Do Buyers Place Greater Trust in People or in the Brand?
This data set set out to settle an argument the industry has been having for years. Do lubricant buyers choose the company, or the person who turns up on behalf of it?
The finding is more useful than a simple answer. Buyers rely on reputation to get you onto the list, then on individual behaviour to decide who wins.
What buyers told us
prioritise reputation when considering a new provider
say personalised communication builds more trust than corporate messaging
look for demonstrable experience
say understanding alignment with their needs is key
said specialisation mattered, and just 14.7% cited longevity of operation
What this means for sellers
Go deeper
- Standards and approvals in lubricant decisions
- Are you losing business because of price?
- Standing out or just blending in: why lubricant messaging misses the mark
Part of The Buyer Revolution, our research programme with over 1,000 lubricant buyers across five global data sets and more than 25,000 individual data points.
Common questions
So does brand not matter?
How do we make communication feel personal at scale?
What counts as demonstrable experience?
Turn the findings into action
Two ways to build this into how your team sells.
The Buyer Revolution Workshop
A hands-on session that turns this research into a practical, buyer-led approach for your team.
Explore the workshopThe Buyer Revolution
Prefer to learn at your own pace? The self-study programme, online and on demand.
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Customer Centricity in Lubricants: The uncomfortable truth.
