New research from McKinsey reveals what attracts and irritates B2B buyers.

 

McKinsey’s 2026 Global B2B Pulse Survey found that inconsistent information, poor communication between teams and difficulties accessing knowledgeable staff are among the leading causes of customer churn.

 

The survey found that B2B purchasing remains firmly omnichannel.

 

Buyers now use an average of ten channels throughout the purchasing journey and continue to divide their interactions relatively evenly between traditional, remote and digital channels. 

 

While digital engagement continues to increase, the most notable shift in recent years has been a gradual move away from remote interactions such as phone calls and video meetings. 

 

Digital self-service channels have steadily gained ground, particularly during the research, ordering and reordering stages of the buying process.

 

The report is based on responses from nearly 4000 B2B decision-makers across 13 countries and multiple industries. According to McKinsey, buyer expectations have evolved to the point where capabilities such as e-commerce and omnichannel engagement are no longer competitive advantages, but basic requirements for doing business.

 

More than half of respondents (52 per cent) said they would consider ending a supplier relationship if different teams provided inconsistent information on issues such as pricing, product availability or lead times. 

 

Other key frustrations included being transferred between multiple teams before receiving help (51 per cent), a lack of flexibility to conduct independent research before speaking to a sales representative (50 per cent) and poor experiences with supplier websites, webstores, chatbots and contact pages (43 per cent).

 

McKinsey said the findings demonstrate that buyers increasingly expect suppliers to operate as a single integrated organisation, regardless of whether interactions take place online, remotely or face to face.

 

On the topic of generative AI, it is moving rapidly beyond the pilot stage. The survey found that 22 per cent of organisations have fully implemented generative AI within their B2B buying and selling processes, while a further 31 per cent are actively deploying the technology.

 

McKinsey concluded that the next phase of competitive advantage will come, not from adopting individual technologies, but from integrating customer data, AI, digital commerce and sales processes into a coherent commercial strategy.

 

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