There are case studies and there are customer stories. You’d think it’s a similar concept with different names. But what if it’s not?
Case studies usually follow the ‘challenge, solution, result’ structure. But this format comes from an age when most B2B purchases were just that - a single transaction. Buy once, use forever.Nowadays, our email runs on subscription, our CRM is a subscription, and even our office supplies might be on subscription.
So when you subscribe to a (software as a) service, you need to know that you can trust the company, that they’re stable and can offer business continuity in case of emergencies; that they’ll support you through issues that may arise and will improve - or at the very least maintain - the value of your subscription with regular updates.
Therefore, features are only the entry point. The challenge is still there, but the solution is not that simple, and the result is not guaranteed. Hence, a case study is not enough.
A customer story focuses on the why, how, and who of a customer’s journey. It goes beyond a case study into the rational and emotional reasons for trusting someone to run your email, CRM, or office supplies. And why it’s still a good choice.
Which is better for your business? A case study or a customer story?
