Emotion-Gauge: Analyzing Affective Experiences in B2B Customer Journeys

Abstract

In B2B relationships, the role of affective experiences has not been particularly salient. Nevertheless, B2B customers do have affective experiences during their encounters with a firm, which eventually form an affective path of the customer journey. This affective path has an effect on the perceived value of the B2B relationship which consequently defines the customer experience. There are various frameworks for the sphere of human affective experiences, ranging from detailed circular models to less detailed dimensional ones. They are useful in explaining the affective state of a person on a certain moment. However, the temporal dimension is not salient in these frameworks. Frameworks for the customer experience do consider the temporal dimension, but they lack the depth of assessing affective experience. This paper presents a novel tool, Emotion-Gauge, which takes into account both temporal dimension and variations in pleasure, arousal and dominance of affective experiences. Emotion-Gauge reveals the affective path a B2B customer travels when encountering various business activities, thus enabling companies design their activities in managing the affective path and consequently enhancing positive customer experience and value creation. The paper reports the results of testing Emotion-Gauge by empirical research using case study methodology. The findings of the study indicate that affective experiences are salient, vary with different phases of the interaction, form unique affective paths, and are related to various factors during a business project.