Identifying and Segmentation Key Customers Based on Value Creation Criteria in Industrial Markets (Case Study: International Road Transport Companies)

The international road transport industry, as one of the core pillars of the global supply chain, is facing challenges in terms of competitiveness and customer relationship management. In this context, identifying and clustering key customers based on value creation criteria represents an innovative approach to enhancing efficiency and strengthening companies’ competitive advantage. However, the multi-layered dimensions of customer value creation have received limited attention from researchers. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to identify and cluster key customers in industrial markets based on value creation criteria. This research is considered a mixed-method study. In the qualitative phase, customer value creation criteria were elicited, while in the quantitative phase, the customer lifetime value (CLV) of key industrial customers was first calculated using a formulated equation, and subsequently, clustering was performed based on the elicited criteria. In the qualitative section, the sample consisted of 14 experts selected through purposive non-probability sampling. In the quantitative section, purposive and convenience sampling was employed to calculate the CLV of key customers, involving 42 companies. The K-Means method was then applied for clustering. The findings revealed that key industrial customers were grouped into three clusters: (1) Golden Low-Interaction Customers—customers with high revenue per transaction but fewer transactions compared to other clusters; (2) Silver Growth-Potential Customers—customers with a high number of transactions and continuous engagement, generating moderate revenue yet demonstrating a high renewal rate; and (3) Bronze High-Interaction Customers—customers with the highest number of transactions but very low revenue.