Take hope springs for example and its need to

directly relate to the process that organizational buyers must go through. Take Hope Springs, for
example, and its need to purchase 500 new tablet computers. When Brian, the purchasing manager,
is tasked to identify the right vendor from which to purchase the tablets, he must go through an
extensive process that is substantially different than the customer purchase process. From issuing a
request for proposal (RFP) to evaluating each proposal with upper management, Brian must work
with members of the buying center to execute this purchase. Even after the purchase is made by
accounts payable, Brian must follow a detailed post-purchase process to evaluate the vendor’s
performance and ensure the vendor has met expectations.
Organizational buyers include those manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, organizations and
government agencies that buy products and services for their own use and resale. While the
business buying process may mirror the customer process, organizational buyers have unique
requirements in a much more formalized process including the size of purchase, buying objectives,
criteria, and the unique relationships that must be developed and maintained.
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