Realizing and Satisfying Informational Requirements throughout the Customer Journey: A Case Study on the Industrial Manufacturing Industry

Abstract: This thesis examines the informational requirements of customers throughout the customer journey within the industry for industrial facilitating goods and explores how to manage data to meet these requirements. The research adopts a qualitative research design with a case study approach, using semi-structured interviews supplemented with secondary survey data. Thematic analysis and descriptive and correlational analysis were employed to analyze data. The study identifies digital touchpoints as crucial areas for understanding data requirements and data exchange and highlights the importance of data quality and searchability in enhancing customer satisfaction. The research findings simultaneously emphasize the need for a balance between physical and digital touchpoints and the significance of qualitative human interactions in generating positive customer experience. Managerial implications include the importance of updating and delivering the appropriate data sets for different customer roles, investing in business web-presence to facilitate effective customer interactions, and maintaining a balance between physical and digital touchpoints.