Beyond the logo: the role of branding in B2B services : A case study on the perceptions of the influence of branding in the purchase of recruitment services

Abstract: Background: In the last decade, digitalisation and globalisation have intensified competition and customer power, making price and quality minimum requirements rather than differentiators. As a result, branding has become crucial in the B2B context for creating competitive advantage and customer loyalty. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine the role of branding in a B2B service purchasing decision. More specifically, the research will focus on how buyers of services perceive that they are influenced by the brand when selecting a service provider. Method: A cross-sectional single case study was conducted on the recruitment agency Poolia. Semi-structured interviews with seven customers, two pilot interviews, and one interview with a case representative was the source of the collection of the primary data. A thematic analysis with an inductive approach was used for analysing and collecting data. The analysis focused on identifying relevant themes in the data and resulted in the creation of a conceptual model. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the findings that B2B purchase of a service lacks a defined process due to the highly interactive nature of the environment. Further, it could be seen that service brands have a significant impact on the purchasing decision and that the extent to which branding impacts varies depending on the level of relationship between the entities. Factors of branding were discovered to impact different parts of the purchasing process.