Swiveling information into customer satisfaction: learnings from a case study in industrial B2B company

In today’s B2B environment, companies operate in a landscape where customer experience and data availability are critical success factors. Despite abundant data and advanced tools, many organizations struggle to transform information into meaningful customer value. This article explores how information can be swiveled into customer satisfaction through strategic communication in an industrial B2B context.

Authors: Anna Syrjä & Sajal Kabiraj

Introduction

Research on B2B communication and knowledge management emphasizes that data alone does not create value. Instead, value emerges when data is interpreted, shared, and communicated in a way that supports customer decision-making. A well known Nonaka’s knowledge creation theory underlines the importance of combining explicit data with tacit knowledge held by individuals, enabling organizations to innovate and respond to changing market conditions. (Nonaka 1991) At the same time, studies on customer satisfaction show that it is not only influenced by products or services, but by how well organizations align internal processes, communication, and customer understanding.

Value creation through communication is closely linked to trust. In B2B contexts, trust is built when companies are able to clearly articulate the value of their offering and demonstrate understanding of the customer’s business. This requires coordinated communication across functions and the ability to provide consistent, data-based insights throughout the customer journey.

Theoretical underpinnings

In B2B (Business-to-Business) industrial sales, Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory is one of the most widely accepted frameworks as customers form expectations prior to a purchase about the performance of the product. Industrial customers are satisfied if performance exceeds expectations, and if it falls short, it results in dissatisfaction (Oliver 1980). The Attribution theory focused on how consumers assign blame or credit and satisfaction depends on to whom the customer attributes the blame (Heider 1958). Maslow’s Need-Based Theory specifies how satisfaction is directly correlated with how well a product or service meets specific, functional, or emotional needs (Maslow 1943). B2B industrial sales finds its underpinnings in these theories. B2B industrial sales usually results in higher deal values as it entails swift navigation of the marketplace and requires specific strategies to address longer buying and sales cycles with the involvement of multiple decision-makers.

Importance of the Human factor

In an empirical case study conducted in a Finnish industrial technology sales company operating in a B2B environment, the research focused on how employees use digital tools and information in customer-facing communication and how this impacts customer value creation. The data was collected through a structured questionnaire distributed to employees across different functions. (Syrjä 2026)

The results show that digital platforms are widely used and considered important for improving customer experience. However, several challenges limit their effectiveness. The most significant issues identified include fragmented data across multiple systems, lack of a single source of truth, and inconsistencies in data quality and accessibility. These challenges make it difficult for employees to form a holistic view of the customer and to communicate consistently. (Syrjä 2026)

At the same time, it can be recognized that today there is strong motivation among employees to use data more effectively. For example, in the study, respondents emphasized the importance of combining operational data, such as equipment usage and service history, with customer feedback to better understand customer needs. These kinds of results also highlight the role of internal communication: development opportunities were identified especially in cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing. (Syrjä 2026)

Leveling up

Improving customer satisfaction requires both technological and human-focused development. From a technological perspective, the companies would benefit from an integrated system or search tool that combines data from multiple sources into a unified customer view. From a human perspective, training and shared practices are essential to ensure that employees understand how to use data in communication and how to translate it into customer value. Luckily, we have AI today to help us create tools that link all ecosystems and make it possible to navigate in the labyrinthic data and system jungle.

Conclusion

Turning information into customer satisfaction is not primarily a technological challenge, but a strategic and organizational one. Data must be structured, accessible, and supported by clear communication practices to create value for customers. Equally important is the role of people and their ability to interpret data, share knowledge, and communicate insights in a meaningful way.

For industrial B2B companies, the key learning is clear: customer satisfaction is built where data, communication, and human understanding meet. Organizations that succeed in aligning these elements are better positioned to build trust-based relationships and long-term partnerships with their customers.

References

Heider, F. 1958. The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Maslow, A. H. 1943. A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review. Vol. 50(4), 430-43.

Nonaka, I. 1991. The knowledge-creating company. Harvard Business Review. Vol. 69(6), 96-104.

Oliver, R. L. 1980. A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions. Journal of Marketing Research. Vol. 17(4), 460–469.

Syrjä, A. 2026. Strategic Communication in B2B: Turning Information into Customer Satisfaction. Master’s thesis. LAB University of Applied Sciences. Master of Business Administration. Cited 22 May 2026. Available at https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2026052115180

Authors

Anna Syrjä studies Business Innovation Culture and Creativity (MBA) at the Faculty of Business Administration at LAB University of Applied Sciences, Lahti.

Sajal Kabiraj, PhD, Principal lecturer, Faculty of Business and Hospitality Management, LAB University of Applied Sciences, Lahti.

Illustration: Someone analyzes financial data on a tablet, illustrating Digital Data Analytics Tablet Modern Office Workspace monitor display. https://unsplash.com/photos/someone-analyzes- (Jakub Żerdzicki, free to use under the Unsplash License)