Customer Success Management in the Intersection of Physical and Digital : Case: A Global Manufacturing Company
Puhakka, Riina (2022)
Puhakka, Riina
2022
Kauppatieteiden maisteriohjelma - Master's Programme in Business Studies
Johtamisen ja talouden tiedekunta - Faculty of Management and Business
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2022-10-21
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202209277316
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202209277316
Tiivistelmä
Digitalization, servitization and rising customer expectations are shaping business markets, including the more traditional industries such as manufacturing. As software is increasingly involved in the offerings of manufacturing companies, the industry is also adopting practices and business models that have earlier been mostly associated with the software industry. For example, subscription- and outcome-based business models have become more common in manufacturing business. Due to rising customer expectations, the focus has shifted from products to services – and finally, to the outcomes. This has made Customer Success Management, proactive prioritization of maximal value in use, a highly relevant concept for companies in business markets.
This thesis focuses on Customer Success Management in the context of a digital service offering of a manufacturing company. This study aims to identify the critical factors of CSM when combining digital and physical offerings and as another objective, this study aims to understand how CSM processes can be applied to this context. As the data generation is conducted within a single case company, the scope of this study is limited to this specific case company that operates globally in the field of material handling machinery.
The theory review of this study presents the definitions of customer success and customer success management as well as discusses the existing literature on processes, drivers, customer perceptions, related concepts of CSM, and explains the characteristics of a Customer Success Manager role. Theoretical framework is focused on an existing framework of value-in-use management process and emphasises the concept of usage center as a definitive factor of business relationships.
This case study was conducted in an abductive manner, meaning that the data generation, analysis, and theory review were conducted as simultaneous processes instead of following a linear process. Qualitative methodologies were found most suitable for the study. Semi-structured interviews were utilized as the data generation method. Ten interviewees were selected among the customers and internal stakeholders of the case company. ATLAS.ti software was used in the content analysis for identifying themes from the transcribed interview material.
Based on the analysis, four critical factors for CSM in the presented context were identified: customer know-how and motivation, supplier know-how and motivation, involvement of customer usage center and seamless integration of digital and physical. The findings and the interview material were also reflected to the value-in-use management framework and the framework was found suitable for the context. Results indicated that the processes should be enhanced with systematic data collection and data sharing throughout the CSM process. Based on the research interviews, several practical CSM activities were identified to enhance the process.
This study provided new understanding of CSM as an emerging research topic by applying the concept in the context of a manufacturing company that provides digital services as a part of the total offering. Customer Success Management should be understood as a holistic concept and competence-intensive approach to managing customer relationships. The results of this study also provided practical guidance for manufacturing companies that are attempting to grow their business in terms of digital offerings.
This thesis focuses on Customer Success Management in the context of a digital service offering of a manufacturing company. This study aims to identify the critical factors of CSM when combining digital and physical offerings and as another objective, this study aims to understand how CSM processes can be applied to this context. As the data generation is conducted within a single case company, the scope of this study is limited to this specific case company that operates globally in the field of material handling machinery.
The theory review of this study presents the definitions of customer success and customer success management as well as discusses the existing literature on processes, drivers, customer perceptions, related concepts of CSM, and explains the characteristics of a Customer Success Manager role. Theoretical framework is focused on an existing framework of value-in-use management process and emphasises the concept of usage center as a definitive factor of business relationships.
This case study was conducted in an abductive manner, meaning that the data generation, analysis, and theory review were conducted as simultaneous processes instead of following a linear process. Qualitative methodologies were found most suitable for the study. Semi-structured interviews were utilized as the data generation method. Ten interviewees were selected among the customers and internal stakeholders of the case company. ATLAS.ti software was used in the content analysis for identifying themes from the transcribed interview material.
Based on the analysis, four critical factors for CSM in the presented context were identified: customer know-how and motivation, supplier know-how and motivation, involvement of customer usage center and seamless integration of digital and physical. The findings and the interview material were also reflected to the value-in-use management framework and the framework was found suitable for the context. Results indicated that the processes should be enhanced with systematic data collection and data sharing throughout the CSM process. Based on the research interviews, several practical CSM activities were identified to enhance the process.
This study provided new understanding of CSM as an emerging research topic by applying the concept in the context of a manufacturing company that provides digital services as a part of the total offering. Customer Success Management should be understood as a holistic concept and competence-intensive approach to managing customer relationships. The results of this study also provided practical guidance for manufacturing companies that are attempting to grow their business in terms of digital offerings.