B2B solution selling is often seen as the supplier’s responsibility: understanding customer needs, designing the right offering, and delivering value. A recent Journal of Business Research paper by Victoria Kramer and Manfred Krafft in collaboration with Stefan Worm (BI Oslo, Norway), and Sundar G. Bharadwaj (University of Georgia, USA) shows that customers also play a decisive role in solution selling.

The study focuses on “customer adaptiveness,” defined as a customer’s willingness and ability to adjust internal processes, share information, and collaborate flexibly with a supplier. This matters because tailored B2B solutions are rarely simple transactions. They require joint planning, coordination, and often internal change on the customer side.

Using data from 196 customers from the trade show industry, the authors find that adaptive customers are more likely to invest further in the supplier relationship and more likely to purchase again. However, adaptiveness does not automatically increase satisfaction. The reason is that adapting can be demanding: customers may need to involve more people, provide more input, and change established routines.

The study also shows that context matters. In turbulent markets, where needs and conditions change quickly, adaptiveness becomes more valuable because it helps customers and suppliers keep solutions aligned with changing requirements. Trust and references also play different roles. When customers are unsure about what they need, trust in the supplier is especially important. When customers have clearer preferences, references and case studies are more effective.

For B2B suppliers, the message is clear: successful solution selling is a joint effort. Suppliers should assess not only whether they can deliver a solution, but also whether the customer is ready to co-create it. The best outcomes occur when suppliers support customers through the adaptation process rather than simply expecting them to change.

The full article is available open access here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296326004212