Enhancing our understanding of customer engagement in business-to-business markets: the development of a framework

Purpose This study aims to develop a framework to enhance the understanding of customer engagement in business-to-business markets. Design/methodology/approach This study uses an integrative approach, combining theory and qualitative data to develop a framework for customer engagement in business-to-business markets. Findings This study provides three major insights into customer engagement in business-to-business marketing. First, this study develops a customer engagement framework in business-to-business markets and addresses existing research gaps. Second, this study integrates relationship marketing and customer engagement literature to enhance the understanding of customer engagement. Third, this study highlights contexts in which satisfaction with the relationship is not correlated with customer engagement. Originality/value This study offers emergent perspectives on customer engagement, presents nine propositions and provides a framework. It finds that the availability of quality alternatives, customer investments, the criticality of offerings, the supplier’s distinctive expertise and disruptions moderate the relationship between customer satisfaction with relationship and customer engagement. It demonstrates that high customer engagement yields positive financial, process and strategic outcomes. Finally, this study discusses low and high customer engagement outcomes. In ongoing relationships, low engagement leads to transactional relationships, while high engagement enhances existing relationships and fosters future customer engagement, creating a virtuous or reinforcing cycle.