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How to use emerging service technologies to enhance customer centricity in business-to-business contexts: A conceptual framework and research agenda

Author

Listed:
  • Wünderlich, Nancy V.
  • Blut, Markus
  • Brock, Christian
  • Heirati, Nima
  • Jensen, Marcus
  • Paluch, Stefanie
  • Rötzmeier-Keuper, Julia
  • Tóth, Zsófia

Abstract

Manufacturers in business-to-business (B2B) industries aim to gain a competitive edge by adopting the concept of customer centricity in their strategy. Acknowledging manufacturers’ challenges in implementing new technologies, we showcase how digital product passports, augmented/virtual reality, smart products, and digital twins foster customer centricity. We classify these technologies based on their use context and introduce the CCTECH-framework, which delineates the impact of (1) experiential, (2) performance-enhancing, and (3) automated technologies on customer-centric processes. This research explores the opportunities for utilizing specific emerging technologies to enhance four customer-centric processes: (1) interactive customer relationship management (discovering implicit needs), (2) customer integration (systematic involvement of customers in decision-making), (3) internal integration (aligning business activities around customer value), and (4) external integration (supply chain-level coordination to respond to customization required by customers). Further, we provide a technology roadmap for manufacturers and suggest a research agenda to guide future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Wünderlich, Nancy V. & Blut, Markus & Brock, Christian & Heirati, Nima & Jensen, Marcus & Paluch, Stefanie & Rötzmeier-Keuper, Julia & Tóth, Zsófia, 2025. "How to use emerging service technologies to enhance customer centricity in business-to-business contexts: A conceptual framework and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:192:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325001079
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115284
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