Adapting to the New Normal: Establishing and Maintaining Trust in B2B Relationships in a Post-Pandemic World

Abstract: Purpose: To understand how B2B companies may establish and maintain trust in their relationships with customers during and in the post-COVID digital business landscape. Methodology: The study carries a qualitative approach conducted with an exploratory nature. To establish a comprehensive perspective, broad analysis was conducted by holding seven semi-structured interviews with highly knowledgeable respondents with high insight who possess knowledge regarding external business relationships. The interviews were conducted with professionals from different technology companies active in the Swedish market. The method follows ethical and critical guidelines to generate a credible analysis. Theoretical Perspective: The study’s analytical framework integrates key factors impacting trust, encompassing the levels of trust, calculative, affective, and normative, with the dimensions of trust, ability, benevolence, and integrity, combining them with the interpersonal and interorganizational levels of trust. Results: The study finds that a digital remote work setting contributes to challenges affecting the trust such as less personal small-talk, establishing new relationships as well as a longer time frame to establish trust. To combat these issues some strategies are identified, these being building of tight partnership, the importance of individuals, dependable delivery, reliability and simplicity, as well as transparency. Based on these findings, a vision emerges for a future with a hybrid working solution. Conclusion: The study’s results contribute to increased knowledge about how B2B companies establish and maintain trust by responding to a weakened interpersonal trust by compensating with increased focus on other aspects of trust. The study also highlights the possible role of a hybrid work solution in the future as a solution to the challenges raised from remote work. Furthermore, the study heightens the uncertainty regarding the time frame in trust building in this new context, working as a springboard for future studies.