Forrester: B2B Organizations Must Evolve To Encompass AI Agents And External Influencers To Align With How Modern Buyers Want To Buy

Rhea-AI Summary

Forrester (FORR) unveiled new research at B2B Summit North America highlighting how B2B organizations must adapt to modern buying behaviors. The research, titled 'Buying Networks: Your Buyers' New Reality,' reveals that younger buyers increasingly rely on generative AI, AI agents, and external influencers for purchase decisions.

The study emphasizes that today's business purchases involve complex buying networks, comprising internal buying group members and external parties including providers, customers, influencers, partners, and AI agents. To thrive in this evolving landscape, Forrester recommends organizations to:

• Establish connections between buying groups and external influencers through thought leadership
• Optimize websites for AI agents accessing information
• Deploy provider AI agents capable of engaging in contextual conversations
• Develop formal partner advocacy programs

Positive

• Strategic focus on adapting to AI-driven market changes indicates forward-thinking approach
• Research leadership position in understanding evolving B2B market dynamics

Negative

• Indication of pressure on growth and profitability amid challenging economic conditions
• Need for significant transformation of revenue processes suggesting potential operational costs

Unveiled at B2B Summit North America, Forrester’s new research calls on leaders to grasp the full complexity of B2B buying and evolve their growth strategies to engage buying networks

PHOENIX & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- B2B organizations and go-to-market teams have fallen out of step with today’s buyers, who are younger, rely more on generative AI and AI agents to research products and services, and increasingly turn to third parties and influencers to make their purchase decisions. These behavioral shifts are upending norms and entrenched practices according to new research, Buying Networks: Your Buyers’ New Reality, unveiled at Forrester’s (Nasdaq: FORR) B2B Summit North America, which kicked off today. Additionally, B2B leaders are under increasing pressure to drive growth and improve profitability, all while navigating a challenging economic and geopolitical environment. To thrive amid this volatility, B2B organizations must transform their revenue processes to reflect a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics of purchasing decisions.

Many of today’s business purchases are made by buyers relying on their buying networks, which consist of a diverse group of constituents. These include not only the buying group members who are part of the organization making the purchase but also the external parties they connect with for information, advice, and support, such as providers, customers, influencers, partners, and AI agents. B2B buyers and sellers must understand the relationships within these buying networks and provide value to these varied constituents to grow and thrive.

Forrester’s latest research recommends that firms analyze not only specific buyer behaviors and preferences but also those of their broader networks, engaging meaningfully in the conversations that matter most to their business today. To help reduce today’s buying mayhem, providers should consider the following best practices:

• Establish connections between buying groups and external influencers. B2B buyers actively search for external experts who have key insights or speak from firsthand experience. Providers can influence these influencers through thought leadership programs to build a positive consensus with buying groups.

• Ensure that buyer AI agents deliver accurate information to buying groups. Providers must treat buyer agents visiting their websites as important extensions of the buying group, providing them with the information that addresses their assigned tasks.

• Employ provider AI agents to optimize the value provided to self-service buyers. Provider AI agents should be capable of engaging in conversations, answering follow-up questions, and retaining the context from multiple conversations to support buyers and customers across purchase scenarios, delivery channels, and languages.

• Create partner advocates who extend the organization’s reach and influence. For providers that go to market through partners, developing a formal partner advocacy program is an ideal way to expand the value they provide to prospects and customers, both direct and indirect.

“Making sense of how today’s buyers buy and meeting their increasing expectations to create sustainable growth requires a complete rethinking of the revenue process,” said Srividya Sridharan, event research chair, vice president, and group research director at Forrester. “As buyers expand the number of third parties and AI agents they consult in their buying process, providers must adapt by recognizing all the key sources involved. Buying networks can help providers and organizations discover, visualize, and understand the entire context of their buyer’s journey — both visible and invisible. B2B providers that embrace buying networks to help buyers buy will build greater trust with them and improve long-term, sustainable growth.”

Resources:

• Learn more about how buying networks can help providers alleviate B2B buying challenges.
• Follow @Forrester and #ForrB2BSummit for updates.

About Forrester

Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We empower leaders in technology, customer experience, digital, marketing, sales, and product functions to be bold at work and accelerate growth through customer obsession. Our unique research and continuous guidance model helps executives and their teams achieve their initiatives and outcomes faster and with confidence. To learn more, visit Forrester.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250401966036/en/

Amanda Chordas

achordas@forrester.com

Source: Forrester

FAQ

What are the key findings of Forrester's new B2B buying research in 2024?

The research reveals that B2B buyers are younger, increasingly rely on AI agents for research, and turn to third-party influencers for purchase decisions, fundamentally changing traditional B2B buying patterns.

How does Forrester (FORR) define modern buying networks in B2B transactions?

Forrester defines buying networks as groups including internal buying team members and external parties (providers, customers, influencers, partners, and AI agents) who influence purchase decisions.

What role do AI agents play in B2B purchasing according to Forrester's research?

AI agents serve as important extensions of buying groups, researching products and services, with buyers increasingly relying on them to gather information and support purchase decisions.

What strategies does Forrester recommend for B2B organizations to adapt to new buying behaviors?

Forrester recommends establishing connections with external influencers, optimizing for AI agents, deploying conversational AI, and creating partner advocacy programs.