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Standards, Approvals, and the Real Drivers of Customer Choice in Lubricants
Just how important are standards and approvals in the lubricants buying decision? Answering questions asked from the UKLA Roadmap event in June 2025.
When competing in the lubricant sector, it’s tempting to rely on technical standards and industry approvals as proof of your offer’s quality. And while these credentials are essential, more so in regulated or performance-sensitive environments, they might not be the main reason buyers choose you.
In today’s market, standards could get you to the table, but they most likely don’t win you the business in isolation.
Here’s what the data from the Buyer Revolution reveals about how customer preference is really shaped, and where standards fit in the bigger picture.
Approvals Build Legitimacy, But Trust Closes the Deal
There’s no doubt that OEM approvals and adherence to industry standards help lubricants suppliers validate performance and compatibility. But when buyers were asked what they prioritise before engaging a new provider, only 20.6% said ‘specialisation’, and just 14.7% cited ‘longevity of operation’
In contrast:
- 88.2% prioritise reputation
- 64.7% look for demonstrable experience
- 61.8% say understanding alignment with their needs is key
This tells us that buyers assume a baseline of compliance. It’s not a differentiator so much as it’s an entry requirement.
What Actually Influences Customer Choice in The Lubricants Sector?
Let’s look at what sways the buying decision beyond the datasheet.
- Speed of response: 75.9% of buyers say this is a critical factor in who they choose to work with. In a world where reliability and downtime matter, how fast you respond, not just how technically qualified you are, plays a huge role in preference.
- Responsiveness in urgent scenarios: One-third of buyers expect a response within 3 hours when something goes wrong. That’s not written on a product label, it’s experienced in real time.
- The human layer: 81.2% of buyers say they value reps who offer insight to their specific needs. It’s the blend of relevance and relationship that shapes preference, especially in environments where multiple options meet the same approval spec.
Standards Open the Door; But They Don’t Tell the Whole Story
Think of it like this: industry certifications are permission to play, not permission to win.
If your competitor also meets the same ISO, OEM, or ACEA classifications, the real battleground becomes service, insight, and trust. The Buyer Revolution data consistently shows that buyers want:
- Prepared account managers who follow through (An incredibly high number of buyers feel disappointed when a rep comes unprepared)
- Proactive digital engagement (Have you noticed a rise in preference for Teams or online meetings yet?)
- Personalised messaging (Don’t hide behind the brand or rely on bland generic corporate ‘news’)
None of these are on a technical datasheet, but all of them help shape and influence the decision.
How to Use Standards Without Leaning on Them
Approvals are vital, but they work best as credibility enhancers rather than core messages. Here’s how to reposition them in your go-to-market approach:
- Position standards as proof of readiness, not as a USP. “Approved for X” should follow, not lead.
- Embed them into content that solves problems, not just ticks boxes. A white paper that links an approval to a performance insight in a customer’s sector goes further than a bullet point in a spec sheet.
- Arm your sales team and distributors with buyer-first narratives. Help them answer: “What does this approval mean to this customer?” not just “Do we have it?”
Relevance Beats Compliance Alone
In today’s market, buyers don’t just want proof, they want partnership from a trusted and reliable advisor. They’re looking for suppliers who:
- Know their business
- Understand their urgency
- Respond quickly and personally
- Are visible and useful before the first meeting
Standards support your credibility but customer choice hinges on how well you show up, follow up, and speak directly to their priorities.
If you’re still leading with standards, you’re speaking to yesterday’s buyer. The Buyer Revolution shows us today’s buyer is smarter, more informed, and more demanding.
And they’re not asking: “Are you qualified?”
They’re asking: “Are you relevant?”
We answered more questions from the UKLA Roadmap 2025 event that couldn’t be answered in the panel. Including a helpful article about some of the persistent advantages for smaller players in the lubricants industry and some thoughts on how to influence end users even if you’re selling through distributors in the lubricants market.
