B2B vs B2C customer journey: Differences, importance, mapping, and examples

Customer journeys have become elusive and dynamic. While we once focused on linear touchpoints, today's customers interact with businesses through a multitude of channels that can be challenging to fully grasp. This is especially true if we're drilling down to B2B and B2C businesses—the customer journey varies significantly, influenced by factors like decision-making processes, buying cycles, and purchase motivations.

In this article, we'll explore the key differences between B2B and B2C customer journeys. We'll delve into the stages of the customer journey, discuss the importance of customer journey mapping, and provide practical examples to help you effectively map and leverage these journeys for business success.

What is a customer journey?

A customer journey is a path that a customer follows when they're interested in buying something from a company. It starts when they first hear about the product or service and ends after they buy it.

It includes everything they do, like visiting the website, reading reviews, or talking to a salesperson. By understanding this journey, businesses can make sure they're doing the right things to help customers make a purchase and stay happy.

Customer journey comes in different stages. Let's understand what those stages are.

Customer journey stages

1. Awareness  

This is the starting point. Customers learn your product or service exists through various channels like:

• Advertising (TV, radio, online ads)

• Word-of-mouth (recommendations from friends or family)

• Content marketing (blog posts, articles, videos)

2. Consideration  

Customers start to weigh your offering against competitors. They may:

• Research your product or service online

• Compare features and prices

• Read reviews

3. Decision  

Customers make a decision to purchase or not. Factors that influence this decision include:

• Price

• Features

• Reviews

• Customer service

4. Purchase  

The customer completes the transaction. A smooth and easy purchase process is essential to ensure customer satisfaction.

5. Post-purchase  

After the purchase, the focus shifts to:

• Customer support (addressing any issues or concerns)

• Follow-up (checking in to ensure satisfaction)

• Building relationships (encouraging repeat purchases and referrals)

6. Loyalty  

Satisfied customers become loyal to your brand. They may:

• Refer others to your business

• Make repeat purchases

• Provide positive feedback

B2B customer journey  

A B2B (Business-to-Business) customer journey is the path that involves businesses buying from other businesses. Here's a sample B2B customer journey:

B2C customer journey  

A B2C (Business-to-Consumer) customer journey is the path that involves individuals buying products or services for personal use. Here's a sample B2C customer journey:

B2B vs. B2C customer journey  

Complexity  

• B2B: Customer journeys typically involve 5-10 decision-makers and can take 6-12 months to complete.

• B2C: Journeys are often completed by individuals within days or weeks.

Decision-making process  

• B2B: Decisions are made by committees or teams, involving multiple meetingsand negotiations over several weeks or months.

• B2C: Decisions are typically made by individuals within hours or days based on personal needs and preferences.

Customer interaction  

• B2B: Interactions are more formal and involve multiple touchpoints with various stakeholders, often over several months or years.

• B2C: Interactions are often more casual and involve fewer touchpoints, typically within days or weeks.

References:

1. Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. Marketing Management (15th ed.). Pearson Education.

2. Gartner. Understanding the B2B buying journey.

3. McKinsey & Company. The new B2B growth equation.

4. Harvard Business Review. What B2B Sales Teams Can Learn from B2C Marketers.

Related reads:
What is customer engagement and what are the best customer engagement tools?
What is customer experience and why is CX important

Customer journey mapping  

Customer journey mapping helps visualize and understand the different stages a customer goes through. It involves creating a detailed map of all customer interactions and touchpoints, helping businesses identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.

Table of contents:

• B2B customer journey mapping

• B2C customer journey mapping

• Customer journey mapping examples

B2B vs. B2C customer journey mapping  

B2B customer journey mapping

In the B2B sector, the customer journey is typically more complex and involves multiple stakeholders. Here’s a flowchart of the B2B customer journey mapping:

Awareness

• Events: Sponsorship and presentations at industry conferences.

  • Emotions: Curiosity and interest.
  • User actions: Attending sessions, engaging with representatives.
  • User research: Gathering initial information about your company and solutions.
  • Solutions: Industry-specific content and engaging presentations.
• Referrals: Recommendations from colleagues or industry peers.
  • Emotions: Trust and confidence.
  • User actions: Seeking more information based on referral.
  • User research: Exploring the credibility of the referral source.
  • Solutions: Leveraging existing client testimonials and case studies.

• Marketing: Exposure through targeted ads and content marketing (e.g., whitepapers, blog posts) on LinkedIn and industry-specific sites.

  • Emotions: Awareness and intrigue.
  • User actions: Clicking on ads, downloading content.
  • User research: Reading whitepapers and blog posts to understand your offerings.
  • Solutions: Providing valuable, targeted content that addresses industry pain points.

Consideration

• Initial contact: Potential clients visit your website, interact with a chatbot, and schedule a demo.

  • Emotions: Interest and cautious optimism.
  • User actions: Engaging with a chatbot, booking a demo.
  • User research: Evaluating your website’s credibility and content.
  • Solutions: Offering a seamless, user-friendly initial interaction.

• Discovery call/meeting: Understanding client needs, challenges, and goals.

  • Emotions: Hopeful and evaluative.
  • User actions: Participating in discussions, sharing requirements.
  • User research: Assessing how well your solutions align with their needs.
  • Solutions: Tailoring discussions to address specific client pain points.

• Detailed proposals: Customized proposals addressing specific client requirements.

  • Emotions: Anticipation and scrutiny.
  • User actions: Reviewing proposals, comparing with competitors.
  • User research: Analyzing proposals for value and fit.
  • Solutions: Providing clear, compelling proposals with detailed benefits.

• Product demos: Live demonstrations or trials showcasing how your solution meets their needs.

  • Emotions: Evaluative and critical.
  • User actions: Participating in demos, asking questions.
  • User research: Observing how well the product fits their needs.
  • Solutions: Offering a personalized and interactive demonstration.

• Information requests: Seeking additional documentation, case studies, and testimonials.

  • Emotions: Cautious optimism.
  • User actions: Requesting and reviewing additional materials.
  • User research: Verifying the product’s effectiveness through evidence.
  • Solutions: Providing thorough, relevant documentation and success stories.

Decision

• Internal review: The client’s team reviews your proposal and product.

  • Emotions: Analytical and deliberative.
  • User actions: Internal discussions, assessing fit.
  • User research: Comparing your solution with others.
  • Solutions: Ensuring all necessary information is easily accessible.

• Negotiations: Discussions to finalize pricing and contract terms.

  • Emotions: Negotiative and cautious.
  • User actions: Engaging in price and term discussions.
  • User research: Assessing the value versus cost.
  • Solutions: Offering flexible terms and clear value propositions.

• Contract discussions: Legal teams finalize contract terms.

  • Emotions: Legal scrutiny and resolution.
  • User actions: Reviewing and negotiating contract details.
  • User research: Ensuring terms are clear and favorable.
  • Solutions: Providing clear, legally vetted contract terms.

• Approval processes: Obtaining internal approvals from departments like procurement, IT, and finance.

  • Emotions: Formal and cautious.
  • User actions: Securing necessary internal approvals.
  • User research: Evaluating internal compliance and impact.
  • Solutions: Facilitating the approval process with clear documentation and support.

Purchase

• Final contract signing: Both parties sign the contract, securing the deal.

  • Emotions: Relief and satisfaction.
  • User actions: Signing the contract.
  • User research: Confirming all terms are correctly reflected.
  • Solutions: Providing a smooth, straightforward contract signing process.

• Onboarding coordination: Planning and coordinating the implementation and onboarding process.

  • Emotions: Anticipation and preparedness.
  • User actions: Coordinating implementation details.
  • User research: Ensuring onboarding aligns with expectations.
  • Solutions: Offering detailed onboarding plans and support.

Post-purchase

• Implementation: Setting up and configuring the software, integrating with existing systems.

  • Emotions: Focused and engaged.
  • User actions: Collaborating on setup and integration.
  • User research: Monitoring the integration’s success.
  • Solutions: Providing robust implementation support and troubleshooting.

• Training: Conducting training sessions for client employees.

  • Emotions: Learning and adaptation.
  • User actions: Attending training sessions.
  • User research: Assessing training effectiveness.
  • Solutions: Offering comprehensive training and resources.

• Ongoing support: Continuous support to address issues and provide assistance.

  • Emotions: Reassured and supported.
  • User actions: Seeking and receiving support.
  • User research: Evaluating the quality of support.
  • Solutions: Ensuring accessible and responsive support.

• Customer success check-ins: Regular reviews of usage, feedback collection, and optimization discussions.

  • Emotions: Engaged and valued.
  • User actions: Providing feedback and discussing improvements.
  • User research: Assessing the ongoing value and impact.
  • Solutions: Conducting proactive check-ins and offering tailored solutions.

Loyalty

• Renewals: Discussions on renewing or expanding the contract.

  • Emotions: Contentment and future planning.
  • User actions: Reviewing renewal terms.
  • User research: Considering additional value or improvements.
  • Solutions: Offering renewal incentives and updates.

• Upselling/Cross-selling: Introducing additional features or products.

  • Emotions: Curious and open to enhancements.
  • User actions: Exploring new offerings.
  • User research: Evaluating the benefits of additional products.
  • Solutions: Presenting relevant upsell and cross-sell opportunities.

• Customer feedback collection: Gathering feedback through surveys and reviews to gauge satisfaction and improvement areas.

  • Emotions: Reflective and communicative.
  • User actions: Providing feedback.
  • User research: Understanding client satisfaction and areas for improvement.
  • Solutions: Implementing feedback-driven improvements.

• Long-term relationship building: Personalized engagement, regular updates, and value-added content.

  • Emotions: Valued and engaged.
  • User actions: Participating in ongoing engagement.
  • User research: Assessing the long-term relationship value.
  • Solutions: Providing continuous value through personalized interactions and updates.

Related read: What is B2B customer service and how to do it effectively for your business

B2C customer journey mapping

The B2C customer journey is often more straightforward compared to B2B, focusing on individual consumer experiences. Here’s a simplified flowchart:

Awareness

• Advertising: Ads for your store’s latest products on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

  • Emotions: Curiosity and excitement.
  • User actions: Engaging with ads.
  • User research: Checking out the ad’s content.
  • Solutions: Creating compelling, eye-catching ads.

• Search engines: Discovery through Google search results or paid search ads.

  • Emotions: Intent and interest.
  • User actions: Clicking on search results.
  • User research: Evaluating search results and website relevance.
  • Solutions: Ensuring high visibility and relevance in search results.

• Social media: Following and interacting with your brand’s social media profiles.

  • Emotions: Connection and engagement.
  • User actions: Following, liking, sharing posts.
  • User research: Exploring brand’s social media presence.
  • Solutions: Providing engaging and relevant social media content.

Consideration

• Website visit: Browsing product selection and reading details on your site.

  • Emotions: Interest and evaluation.
  • User actions: Browsing and reading product details.
  • User research: Assessing product information and website usability.
  • Solutions: Offering an intuitive, informative website experience.

• Product reviews: Checking reviews and ratings to assess product quality and reliability.

  • Emotions: Cautious optimism.
  • User actions: Reading and evaluating reviews.
  • User research: Comparing product reviews and ratings.
  • Solutions: Highlighting positive reviews and addressing negative feedback.

• Comparison: Comparing products on your site and possibly with competitors.

  • Emotions: Analytical and decision-oriented.
  • User actions: Using comparison tools.
  • User research: Evaluating product features and prices.
  • Solutions: Providing easy-to-use comparison tools.

Decision

• Add to cart: Selecting a product and adding it to the shopping cart.

  • Emotions: Determined and focused.
  • User actions: Adding items to the cart.
  • User research: Reviewing cart contents and prices.
  • Solutions: Offering a smooth, clear checkout process.

• Checkout: Entering payment and shipping information.

  • Emotions: Expectation and urgency.
  • User actions: Completing payment and shipping details.
  • User research: Ensuring payment security and ease.
  • Solutions: Providing multiple payment options and a secure checkout process.

• Purchase confirmation: Completing the purchase and receiving an order confirmation.

  • Emotions: Satisfaction and relief.
  • User actions: Receiving and reviewing order confirmation.
  • User research: Verifying purchase details.
  • Solutions: Sending clear and prompt confirmation emails.

Post-purchase

• Order fulfillment: Receiving shipping notifications and tracking information.

  • Emotions: Anticipation and reassurance.
  • User actions: Tracking order status.
  • User research: Monitoring delivery progress.
  • Solutions: Providing real-time tracking and updates.

• Delivery: Receiving the product and verifying its condition.

  • Emotions: Excitement and scrutiny.
  • User actions: Unboxing and checking the product.
  • User research: Inspecting product quality.
  • Solutions: Ensuring products are well-packaged and in good condition.

• Customer support: Contacting support for any issues with the order.

  • Emotions: Concern and frustration.
  • User actions: Seeking help or returns.
  • User research: Evaluating support responsiveness.
  • Solutions: Offering responsive and helpful customer support.

Loyalty

• Feedback and reviews: Leaving a review and sharing experiences on social media or your site.

  • Emotions: Reflective and communicative.
  • User actions: Writing and posting reviews.
  • User research: Assessing the impact of their feedback.
  • Solutions: Encouraging reviews and addressing feedback.

• Loyalty programs: Joining your store’s loyalty program for rewards and future discounts.

  • Emotions: Valued and rewarded.
  • User actions: Enrolling and earning rewards.
  • User research: Evaluating loyalty benefits.
  • Solutions: Creating attractive loyalty programs and rewards.

• Promotions and offers: Receiving targeted offers based on purchase history.

  • Emotions: Appreciative and motivated.
  • User actions: Using discount codes and offers.
  • User research: Exploring relevant promotions.
  • Solutions: Providing personalized and relevant promotions.

• Repeat purchases: Returning for additional purchases, benefiting from an improved experience.

  • Emotions: Loyalty and satisfaction.
  • User actions: Making additional purchases.
  • User research: Evaluating ongoing satisfaction.
  • Solutions: Enhancing customer experience and personalization.

Customer journey mapping examples

Let's look at real-world examples of customer journey mapping for both B2B and B2C companies, showing the major stages and how they engage with their consumers.

B2B example: Slack

Slack has become synonymous with modern workplace communication, offering businesses a powerful platform to streamline team collaboration. The customer journey with Slack typically begins in the awareness stage, where potential customers first encounter the brand through various channels. Zapier, a workflow automation tool, is one such company that discovered Slack while searching for ways to improve team communication. Slack’s presence in industry blogs, tech news, and its strong social media outreach caught the attention of Zapier’s leadership, who were looking to reduce the inefficiencies of email and fragmented communication tools.

As Zapier moved into the consideration stage, they engaged more deeply with Slack’s offerings. Slack’s free version allowed Zapier to test the platform’s capabilities with their team, while case studies and testimonials from other tech companies provided insights into how Slack could be effectively used. For example, Shopify, the ecommerce platform, used Slack to unify its global team communications. Shopify’s success with Slack was a key consideration for Zapier, as it demonstrated how the platform could scale with a growing team.

During the decision stage, Slack provided Zapier with tailored onboarding support and highlighted specific integrations that could enhance their workflows. Slack’s ability to integrate seamlessly with tools Zapier was already using, like Google Drive and Trello, played a crucial role in their decision-making process. Another example is Airbnb, which chose Slack after seeing how it could centralize communications across its various departments and locations. Slack’s demo sessions and detailed ROI assessments helped Airbnb’s leadership see the long-term value of adopting the platform.

Upon deciding to implement Slack, Zapier entered the purchase stage, where Slack’s customer success team ensured a smooth transition from their previous communication tools. Slack’s onboarding process included setting up channels, integrating existing tools, and training employees on best practices.

In the post-purchase stage, Slack continued to support Zapier with regular check-ins, performance reviews, and updates on new features.

B2C example: Nike
 

On the B2C side, Nike takes a different approach. As a global leader in athletic apparel and footwear, Nike begins the journey by building awareness through social media campaigns, influencer collaborations, and brand storytelling. The legendary "Just Do It" campaign, which featured athletes like Serena Williams, connected strongly with consumers, increasing brand recognition. Consumers often visit Nike's website, compare items, and read reviews before making a purchase choice. For example, someone considering the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus might compare it with other brands, read online reviews, and watch product videos on platforms like YouTube.

Nike's user-friendly online shopping experience, with easy navigation and speedy checkout options, motivates customers to make their purchases. Following purchase, the consumer receives an order confirmation and delivery information, with Nike's mobile app offering real-time tracking to keep them updated. Finally, in the post-purchase stage, Nike follows up with emails, asking for feedback and offering loyalty program rewards. For example, after a purchase, customers might receive a survey to rate their experience and be invited to join the NikePlus membership for exclusive benefits.

Citations:  

1. Slack Case Studies:

• Slack. "Zapier Case Study." Slack, https://slack.com/customer-stories/zapier.
• Slack. "Shopify Case Study." Slack, https://slack.com/customer-stories/shopify.
• Slack. "Airbnb Case Study." Slack, https://slack.com/customer-stories/airbnb.

2. Nike Campaign and Consumer Journey:

• Nike. "Just Do It Campaign." Nike, https://www.nike.com/just-do-it.
• Nike. "NikePlus Membership." Nike, https://www.nike.com/nike-plus.

Conclusion  

Once you fully understand your customers’ experience with your business, you can enhance their satisfaction at every stage of their journey. It's crucial to recognize the various factors that influence this journey, such as customer pain points, emotions, and the touchpoints and processes your company uses.