No / In the past, marketing researchers have proposed the use of simple net present value analyses to assess customer lifetime values (CLVs). However, simple net present values disregard two important aspects: (1) environmental risks affecting customer cash flows and (2) a firm's flexibility in reacting to these risks. Consequently, they are inappropriate for assessing CLVs in relationships, in which risks affect customer cash flows and suppliers are able to react. This paper suggests a typology of CLV models in accordance with the degree of environmental risk and the supplier's flexibility. The paper thus contributes to a more differentiated customer lifetime valuation and, consequently, to a more accurate basis for decision making in relationships. The use of real options analysis is recommended for relationships which are affected by environmental risks and in which suppliers are flexible. By applying real options analysis to customer lifetime valuation, the paper offers a new methodological approach, thus merging financial valuation methods with key marketing concepts.

The competitive market of today is characterized by globalization, because of that organizations increased demands from customers on the services as well as on product. In other word, the customer is focusing on buying the service in same way as they buy products. For that the trust in relationships is considered as an important and effective factor when the business to business partners want to achieve growth profitability, and long term time. In order to reach high trust in relationships between customers and suppliers, ability to measure trust in relationships and to improve it is important. One to know how to be able to follow up the trust in the relationships between customers and suppliers, maintain and develop relationships for as long as possible in order to reach the company's goals. The first step in the project was data collection via an email survey and by direct contact with those companies by phone. Then the data was used to make an analysis by comports the results with pervious theories. The analysis enabled to identify the different types of factors which makes the trust in relationships more strong and stable .In the last chapters results are discussed and it was found that the each company has its own way to follow up the relationships to maintain the trust in relationships for longer  time to a achieve their goals and profit. The conclusions are each company have different way of measuring and regardless of which indicators are used for measuring the trust in relationships between the customer and service supplier, they must be  linked directly to the organization's  goals to maintain and  continuity relationships for as long as possible in order to reach the company's goals. The effective trust is important factor which lead to the partners feeling they belong to each other’s which the relationships between them  take a partner form which lead to long term time and profitable relationships and strong trust in relationships.

In today global business market, concepts are moving towards inter-national and inter-firm in contrary to older days. This has made companies explore ways to leverage their supply chains, and to evaluate the role of suppliers in their activities. One result has been the increased outsourcing of activities and performance. This has heightened the role of suppliers ever more.Consequently, in order to maintain competitive in the market and to be able to satisfy the knowledgeable end customer, suppliers must be completely aligned with the core company and its objectives and performances. This goal is only gained through strategic benchmarking towards Supplier Development.With a large number of suppliers to deal with, it won’t be feasible to have partnership relationship with each. The strategic approach is to classify them in a manner suitable for the company and only then start from top of the list setting goals for the most prioritized.Before making any attempt in Supplier Relationship Development, the company must start from within setting the right mindset from top down, inside its own ground. Only then Supplier development will be aligned with the objectives of the company and the program will be integrated and successful.This research sought after ways to develop a strategic and systematic method of dealing with suppliers. This guideline was classified as a step by step map of a Supplier Development program. The study was conducted for Volvo Penta Vara Company, and as part of its Supply Chain Development Program. The findings from the company and literature were compared and analyzed and finally guidelines were developed.This report is the last part of the master’s studies in Industrial Engineering-Logistics at University of Borås. It gave us the opportunity to use what we had learnt during the programme. Considering the broadness of the subject we were after, this report meant a lot of work. However, this was the challenge we wanted and an intriguing journey where we learned a lot along the way.

The thesis´ aim is to deepen the understanding about what shapes and characterises the purchase process for management advice services. Such externally, acquired services have increased substantially, and in relation to the services´ impact on management decisions the theoretical and practical understanding of the purchase process is lagging behind. The thesis´ analyses, interpretations and conclusions are founded on empirical data collected by use of focus groups, and based on activity theory. The findings show that the purchase process is influenced by many actors who see themselves as subject in the process. They have similar but also conflicting objects that they want to fulfil. The outcome of the purchase process is influenced by contradictory opinions among the actors about how to organize and supervise the process. The main contradictions are influenced by the actors´ different objects and how they interpret the context of the purchase process. The context is shaped by such as leadership style, social rules regarding management of change and opinions about division of labour in the purchase process. The impression of the purchase process´s character is that commonly used supply chain models do not work as a characterization. The purchase process´s phases do not follow on each other and the glue that links the phases is not a rational procedure following one, firm route. The findings show that procurement, integration and follow-up phases overlap, are concurrent and integrated in each other. The purchase process reproduces the execution of polyphonic music in which different voices, each with its own melody, create a rich texture of sounds. In a similar way the purchase process is coined by actors who bring their own objects and competence into the process. It produces dissonance, as in polyphonic music. It mirrors the services character of competence development and shapes the purchase process as polyphonic rather than a rational, step by step process.

Bakgrund: Den industriella marknadsföringen kännetecknas av djupa kundrelationer, där affärer ofta karaktäriseras av långa säljprocesser som innefattar åtskilliga interaktioner med flertalet aktörer involverade. Denna försäljning har blivit allt mer relationsorienterad där kundens behov, värde och önskemål sätts i fokus. Covid-19 har främjat ett digitalt arbetssätt vilket har påverkat verksamheter, affärslandskapet och interaktionen mellan säljare och kunder. Den fysiska interaktionen som anses vara grundläggande vid en nykundsbearbetning och för skapandet av en kundrelation har nu ersatts av digitala möten.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka och bidra med ökad förståelse för hur omställningen till att arbeta digitalt på distans har en inverkan på säljarens nykundsbearbetning och etableringen av kundrelationer B2B.  Metod: Denna flerfallstudie tillämpar en kvalitativ forskningsmetod och utgår från ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv i samverkan med en deduktiv ansats med induktiva inslag. Studiens empiriska resultat har samlats in med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer från fyra olika fallföretag. Utifrån tidigare forskning analyseras det empiriska resultatet.  Slutsats: Denna studies resultat påvisar att säljarens arbetssätt har påverkats i viss utsträckning vid bearbetning av nya kunder. Affärer präglas i hög grad av mjuka värden där den fysiska interaktionen förblir viktig för utvecklingen av en kundrelation. Digitala interaktioner ställer högre krav på säljaren inför ett möte och innebär svårigheter att kunna knyta en personlig kontakt för att komma kunden nära och utveckla ett förtroende. Samtidigt visar studien att det digitala verktyget medför en högre effektivitet, tillgänglighet, och en ökad möjlighet att nå fler kunder. Affärslandskapet har förändrats och en kombination av fysiska och digitala möten kommer vara ett sätt för säljarna att nykundsbearbeta på. / Background: Industrial marketing is defined by deep customer relationships, where business is characterized by long sales processes which include numerous interactions with multiple participants. B2B-sales have become more relationship-oriented where the customer's needs, values and wishes are the focal points. Covid-19 has promoted a digital way of working, which has changed the business landscape and the way salespeople interact with customers. The physical interaction that is considered vital when acquiring new customers has now been replaced by digital meetings.  Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate and contribute with an increased understanding of how the transition to working remotely has an impact on the seller’s customer acquisition and the establishment of B2B-relations.  Method: This multiple case study applies a qualitative research method, based on a hermeneutic perspective and a deductive approach with inductive elements. The empirical results of the study have been collected by means of semi-structured interviews from four different companies. The result of the interviews has been analysed using previous research.  Conclusion: The results of this study show that the salesperson’s way of working has been affected to a certain extent when acquiring new customers. B2B-sales is characterized by soft values where the physical interaction remains important for the development of customer relationships. Digital interactions require higher demands on salespeople before a meeting and can imply difficulties in developing a personal contact and association between the parties in order to establish trust. However, it turns out that digital tools lead to higher efficiency, availability, and an increased opportunity to reach more customers. The business landscape has changed, and a mix of physical and digital meetings will be a way for salespeople to acquire new customers.