“Hello Again”: Reacquiring Customers in B2B Settings
(A2019-9506)

AUTHORS

Arnd Vomberg, University of Groningen; Olivia Gwinner, University of Mannheim; Christian Homburg, University of Mannheim

KEYWORDS

CRM; supplier-customer relationship; B2B

ABSTRACT

Acquiring new customers is acknowledged to be far costlier than reacquiring lost customers. Although the issue has been repeatedly investigated in B2C settings, empirical research on reacquisitions in B2B contexts has not been conducted. This gap is particularly surprising because industry observers indicate remarkably high defection risks and reacquisition potential in B2B environments. Building on qualitative interviews and justice theory, the authors develop and empirically test a framework of the influence of the supplier’s reacquisition offer (divided into interactional, procedural, and distributive initiatives) on reacquisition performance. Based on two independent studies (customer study and a supplier study), the authors show that procedural initiatives have the strongest effect. In addition, they consider central contingency factors on both the interpersonal and interorganizational level of B2B customer relationships.