B2B buyers’ purchase process of an employee recognition software: A qualitative study

Abstract

B2B software purchase is an important decision as it results in a long commitment with the seller including important direct and indirect costs. One relatively new software is the employee recognition software. It promises a large-scale individualized follow-up. The purchase process of this product leads the buyer to take into consideration different features that may be specific to this purchase. This study aims to determine the factors that influence the purchase process involving B2B buyers of employee recognition software. Therefore, qualitative interviews were conducted with professional experience leading participants from 7 countries. Data analysis resulted in 28 codes organized into 4 themes that describe the different factors considered by the buyers for the information search and evaluation of alternatives. These themes are (1) Purchase Process Obstacles; (2) Marketing and communication needs; (3) Initial software search and (4) Buyer’s evaluation criteria. Our study results in the suggestion of a revised decision making process taking into consideration the dynamic nature of the relationships between the steps.