Podcast Summary: B2B Agility with Greg Kihlström™

Episode #62: B2B CX and the Evolving B2B Customer with Rajesh Sankaran
Date: September 23, 2025
Guest: Rajesh Sankaran, SVP of E-Commerce, Amax Insurance
Host: Greg Kihlström

Episode Overview

This episode explores the nuanced and evolving landscape of B2B customer experience (CX), focusing on how expectations from B2C are influencing B2B, especially within large insurance organizations like Amax Insurance. Host Greg Kihlström and guest Rajesh Sankaran discuss the convergence of B2B and B2C CX standards, the operational and cultural differences in serving these segments, and how Amax approaches personalization, technology, and measurement in both contexts.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Blurring Line Between B2B and B2C CX

• Customer Expectations Converge:
  Sankaran highlights how every B2B customer is also a B2C consumer, bringing their digital-first and seamless experience expectations from the consumer world into business relationships.

  • “The world’s changed because of our Starbucks and Netflixes … regardless of whether you're talking for yourself or you're customer, you're a customer, you want that same B2B experience that you have as a B2C customer.” – Rajesh Sankaran [03:40]

• Personalization and Value:
  Both B2B and B2C customers want personalized experiences, value, and long-term relationships, but the delivery must be tailored to the specific context and complexity of the business.

2. Key Differences in B2B vs. B2C CX

• Retention Challenges in B2C:
  Amax’s B2C customers are transient and price-sensitive, making retention a big focus, while B2B customers tend to have longer-term relationships.

  • “B2C customers are tougher to retain... they will change carriers ... for a $3 difference in payment.” – Rajesh Sankaran [05:41]

• Agent Training and Tools:
  Different skill sets and tools are requisite to handle B2B vs. B2C—agents are separately trained based on the segment, as their needs and the nature of client relationships differ.

3. Aligning Marketing, Sales, and CX

• Cross-Functional Alignment:
  Success in CX hinges on tight collaboration between sales, marketing, and service teams. While generally aligned, the alignment needs constant reinforcement, particularly regarding the rationale behind marketing activities such as lead generation.

  • “Salespeople don’t care how you do lead gen...it's hard to explain to a core seller what my top of the funnel is, what my bottom of the funnel is...” – Rajesh Sankaran [10:50]

• Consistent Customer Messaging:
  It’s vital to provide structured communication templates for agents, ensuring customers get consistent, correct information whether reminders are sent via phone, text, or online forms.

4. Digital Expectations & Evolving Strategies

• B2B Customers and B2C Expectations:
  Even small businesses now expect swift, digital, and frictionless experiences, though the complexity of insurance means some manual processes remain. Sankaran sees ongoing growth in automation, self-service, and proactive communication.

  • “The expectation about Starbucks and Prime ... is still there as a human being for everyone.” [14:11]

• Handling Complexity and Personalization:
  While the digital transformation is ongoing, B2B still requires due diligence and information gathering, but relationship-building and automation are key to bridging gaps.

5. Major Trends Impacting B2B CX

• AI and Technology:
  The rise of AI is reshaping personalization, channel blending, and self-service. Younger business decision-makers expect seamless omnichannel experiences.

  • “I've heard of this little thing called AI that's popped up everywhere now...our constant struggle is how do we take advantage of what's out there, how do we take advantage of it more responsibly...” [16:28]

• Generational Shifts:
  A growing proportion of B2B buyers are millennials or Gen Z, necessitating changes in CX approaches to meet new communication and service preferences.

  • “I read somewhere, I think 64% of the current buyers are millennials.” [17:47]

6. Measuring CX Success

• Feedback Collection:
  Traditional CSAT and NPS remain important, but the addition of real-time feedback (e.g., texts, call analysis with AI) feeds into continuous agent training.

  • “Phone calls are being heard and AI analyzes phone calls with agents and customers and that gives us some feedback ... we use basically that to turn that into training material for agents.” [18:24]

• Activating Promoters:
  A strategic focus is building a flywheel by activating promoters (satisfied customers who can refer others), although Sankaran notes they’re still optimizing this.

7. Staying Agile as a Leader

• Continuous Learning:
  Sankaran cites reading, networking, podcasts, and conferences as critical for staying current and adaptable in his role.
  • “There’s an inflow of information and how do you distill it and process what you want is the key.” [20:16]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “The world’s changed because of our Starbucks and Netflixes ... you want that same B2B experience that you have as a B2C customer.” – Rajesh Sankaran [03:40]
• “B2C customers are tougher to retain... they will change carriers ... for a $3 difference in payment.” – Rajesh Sankaran [05:41]
• “Salespeople don’t care how you do lead gen...it's hard to explain to a core seller what my top of the funnel is, what my bottom of the funnel is...” – Rajesh Sankaran [10:50]
• “I've heard of this little thing called AI that's popped up everywhere now...” – Rajesh Sankaran [16:28]
• “64% of the current buyers are millennials.” – Rajesh Sankaran [17:47]
• “Phone calls are being heard and AI analyzes phone calls with agents and customers...we use basically that to turn that into training material for agents.” – Rajesh Sankaran [18:24]
• “There’s an inflow of information and how do you distill it and process what you want is the key.” – Rajesh Sankaran [20:16]

Key Timestamps

• 00:33 — Episode theme and guest introduction
• 01:24 — Rajesh Sankaran's background and Amax Insurance overview
• 03:30-04:35 — Similarities and differences between B2B and B2C CX
• 05:27-07:05 — Approach to CX in B2B vs B2C, agent training
• 07:49-09:44 — Internal alignment and KPIs in CX
• 10:22-12:11 — Challenges in sales-marketing alignment, strategies for consistency
• 13:30-14:36 — Impact of B2C expectations on B2B CX strategies
• 16:11-18:03 — Trends: AI, omnichannel experiences, generational shifts
• 18:24-19:41 — Measuring B2B CX success, feedback loops
• 20:02-20:16 — How Sankaran stays agile as a leader

Summary Takeaway

This episode underscores the increasing overlap between B2B and B2C customer experience expectations, the necessity of tight cross-departmental collaboration, and the adoption of new tech like AI to meet evolving demands, especially from a new generation of decision-makers. Rajesh Sankaran emphasizes that while the core needs of customers may be similar, the paths to providing excellent CX in B2B vs. B2C require tailored strategies, ongoing alignment, and continuous learning.