Understanding the Additional Value Created by Customer Solutions and How it is Contingent upon Solution Complexity

Abstract : Faced with intense global competition, many suppliers in business markets are turning towards customer solutions in an attempt to better differentiate their offers. A considerable shortcoming of the presently published research on solutions lies in its lack of customer focus. This study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to (1) derive the dimensions of the additional value provided by a solution from the customer's perspective, (2) test how these dimensions impact overall solution evaluations, and (3) test for moderating effects of solution complexity.