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B2B purchases seem like objective decisions,

which makes your products and services seem like commodities.

In reality, B2B purchases are much more complex.

Buyers' decisions are often subjective—even emotional.

Knowing what buyers value is critical when it comes to improving your offerings–or creating new ones.

So, what really matters to your B2B customers?

Bain has identified 40 B2B Elements of Valuesm.

They fall into five categories.

The most basic needs are table stakes.

B2B buyers also care about functional value

and whether you make it easier to do business.

But they also value products that meet their individual needs

and those that inspire them.

The more elements you deliver, the more loyal your customers.

Understanding this can help you improve your offerings or create new ones.

Explore the B2B Elements of Valuesm

Vision
Reduced anxiety
Configurability
Marketability
Design & aesthetics
Cost reduction
Stability

Click on any element to learn more

Vision

Definition: Helps the customer anticipate the direction of its markets

Example: Nielsen's retail data and analytics services help consumer goods companies envision shifts in demand for their products.

Hope

Definition: Gives buyers and users hope for the future of their organization

Example: Microsoft Azure gives IT professionals hope that their systems can work together seamlessly.

Social responsibility

Definition: Helps the customer be more socially responsible

Example: Dental and medical products wholesaler Henry Schein organizes its employees, customers and industry partners to participate in philanthropic programs.

Network expansion

Definition: Helps users and colleagues expand their professional network

Example: LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network.

Marketability

Definition: Makes users and colleagues more marketable in their field

Example: Autodesk provides education and certification for its core product, which provides an industry-recognized credential for engineers and construction professionals.

Reputational assurance

Definition: Does not jeopardize and may enhance the buyer's reputation at work

Example: IBM's strong reputation in key markets shields decision makers from being criticized for choosing the company.

Design & aesthetics

Definition: Provides aesthetically pleasing goods or services

Example: Data center operator Equinix puts thoughtful design into its facilities as a way to appeal to IT engineers.

Growth & development

Definition: Helps users and colleagues develop personally

Example: SAS has extensive training and certification programs in data science.

Reduced anxiety

Definition: Helps buyers and others in the organization feel more secure

Example: FM Global provides engineering services to help reduce the incidence of catastrophes in business operations.

Fun & perks

Definition: Is enjoyable to interact with or otherwise rewarding

Example: Salesforce invites users to its World Tour to learn about new products and hear impressive keynote speakers.

Time savings

Definition: Saves time for users or the overall organization

Example: Workday Human Capital Management gives HR managers access to a dashboard of analytics on their organization's workforce.

Reduced effort

Definition: Helps an organization get things done with less effort

Example: IQVIA serves pharmaceutical firms by conducting their clinical trials and fielding their salesforces.

Decreased hassles

Definition: Helps the customer avoid unnecessary hassles

Example: American Express OPEN is known for excellent customer service to businesses.

Information

Definition: Helps users become informed

Example: Remote diagnostics and a MyJohnDeere app inform farmers about soil conditions and weather data.

Transparency

Definition: Provides a clear view into the customer's organization

Example: Workday's cloud-based software gives HR managers a view of a wide range of human capital data and metrics.

Availability

Definition: Ensures the good or service is available when and where needed

Example: FedEx's delivery and business services are available almost anywhere in the US.

Variety

Definition: Provides a variety of goods or services to choose from

Example: United Rentals offers a huge variety of rental products and locations.

Configurability

Definition: Offers goods or services that can be easily configured to the customer's needs

Example: Azure, a cloud service from Microsoft, is well known for its flexibility.

Responsiveness

Definition: Responds promptly and professionally to my organization's needs

Example: Genesys implemented the Net Promoter System® to address client problems immediately.

Expertise

Definition: Provides know-how for the relevant industry or market

Example: Ecolab dedicates expert personnel to each customer and provides optimized end-to-end services.

Commitment

Definition: Shows it is committed to the customer's own success

Example: GE Aviation goes beyond selling products to offer services to airlines that optimize their efficient use of new technologies.

Stability

Definition: Is a stable company for the foreseeable future

Example: A large, international customer base at insurance carriers such as Chubb and Lloyd's of London provides stability for years to come.

Cultural fit

Definition: Fits well with the customer's culture and people

Example: Salesforce.org works with nonprofits at a substantial discount.

Organization

Definition: Helps users become more organized

Example: Bloomberg organizes vast quantities of information for its clients.

Simplification

Definition: Reduces complexity and keeps things simple

Example: Intuit's QuickBooks makes accounting simpler for small businesses.

Connection

Definition: Connects organizations and users with others internally and externally

Example: Slack, an app-based communications platform, helps keep workers connected.

Integration

Definition: Helps a customer integrate different facets of the business

Example: Accenture helps clients integrate their disparate IT systems.

Risk reduction

Definition: Protects the customer against loss or unnecessary risk

Example: Aon provides a suite of insurance and consulting services designed to reduce risk for its clients.

Reach

Definition: Allows the customer to operate in more locations or market segments

Example: World Clock Meeting Planner helps users arrange conference calls across the globe.

Flexibility

Definition: Moves beyond standard goods or services to allow customization

Example: Bosch's engineering arm carries out more than 800 custom projects each year.

Component quality

Definition: Improves the perceived quality of the customer's own products or services

Example: The "Intel Inside" program enables computer manufacturers to display the Intel brand on their devices, signaling high performance and reliability.

Improved top line

Definition: Helps the customer increase revenue

Example: Amazon offers a service that allows merchants to use its fulfillment network, which helps them increase revenues.

Cost reduction

Definition: Reduces cost for the customer's organization

Example: Wipro reduces costs for clients by allowing them to outsource IT functions.

Product quality

Definition: Provides high-quality goods or services

Example: Cummins has a reputation for high-quality truck and industrial engines.

Scalability

Definition: Expands easily to additional demand, processes or tasks

Example: Amazon Web Services offers cloud computing that efficiently scales tasks in parallel across multiple computing resources.

Innovation

Definition: Provides innovative capabilities

Example: ABB is recognized for innovation in technologies as diverse as industrial pump drives and marine electric propulsion systems.

Meeting specifications

Definition: Conforms to the customer's internal specifications

Example: Aerospace and defense firms such as Northrop Grumman must meet specifications with new products or risk losing lucrative defense contracts.

Acceptable price

Definition: Provides products or services at an acceptable price

Example: To maintain insurance coverage for drugs, Pfizer must offer acceptable prices.

Regulatory compliance

Definition: Complies with regulations

Example: Cube, Fenergo and other financial technology firms have helped large banks comply with increased regulation since the global financial crisis.

Ethical standards

Definition: Performs its activities in an ethical manner

Example: Audit firms such as RSM must ensure ethical business practices, or risk being fired or fined.

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