
Corruption Scandals
Check out Transparency International’s list of top corruption scandals. Interesting read!
Price Fixing
Price fixing—an agreement among competitors (either written, verbal, or inferred from the parties’ conduct) that affects prices or competitive terms—is prohibited by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).20 Keep in mind that, despite the term, price fixing isn’t confined to an agreement to set the same price. Companies can also be involved in price fixing if they offer or withhold the same discounts or shipping terms or set a production amount or quota.
Price fixing is illegal because it’s considered anticompetitive and hurts both consumers and businesses. Let’s illustrate with a real-life example with a company you’re likely familiar with—StarKist. In 2019, a San Francisco federal judge ordered the company to pay a fine in the amount of $100 million in connection with a canned tuna price-fixing conspiracy that involved StarKist, Bumble Bee Foods, and Chicken of the Sea, who regularly exchanged information about their sales and plans for pricing. The lawsuit alleged that, under the scheme, consumers were forced to pay more for canned tuna than they would have otherwise.21
Link to Learning
Tuna Price-Fixing Lawsuit
Learn more about the details of the price-fixing lawsuit from this short video on the Ring of Fire channel.
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) was enacted in 1977. Its purpose is to prohibit the payment of bribes (sometimes called “facilitation fees”) to foreign officials in order to obtain or retain business. The FCPA applies to prohibited conduct anywhere in the world and extends to publicly traded companies and their officers, directors, employees, stockholders, and agents.22
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice work cooperatively to enforce the FCPA. Sanctions for violations can be significant, including both civil and criminal penalties. The SEC can bring civil enforcement actions against companies (along with their officers, directors, employees, stockholders, and agents) for violations or for bribery, and if found guilty under the act, the company may have to pay back its “ill-gotten gains” as well as paying prejudgment interest and civil penalties. For example, one of its most recent cases involved KT Corporation, a South Korean telecommunications company, in which the SEC alleged that the company had violated the books and records and internal accounting controls provisions of the FCPA by making improper payments to government officials in Korea and Vietnam.23
Companies with a Conscience
Kforce
Kforce is a B2B professional staffing and solutions firm that specializes in technology, finance, and accounting. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the company has over 50 offices nationwide and two national recruiting centers.24
The location of its corporate headquarters played a big role when Hurricane Irma struck South Florida and the Bahamas in 2017, because the hurricane’s impact was felt on a personal level by the company. The hurricane, which struck Florida as a Category 4 storm, ripped off roofs, flooded coastal cities, and knocked out power for more than 6.8 million people.25
Instead of idly standing by or focusing solely on getting its business back up and running, Kforce decided to “make lemonade out of lemons” and have a positive impact on the community (see Figure 4.8). The company raised $1 million for the American Red Cross and sponsored private jet missions that flew essential supplies to the Bahamas. It also encouraged users to make donations for hurricane relief, generating several thousand additional dollars for the cause.26
But Kforce’s philanthropy after Hurricane Irma wasn’t a one-time deal. In 2021, the company expanded its “Day of Giving” campaign to a “Season of Impact” and encouraged employees to give their time and talents to nonprofit organizations of their choice. It also held a number of events such as a food drive and the Tampa Bay Heart Walk to benefit the American Heart Association.27
KForce does a lot for the community. Check out its website to learn more about its corporate social responsibility programs.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter, we defined business-to-business (B2B) markets and buying behavior and explored the differences between business-to-consumer (B2C) and B2B markets. We discussed the types of buyers in B2B transactions—producers, resellers, governments, and institutions—and identified the different types of buy classes in the B2B market, as well as the roles of those in the buying center—the people within the organization who have varying influence on the purchase decision.
We examined the five major categories of influencing factors on B2B decisions: external factors, internal factors, organizational factors, interpersonal factors, and conditional factors. We also reviewed the eight stages of the B2B buying process: problem recognition, need description, product specification, supplier search, proposal solicitation, supplier selection, order-routine specification, and performance review. Finally, we explored some ethical issues with respect to the B2B buying process, including Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Key Terms
- authority
- the right to give orders, supervise the work of others, and make certain decisions
- B2B buying process
- encompasses 8 stages: problem recognition, need description, product specification, supplier search, proposal selection, supplier selection, order-routine specification, performance review
- bill of materials
- a comprehensive inventory of the raw materials, assemblies, subassemblies, parts, and components
- brokers
- individuals or businesses that bring buyers and sellers together, usually for a commission
- business objectives and goals
- achievable outcomes that provide a framework for achieving success
- business-to-business (B2B)
- a transaction or business conducted between one business and another
- buy classes
- buying situations that are distinguished on four characteristics: newness to decision makers, number of alternatives to be considered, uncertainty inherent in the buying situation, and the amount of information needed for making a buying decision
- buyers
- the people in the buying center who handle the paperwork of the actual purchase
- buying center
- groups of people within organizations who make purchasing decisions
- competition
- the rivalry between companies selling similar products and services with the goal of achieving revenue, profit and market share growth
- deciders
- the people in the buying center who ultimately determine any part of the entire buying decision
- derived demand
- market demand for a good or service that results from a demand for a related good or service
- direct demand
- the demand for a commodity for direct consumption purposes
- economic factors
- factors that affect the economy, such as interest rates, tax rates, laws, policies, wages, and government actions
- expertise
- expert skill or knowledge in a particular field
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
- a US statute that prohibits firms and individuals from paying bribes to foreign officials
- gatekeepers
- individuals in the buying center who control information and/or access to decision makers and influencers
- government markets
- purchases made by the governing bodies of nations, states, or communities
- influence
- the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something
- influencers
- individuals whose views influence other members of the buying center in making the final decision
- initiator
- the person in the buying center who first suggests or thinks of the idea of buying the product or service
- institutions
- organizations, establishments, foundations, societies, or the like devoted to the promotion of a particular cause or program, especially one of a public, educational, or charitable character
- modified rebuy
- a buying situation in which an individual or organization buys goods that have been purchased previously but changes either the supplier or some element of the previous order
- new-task buy
- a complex B2B buying situation in which the organization buys a product or service for the first time
- personality
- the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character
- political and legal factors
- factors such as the political system, the political situation, and government policies that influence B2B buying decisions
- producers
- those individuals or businesses who buy raw goods to use in the creation of goods or services
- product specifications
- a document carrying essential information to keep teams on track when designing and developing a product
- resellers
- companies or individuals (merchants) that purchase goods or services with the intention of selling, leasing, or renting rather than consuming or using them
- retailers
- businesses that sell goods to consumers in relatively small quantities for personal consumption
- social environment
- the values, attitudes, beliefs, wants, and desires of the consuming public
- straight rebuys
- purchases in which the business customer buys the same goods from the same supplier in the same quantity at the same terms and requires minimal decision making
- systems selling
- selling a complete solution to a problem or need rather than one or more of the component parts
- technology
- applications of science, data, engineering, and information for business purposes
- users
- the people who consume or use the product or service
- wholesalers
- businesses that typically purchase larger quantities from producers and then resell them to retailers
- workforce skills
- also called employability skills, the basic skills a person must have to succeed in any workplace
Applied Marketing Knowledge: Discussion Questions
Critical Thinking Exercises
Building Your Personal Brand
Visit LinkedIn, and look at the profiles of a handful of marketing managers. Examine how each marketing manager depicts their brand within their profile. What do they say about themselves that’s unique?
Now write a one-page summary of your brand.
What Do Marketers Do?
Utilize LinkedIn to find brand managers in your geographic area, and invite one or more to connect with you. It’s best to go beyond the suggested LinkedIn request message and be more inviting and clearer on why you are reaching out to them. Once linked, “interview” the professional by asking questions. A few questions to begin with might be: Was there a particular class in college that resonated with you and your career goals? How did you find your first internship? Do you have suggestions that can help me improve my LinkedIn profile? Additional questions may explore their education, their experience, their career goals, and how they spend their days and weeks.
Closing Company Case
Corporate Medical Services (CMS) was established in Tennessee on October 1, 1995, with one person, one computer, and one client.28 The company was started with the goal of providing Department of Transportation (DOT) customers with a resource to meet new drug testing requirements.
“The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), along with the Department of Transportation (DOT), requires that persons subject to the commercial driver’s license (CDL) requirements and their employers follow alcohol and drug testing rules.”29 These rules include procedures for testing, frequency of tests, and substances tested for. An employer who employs only themselves as a driver shall implement a random alcohol and controlled substances testing program of two or more covered employees in the random testing selection pool.
With a combination of technology and great customer service, the company grew steadily.
- 1995: CMS founded
- 1996: First office location established
- 1998: Nationwide 24/7 services offered
- 2001: Automated faxing of results
- 2001: New office location established due to growth of company
- 2004: Automated emailing of results
- 2008: Created in-house DotStopi consortium program
- 2009: Online results reporting made available
- 2010: Online scheduling of services made available
- 2012: Began providing management services for existing consortiums
- 2013: Introduced CMS’s Sleep Express
- 2016: Began developing programs to automate DMV updates30
Today, CMS provides services to a wide variety of clients and industries across the United States and Canada. Clients include trucking, busing, firework manufacturers, schools, construction, hospital organizations, other third-party administrators, consortiums, and associations. In 2020, CMS reported over 100,000 drug screens and additional services for more than 2,500 companies.31
With stricter requirements coming to the industry, there is a tremendous need for drug and alcohol testing. Data reveals that there are 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States.32 For just the trucking industry alone, the need for consortium services as well as company-sponsored drug and alcohol testing is increasing every year.
CMS prides itself as the concierge service provider in the industry. Figure 4.9 is a competitive analysis grid, and it outlines how CMS compares to its competitors based on the number of services they offer and the level of customer service provided. For example, DISA Global Solutions (DISA), Workforce QA, and FSS Solutions (FSS) are companies that provide a higher number of services than CMS but much lower customer service. CMS offers fewer services but the highest level of customer service. Notice that as companies offer more services, their level of customer service decreases.
Marketers use competitive analysis grids to understand how they compare to their competitors on the various metrics that are important in their industry. It is important for a company to grasp both its points of parity and points of differentiation compared to competitors.
In choosing to differentiate their company based on service, CMS was promising customers an unrivaled experience when they needed drug or alcohol testing. Many times, the need for testing was the result of an emergency situation. Companies that relied on CMS for this service felt a level of comfort knowing they would be taken care of quickly and efficiently when they were in the most need.
Among the promises, CMS vowed the following:
1. Unrivaled Experience
“CMS has been helping companies manage the complexities of regulations and requirements for over 25 years. During that time, we have helped over 15,000 companies significantly reduce the hassle of managing their drug testing programs.”
2. Concierge Level Personal Service
“Concierge level service is not a term frequently used in our industry, but we believe in it and actively demonstrate it to our clients daily. When you are miles from home and need support, it’s what you want. It is always a good day at CMS, and we hope to make your day better by helping you in any way we can.”
3. More Security, Less Hassle
“Dealing with governmental regulations and requirements is no easy task. We have developed processes, procedures, and performance benchmarks to deal with the complexity of this industry so that you don’t have to. At the end of the day, you will be confident that your program is operating the way it should.”
4. Respect
“We are here to serve our clients. To successfully accomplish that goal, we treat our staff, our clients, our vendors, and your donors with respect. In an industry where conversations can sometimes get tense, we handle every situation in a respectful and professional manner in order to mitigate any issues that may arise.”
5. Speed of Technology
“Our systems and processes are designed to get you the results you need as quickly as possible, which is why no one is faster at reporting drug screens. Our system averages a 7-minute turnaround on negative reports, once released from the lab.”
As CMS looked for growth, it began to work with industry trade associations. The trucking industry was growing rapidly. Industry leaders were continuing to expand their fleets, and new trucking companies were entering the market. Providing drug and alcohol testing was not something the companies wanted to think about—until it was a necessity. Corporate safety managers could be difficult to reach; however, with a narrow focus and significant industry knowledge, CMS was well positioned to network and provide critical information regarding the ever-changing government regulations.
CMS knew it needed to begin developing brand awareness and continue fostering relationships in the industry. When it was time to make the buying decision, CMS wanted to be in the top-of-mind consideration set. The company knew the buying cycle may be long for a corporate decision to change which provider they were using for testing. It was a process it was willing to wait for, and it was in it for the long haul.
Case Questions
References
https://tinyurl.com/3zp9refc
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